Jackrabbits top Creighton

BROOKINGS, S.D. (GoJacks.com) — South Dakota State women’s basketball improved to 2-0 Monday night with a 66-47 win over Creighton at Frost Arena.

The Jackrabbits shot 39.6 percent from the field, outrebounded Creighton 42-29, dished 14 assists and outscored the Bluejays in the paint 26-16.

Myah Selland finished with a double-double, the third of her career, scoring 17 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. The Letcher native also dished a team-leading four assists. Paiton Burckhard added 13 points while Haley Greer, Tori Nelson and Tylee Irwin each scored eight points and combined for 15 rebounds.

Scoring just two points in the first four minutes of action, the Jacks climbed back from an 8-2 deficit with five Selland free throws and Irwin’s first 3-pointer of the season to cut Creighton’s lead to 12-10 with 2:51 to play. The two teams went scoreless for the remainder of the quarter.

Back-to-back layups from Burckhard sparked a 7-0 run to give the Jacks their first lead of the game 17-14 at the 6:38 mark. A run of 13 unanswered Jackrabbit points pushed State’s lead to its largest of the half heading into the break, 32-21. All together, the Jacks outscored the Blue Jays 22-9 in the quarter.

The Jacks picked up where they left off in the opening minutes of the second half with eight consecutive points to grow the lead to its largest of the night at 40-21. Despite cooling off after the run, the Jacks were able to maintain a comfortable lead through a strong defensive effort and free throws in a foul-heavy third quarter for both teams.

After Creighton chipped away at the Jackrabbit lead to come within five with 6:25 left to play, the Jacks ended the game with a 14-0 run, erasing any chance for a Bluejay comeback.

South Dakota State concludes its season-opening homestand against No. 18 Gonzaga Sunday. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. inside Frost Arena.