Box Score DULUTH, MINN. --All South Dakota needed was a little Flynn magic to shake things up in the NCC Wells Fargo Conference Tournament that opened on Tuesday night.
Jenni Flynn, a sophomore shooting guard from South Sioux City, Neb., found her shooting zone, scoring a career-high 31 points and grabbing seven rebounds to lead South Dakota (16-12) to a 77-69 upset win over second seeded Minnesota-Duluth (19-8) at Romano Gymnasium in Duluth, Minn. The win by South Dakota was the first-ever by a lower seed over a higher seeded squad in the NCC Wells Fargo Finals, which began in 2001. The USD win also improved USD record in the tourney to 4-4.
Flynn hit 8-of-13 shots, including a career-best 6-of-8 from three point range and 9-of-11 from the free throw line. Flynn, who scored 25 points in the second half, also had three assists and two steals in 34 minutes of action. Time and time again, the sophomore guard frustrated Minnesota-Duluth with long range shots, particularly in the second half when she had four three-pointers, including the go-ahead field goal late in the game that provided USD with a 65-62 with 4:30 to play. USD never trailed after that point.
Aside from Flynn, Vanessa Yanez of Wagner S.D., had 12 points, making 4-of-6 three-pointers in 13 minutes of action. Meghan Woster, a junior point guard from Sioux Falls, S.D., also had a standout performance for the Coyotes. She had 10 points, six assists, four steals, two blocks and six rebounds. Senior forward Kayla Jacobs had eight points.
UMD was led by Lindsey Dietz, a junior All-American, who had 17 points and 17 rebounds. Tasha Martin had 13 points and Tanysha Scott had 12 points. Justine Axtell had 12 rebounds for UMD.
For a stat addict the numbers from the USD-UMD game have some oddities entwined in the end results. For the Coyotes, the key figure was three point and free throw shooting in which USD was 21-of-25 for 84 percent. More impressively and more importantly was USD's three-point artistry. Led by Flynn and Yanez, USD converted 14-of-23 long range bombs for nearly 61 percent. Overall, USD made 21-of-50 field goals for 42 percent. The 14 three-pointers was the 14th time this season that USD has hit at least 10 three-pointers and USD is 12-2 in those games.
The statistical anamoly was in rebounds and shots attempts. UMD had 56 rebounds including 28 offensive boards. Meanwhile USD had 30 rebounds but just two offensive rebounds, which were both team rebounds. UMD was 26-of-80 from the field for 32.5 percent. The Bulldogs shot 30 more shots than USD. However, UMD made just 10-of-39 three-point field goals. They also made just 7-of-9 free throws. USD had just nine turnovers to 13 for UMD.
After USD's Ashley Robinette hit a pair of free throws for a 2-0 lead a minute into the game, Minnesota-Duluth scored 12 unanswered points for a 12-2 lead at the 16:06 mark. The run was aided by five points from Tanysha Scott, whose early success would not last. Scott hit 5-of-23 shots for the game, including 2-of-11 from three-point range.
The Coyotes quickly responded with a 11-0 run as Flynn and Yanez had three-point baskets and Woster had a lay-up and made a free throw after being fouled as USD took a 13-12 lead with 13:19 to play.
Woster gave USD a 22-17 lead on a three-point shot at the 9:56 mark. After UMD tied the game with 8:07 to play in the half, another Flynn three-point shot built USD's lead to 25-22 at the 7:56 mark. UMD responded with a 4-0 run for a 26-25 advantage at the 6:24 mark. But the advantage was short-lived as USD hit a pair of three-pointers, first by Kayla Jacobs (Watertown, S.D.) and the second from Yanez for a 31-26 lead with 5:06 to play in the first half. After Yanez hit her fourth three-pointer of the half, USD led 38-30 with 2:21 to play. However UMD didn't flinch and ended the half on a 9-0 run with UMD's Justine Axtell's three-pointer giving the homestanding Bulldogs a 39-38 halftime lead.
Needless to say the barometer reading in Romano Gym was a bit off-kilter as both teams bombed away from the three-point range in the opening half. South Dakota, which had made just five three-pointers in the previous trip to Romano Gymnasium on Jan. 22, hit 9-of-14 three-point shots for 64.3 percent, receiving four bombs from Yanez, who was 4-of-6 from three-point range and led USD with 12 points. In total USD made 12-of-27 field goals and nine were three pointers. Woster had eight points and four assists. USD also was 5-of-5 from the foul line. UMD hit 14-of-41 field goals, including 6-of-18 from three-point range and 5-of-5 from the foul line.
In the second half, USD continued its solid shooting from the perimeter, making 5-of-9 from three-point range.
USD regained the lead quickly as Flynn, off an assist from Woster, scored on a lay-up less than a minute into the second half. At the 15:49 mark, Erica Schroeder (Miller, S.D.) made a lay-up as USD gained a 45-42 advantage. However, UMD didn't flinch and rallied for a 56-49 (11:20) lead by going on a 14-4 run. Ashley Bjorkman (Vermillion, S.D.) responded for USD by connecting on a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 56-52. USD pulled within one at 58-57 at the 7:58 mark on a three-pointer by Flynn. At the 5:13 mark, the Coyotes took a 62-60 lead after Flynn hit another three-pointer from Flynn. After UMD's Martin made a pair of free throws at the 4:44 mark, USD took control of the game and made its move to advance in the tournament. And, it was Flynn's magical hand, or shooting, that made the difference. She hit a three-pointer at the 4:30 mark and then hit a pair of free throws with 4:07 to play as USD took a 67-62 lead.
Neither team scored again, until 56 seconds remained and Bessert sank a pair of free throws for a 69-62 lead. From that point, USD connected on 8-of-10 from the foul line, including 5-of-6 from Flynn to hold off the Bulldogs.
Next for South Dakota is a matchup in the NCC Wells Fargo Semifinals with 23rd-ranked Augustana, which is seeded third. The Vikings defeated Nebraska-Omaha, 101-95 in overtime in the opening round at Sioux Falls on Tuesday night. The game will be played in Grand Forks, N.D., the home of NCC champion North Dakota.
