Go Watertown Go Watertown Logo

Women drop road contest to Kansas State

Share

MANHATTAN, KAN. (GoJacks.com) — No. 22/21 South Dakota State women’s basketball suffered its first loss of the season against Kansas State 62-53 Thursday night on the road.

For the Jackrabbits (3-1), who shot 38.9 percent from the field, Myah Selland scored 15 points to lead the team. Paiton Burckhard finished just shy of a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Tori Nelson scored nine points, recorded seven rebounds and dished three assists. Lindsey Theuninck added nine points, three assists and and a career-best five steals. As a team, the Jacks recorded 15 steals and scored 26 points in the paint.

After being held scoreless in the opening two minutes of action, Theuninck and Selland hit consecutive 3-pointers to tie the game at six at the 7:31 mark. Burckhard’s free throw with 3:37 to play in the opening quarter broke a near four minute scoring drought for the Jacks. Kansas State continued the pressure and closed the quarter on a 7-0 run to hold an early 20-7 lead.

Layups by Madysen Vlastuin and Nelson within the first two minutes of the second quarter cut the Wildcat lead to 26-11. State’s defense held tough, not allowing a K-State basket for the next four minutes. Kansas State’s offense found its rhythm and went on a 10-4 run to take a 36-17 lead with just over two minutes to go in the half. A quiet end to the half led the Jacks into the locker room trailing 36-18.

The Jacks caught fire in the third quarter, scoring nine unanswered points to cut the K-State lead to 38-27 at the 7:29 mark. The Wildcats responded with a pair of free throws and a layup, however Theuninck’s 3-pointer with 5:18 left in the quarter brought the Jacks within 12 (42-30). An 8-3 run featuring a layup by Haley Greer and three consecutive Burckhard layups brought the Jacks back within 11, but a K-State jumper at the buzzer ended the quarter with the Wildcats leading 51-38.

The two teams exchanged baskets to begin the final quarter of play. Three consecutive Jackrabbit layups brought State within single digits (57-48) with 5:02 to play. Selland’s 3-pointer with 1:58 to go made it a 60-51 game, however the Jacks weren’t able to overcome the deficit despite outscoring K-State 15-11 in the fourth quarter.

South Dakota State continues its road trip when it faces Northern Iowa Saturday afternoon in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m.