VERMILLION, S.D. - The South Dakota women's basketball team had their second best shooting game of the season but it was not enough as they fell to South Dakota State, 85-73, before 3,104 at the DakotaDome on Friday night.
South Dakota hit 27 of 55 shots for 49.1 percent in a solid shooting night. The Coyotes hit five of 16 three-point field goals for 31.2 percent and 14 of 18 free throws for 77.8 percent. But the Coyotes lost the rebound and foul shooting battle. On the night, SDSU held a 54-26 rebound advantage, including a 25 to 1 offensive rebound advantage, and tied a school record by making 34 of 48 free throws for 70.7 percent.
Early on, the two teams traded baskets as the Coyotes grabbed a 9-7 lead with 16:15 to play in the first half. A jumper by Sherri Brende gave SDSU an 11-9 lead (14:47). Gese answered a couple of minutes later to tie the game, 15-15, at the 12:59 mark. A three-point goal by sophomore Heather Nelson again tied the game, 20-20. The teams traded baskets before Gese hit a lay-up to tie the game at 26-26 with 5:18 left in the opening half. Then, South Dakota went on a 9-2 run to grab a 35-28 halftime lead. In that run, Gese hit a lay-up and free throw after being fouled, freshman Jodi Schroeder scored inside and Julia Frie hit a jumper with six seconds to play to key the Coyote offensive surge.
South Dakota hit 14 of 30 field goals for 46.7 percent in the opening half. The Coyotes made three of 10 three-point field goals and four of six free throws. Gese had seven points and freshman Krista Orsack had six points for South Dakota. SDSU hit 11 of 35 field goals for 31.4 percent and were just one of seven for 14.3 percent from three-point range. Melissa Pater had 11 points to lead the Jacks. While the Coyotes won the first half, they lost the rebound battle, 29-13, a difference that would continue throughout the game.
After an SDSU basket by Pater, Gese answered with a lay-up for a 37-30 lead with 18:04 to play. SDSU then pulled within 37-34 on another basket by Pater at 17:46. Two free throws by sophomore Amanda Iverson gave the Coyotes a 41-36 lead with 15:45. A lay-up by Frie gave South Dakota a 43-36 lead at the 15:17 mark of the second half. A little while later, freshman Jodi Schroeder scored inside to give the Coyotes a 51-43 lead at the 12:27 mark. But then the Coyotes went into a scoring drought.
Consecutive baskets by SDSU's Pater cut the margin to 51-47 at 11:12 of the second half. A jumper by Angie Loken gave the visitors a 53-51 lead. The margin grew to 61-51 as Sarah Rippke scored for SDSU at the 7:55 mark. The Coyotes broke a nearly five-minute scoring drought when Gese hit a lay-up with 7:38 to play in the game. During the drought, the Coyotes were unable to convert on free throws and shots inside seemed to roll off the rims. During the final seven minutes the Coyotes got their offensive problems corrected but were unable to stop the Jacks from maintaining their lead.
Two foul shots by Iverson pulled the Coyotes within 67-61 with 5:29 to play. A short time later, two foul shots by Kelly Koepp at the 3:35 mark again moved the Coyotes within 69-63. But SDSU used a foul shooting advantage to maintain their lead. A three-pointer by Julia Frie with :56 seconds left cut the lead to 80-73 but again SDSU used free throw shooting to add to their advantage. In the second half, the Jacks made 29 of 41 free throws while the Coyotes had 10 of 12 free throws for 83.3 percent.
Gese had 17 points, six assists, three rebounds and a steal to lead the Coyotes. She hit eight of 12 field goals for 66.7 percent. Frie had 12 points and eight rebounds. Orsack and Schroeder had 10 points while Koepp, Heather Nelson and Amanda Iverson had eight points each.
SDSU hit 25 of 64 field goals for 39.1 percent and hit just one of eight three-point field goals for 12.5 percent. Pater had 27 points and eight rebounds to lead the Jacks. Sherri Brende added 14 points and seven rebounds and Shari Johnson had 12 points. Loken had eight points and 13 rebounds.
