FARGO, N.D. - South Dakota women's basketball team fell to the #6 North Dakota State, 87-58 in North Central Conference basketball at the Bison Sports Arena on Saturday night in Fargo. The loss dropped the Coyotes to 7-8 overall and 2-6 in the NCC. Meanwhile, NDSU improved to 15-3 overall and 5-2 in the NCC.
For the first 12 minutes of the game, South Dakota hung tough with the Bison. After NDSU jumped up 6-2 at the 16:45 mark, the Coyotes tied the game at 6-6 on an offensive rebound and score by Coyote forward Alissa Koronkiewicz with 15:12 to play. Later, South Dakota took their first lead of the game at 13-12 with 11:50 to play on a basket by senior point guard Kelly Gese. After a Bison basket, Jodi Schroeder gave the Coyotes a 15-14 lead with 10:31 to play.
Watertown (S.D.) native Jaime Berry was the difference in this game. She scored 25 points, hitting all four of her three-point baskets in the game. She made nine of 11 field goals. Berry's three-point basket gave NDSU a 19-15 lead at the 9:41 mark. South Dakota's Heather Nelson answered with a three-pointer and the Coyotes were within 19-18 at the 7:54 mark. At that point, NDSU went on one of their patented runs, outscoring the Coyotes, 10-0 for a 29-18 lead with 4:57 to play in the opening half. Berry and Donna Luecke had three-point baskets in the run. For the rest of the half, both teams traded baskets with a Koepp basket in the paint drawing South Dakota within 42-29 at the break.
While the Coyotes had sparks of offense in the opening half, they still struggled shooting from the field. South Dakota hit 11 of 30 field goals for 36.7 percent and were just one of seven from three-point range for 14.3 percent. The Coyotes made six of eight free throws. Koepp had a solid first half, scoring 13 of her team-high 17 points. Koepp made five of eight field goals and three of four free throws. Gese had seven points in the half.
NDSU hit 15 of 32 field goals for 46.9 percent in the first half. They were three of seven (42.9 percent) from the three-point line and hit nine of 12 (75 percent) free throws. Berry had 14 points in the half, by connecting on five of seven field goals. Amanda Gehrke added 10 points.
After the Bison moved ahead 48-34 on a Gehrke basket early in the second half, the Coyotes outscored NDSU, 10-3 to draw within 51-44 at 13:08 to play. Three-pointers by Krista Orsack and Nicole Jaycox keyed the Coyote run. From that point, North Dakota regained control of the game. Berry had a three-pointer to give NDSU a 60-44 lead at the 10:46 mark. South Dakota answered with a offensive rebound and score by Koronkiewicz and two free throws by Gese to pull within 60-48 at the 9:48 mark. However, the Coyotes went on a cold spell offensively, scoring just 10 points for the rest of the game. NDSU used a 27-10 run to close out the scoring.
On the night, the Coyotes hit 21 of 62 field goals for 33.9 percent, but were just three of 17 for 17.6 percent from three-point range. The Coyotes hit 13 of 15 free throws for 86.7 percent. South Dakota received 11 points from Gese, who also had two assists and two rebounds. Julia Frie struggled offensively with just five points on one of 11 shooting from the field. She grabbed seven rebounds and had three assists. Schroeder had six points and four rebounds.
The Bison hit 31 of 63 field goals for 49.2 percent and they were a torrid seven of 14 from for 50 percent from three-point range. NDSU hit 18 of 25 free throws for 72 percent. Gehrke added 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds while handing out seven assists. Jayne Boedekker added 12 points. The Bison outrebounded South Dakota 49-30, including a 20-14 edge in offensive rebounds.
