CHAMPAIGN, Ill.—South Dakota used an 18-6 run at the end of the second quarter to eclipse Illinois for an 85-76 win inside State Farm Center Tuesday night.

South Dakota (9-4) has won nine of its last 10 games. It was Illinois (7-3) first loss inside the State Farm Center this season. South Dakota's win is the fourth against a Big Ten member school in program history.
 
Senior guard Nicole Seekamp scored a game-high 21 points, handed out six assists, grabbed five boards, and had three steals. Senior guard Tia Hemiller tallied 20 more points and grabbed seven rebounds. Hemiller has reached double figures in scoring for 10 straight games.
 
Freshman guard Jaycee Bradley had 17 of South Dakota's 38 first-half points for a new career high. Bradley shot 5-of-8 from the field and 5-of-7 outside the perimeter. Bradley had 11 points in the final 4:42 of the second quarter to lead the Coyotes on an 18-6 run at the end of the half.
 
South Dakota senior center Margaret McCloud was the fourth Coyote in double figures, contributing 11 points.
 
Illinois' scoring was led by guard Kyley Simmons shooting 5-of-10 outside the arc to total 17 points. Simmons also had four rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Center Chatrice White posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman guard Cierra Rice had 13 points.
 
South Dakota took a 38-36 lead into the half for the 12th time in 13 games.
 
The Coyotes came out after the break on a 10-1 run behind two triples from Hemiller and four points from Seekamp. Illinois responded with its own 12-4 run over 5:21 in the third quarter led by two 3-point field goals from Simmons. The Fighting Illini would close the Coyotes' lead down to three with 2:12 remaining in the third quarter.
 
South Dakota started strong again in the fourth as Seekamp scored eight on a Coyote 16-2 run over first four and a half minutes. The Coyotes led by as many as 19 with 5:15 remaining in the game.
 
South Dakota shot 28-of-59 (47.5 percent) from the field and made 12 3-point field goals. Illinois was 26-of-64 (26-of-64) shooting from the field. The Coyotes edged out the Fighting Illini on the glass 37-35. Both Hemiller and junior forward Bridget Arens had seven boards.
 
The Coyotes have a week off for the holidays before opening Summit League play with Denver at noon New Year's Day in the DakotaDome.