The South Dakota State University women’s basketball team topped Montana State, 60-50, on Thursday night at Frost Arena.
The Jackrabbits improved to 2-2, as the Bobcats picked up its first loss of the season, falling to 3-1.
“I thought defensively we played very good and very solid throughout the game and that was important to us,” said head coach Aaron Johnston. “I think on that side we’ve been a little up and down our first few games, so I thought defensively we played really well. We really worked hard at it this week, too, so I’m happy for them that they got to see some of those results out there.”
A pair of Jacks scored in double figures led by Paiton Burckhard with 15 points, closely followed by Tagyn Larson with an early season-high off 14 points. Tylee Irwin led the rebounding efforts as she grabbed seven boards. Myah Selland held a team-best three assists, while adding six rebounds.
Neither team really got off to a quick start in the game, but Montana State held a 7-2 advantage midway through the first quarter. A 3-pointer by Irwin kicked off a 12-2 Jackrabbit run to take a 14-10 lead at the end of the opening frame.
Play was even through the remainder of the half has the Jackrabbits held just a 13-12 advantage in second quarter points. Back-to-back baskets by Larson and Tori Nelson gave State and eight-point lead, but the Bobcats outscored the Jacks 5-2 in the final three minutes of the quarter to cut State’s lead to 27-22 at the half.
The Jackrabbits came out swinging in the second half as a 3-pointer from Larson started a quarter where State would put up 24 points. Montana State made a layup at the 5:25 mark of the second quarter, but that was the last basket they would see for nearly four minutes as the Jackrabbits went on a 10-0 run to extend its lead to 46-27. The Bobcats hit a pair of free throws with 1:52 remaining in the quarter, but a layup from Larson followed by a second chance basket and free throw by Burckhard closed out the quarter with the Jacks leading 51-29.
“We had a really nice third quarter,” Johnston said. “That was one I feel good about and they can build on that in the offensive end.”
A second-chance 3-pointer from Tori Nelson gave the Jackrabbits their largest lead of 24 points in the final frame. The Bobcats would outscore the Jackrabbits 19-5 throughout the remainder of the game, but the advantage was enough to push State to a 60-50 victory.
