March 10, 2013
Final Stats | Photo Gallery 
| USD vs. IUPUI game notes
SIOUX FALLS, S.D.--South Dakota scored 18 unanswered points in the second half to roll to a 73-53 win against North Dakota State in the first round of the Summit League Tournament Sunday at Sioux Falls Arena. The third-seeded Coyotes (16-14) advance to Monday's 2:30 p.m. semifinal against second-seeded IUPUI (20-10).
Tempestt Wilson and Nicole Seekamp scored 15 points each and Sam Mehr added 14 more to lead South Dakota. The trio contributed 14 during the 18-point rally that flipped a 35-30 deficit with 16 minutes left into a 48-35 lead with 10 to go. Neither team had led by more than five when the rally started. The Bison got no closer than eight points the rest of the way.
Katie Birkel made four 3-pointers and had 20 points to lead North Dakota State (10-19). Dani DeGagne added 12 points and nine rebounds.
South Dakota closed the first half on a 7-0 run and led 28-26 at the break. North Dakota State scored the first seven points of the second half en route to its 35-30 lead before the big run came.
It began with a Mehr 3, one of four triples in her best shooting performance of the season. Wilson made 1 of 2 from the line, but the miss on the back end was tracked down by Mehr who kicked to Seekamp who buried a 3 to put the `Yotes back in front 37-35.
Margaret McCloud scored on back-to-back possessions from point-blank range to make it 41-35. Seekamp intercepted a pass and went coast-to-coast for a layup. Wilson got a layup and hit a 3 on the next possession to complete the run.
Seekamp was 6 of 12 from the field, had five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Wilson had seven rebounds to go with her 15 points. Mehr was 5 of 7 from the field, had both USD blocks and stole two passes.
South Dakota's win came in its first-ever appearance at the tournament. The Coyotes will face an IUPUI squad that beat Kansas City 59-47 in an opening-round game Saturday. South Dakota swept the Jaguars during the regular season, winning 76-56 in Indianapolis and 56-39 in Vermillion.
South Dakota head coach Amy Williams
"We are so excited to be part of this tournament for the first time; and then to step up and get a win like that and have a lot of people contribute is just a great team win. Especially in the second half, our team committed to the things we need to be successful which is defending and rebounding. Certainly, we had some players step up and make some big plays and I couldn't be more proud of them."
on winning the first Summit League Tournament game
"It is a very big deal. When I think about it, I am kind of feel humbled to think about the coaches that have come before me and the way some didn't get the opportunity to participate in this tournament. And, the players, great players like Amber Hegge, Jodie Boss and Annie Roche - those kids that we lost to graduation a year ago - that didn't get the opportunity to be here playing in this tournament. We certainly we are trying to cherish it not only for our own experience but for all the people that came before us that have paved the way for us to be here."
on the timeout down 35-30 and ensuing 18-0 run
"Certainly we talked about locking down, buckling down defensively, continue to work on the boards and just be aggressive. The big message in that huddle was I thought we were being passive and that is not South Dakota basketball. That does not win you games at this time of year. We need to be aggressive and continue to attack and have that mentality on both ends of the floor."
on Nicole Seekamp's play during the 18-0 run
"She was certainly locked in there. We switched to a zone defense. We practiced all week that we needed her to step up defensively. She got a couple of big steals and sparked us defensively. She was also aggressive offensively and took that message of attack and really sparked us."
on Sam Mehr
"I couldn't be more proud of Sam (Mehr). She is a kid that hasn't had much playing time her whole career. She has stayed ready all the time. She is in the gym, taking extra shots; she stays in shape and is ready to go. Now, when her number is called and she has gotten the opportunity, she has been really stepping up at the tail end of her career. I couldn't be happier for her. It (her play) certainly provides more depth and gives us one more threat on the perimeter. It makes us a little more difficult to defend when she makes a shot."
on IUPUI
"We are obviously going to look back at the two times we have played them to know what to expect and what we need to do and improve upon. Certainly, we have a ton of respect for that team. We feel like we haven't got their best shot. We know they are going to be a lot sharper and ready to go. We respect that team and know what it takes to beat a team for a third time in a season. We will need to be sharp, ready to go, and do the things we need to do to win."
South Dakota guard Tempestt Wilson
on USD's decisive 18-0 run
"After the timeout, we basically picked up the defense and out rebounded them."
on meaning of playing in 1st Summit League Tournament
"It is exciting. All of us at South Dakota having been waiting for so long and we are finally here. We are just trying to play to our best of our ability and doing what we can. We are just really excited to be here."
South Dakota forward Nicole Seekamp
on runs - specifically 18-0 run in 2nd half
"Well I think the main thing we focused on the whole season was our defense. That certainly picked up in the second half and that led us to that 18-0 run. We had pressure, ran the ball and we had people step up and do things they are capable of doing - like Sam (Mehr) making big shots and Tempestt (Wilson) making big shots as well as some of the freshman doing what they can do."
on meaning of playing in 1st Summit Tournament
"Obviously it means a lot. I have never experienced this before, and it is the just as important for these seniors (Wilson, Mehr), and we wanted to go out with a bang. We didn't want to finish that way (with a loss) because I wanted to play a few more games with these two (Wilson, Mehr)."
on slowing down Katie Birkel who had big first half
"Obviously, she had a big first half and she was doing everything. I just thought we were made aware of where she was (on the floor) at all times. It wasn't just Lex (Alexis Yackley) playing defense on her, it was the whole team. We had to know where she was and stopping her; she is one of their main cogs, stopping her meant slowing down the whole team."
