WNIT and the PostseasonSouth Dakota is in its sixth consecutive postseason tournament, while Northern Iowa has made the postseason for six of the last seven years. Both squads earned the automatic berth to the WNIT for winning regular season conference titles. The Coyotes were 15-1 in the Summit League while the Panthers were 15-3 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Both USD and UNI have knocked off a Big Ten program and another mid-major to reach the third round of the tournament. South Dakota took on Creighton and then Minnesota, while Northern Iowa beat Nebraska and Drake. This is both South Dakota and Northern Iowa's first trip to the WNIT Round of 16.
The SeriesNorthern Iowa tied the all-time series at 6-6 with a win early in the regular season. Among the 12 meetings, the home team has won 11 of 12. The lone road upset dates back to 1979-80 when the Coyotes beat the Panthers in Cedar Falls. Northern Iowa has never won inside the DakotaDome.
Scouting South DakotaSouth Dakota uses a quick style of play coupled with well-rounded scoring to post the nation's 11th-best scoring offense at 79.2 points per game. The Coyotes are 26-1 this season when scoring at least 70 points in a game. Leading USD is the Summit League Player of the Year, senior guard
Nicole Seekamp with 16.3 points, 6.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game. Second team honoree, senior guard
Tia Hemiller is close behind with 10.6 points, a team-high 5.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Senior guard
Kelly Stewart, who earned a spot on the Summit League All-Tournament team, has made a large impact in the postseason averaging 14.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in five postseason games. In addition to scoring, the Coyotes are well-rounded in rebounding with a deep bench.
Scouting Northern IowaAlthough Northern Iowa averages 64 points per game to South Dakota's 79, the Panthers defense has held opponents to less than 60 points for 21 games this season. The Panthers are 19-2 when opponents score less than 60. Offensively, point guard Sharnae Lamar is currently ranked No. 8 in NCAA Division I for assist-to-turnover ratio with her 5.6 assists per game ranking 17th. Guard Madison Weekly leads the Panthers in scoring at 17.9 points per game, while forwards Amber Sorenson and Jen Keitel add double figure averages at 12.7 and 10.2 points per game.
A record-setting seasonThe 2015-16 South Dakota squad has broken single-season team records for points (2,693), assists (616) and field goals made-attempted (984-2160). The Coyotes need 31 rebounds and 35 steals to take the single-season records in those categories. Additionally,
Nicole Seekamp has the school record for career starts with 126 while
Tia Hemiller and
Margaret McCloud have the school record for career games played at 131.
Seekamp in the record booksSenior guard
Nicole Seekamp became the second 2,000 point scorer in USD history Sunday at Minnesota. The senior also ranks second in assists (599) and steals (261). Seekamp has also stamped a spot on the Summit League career record books. She ranks second in assists, fifth in points and seventh in steals. If she reaches four assists she will tie the Summit League record for career assists. With nine assists she will tie USD's single-season assists record of 212 held by Katie Dailey. She also needs two rebounds for 500.
1,000 Point WatchSenior guard
Tia Hemiller needs 12 points to reach 1,000 for her career. WIth 607 rebounds, she would become the 13th player in program history with 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. Senior center
Margaret McCloud and junior guard
Jasmine Trimboli both reached 1,000 points at Fort Wayne on Feb. 25.
Ahead in the BracketThe winner of Thursday's game would face either the Atlantic 10's Saint Louis (RPI 54) or the Conference USA's Western Kentucky (RPI 38) in the quarterfinal. South Dakota has not faced either team in program history.
