VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota senior guard Nicole Seekamp tallied 18 points and nine assists as the Coyotes defeated Western Kentucky 68-54 in the WNIT Quarterfinals in front of 2,749 fans at the DakotaDome Sunday night.
 
South Dakota (30-6) posts its second 30-win season in program history as the Coyotes advance to the WNIT Semifinals. Western Kentucky (27-7) was the only team to reach the quarterfinals with a road win, but was unable to make it two in a row.
 
Joining Seekamp in double figures were senior guard Kelly Stewart with 11 points and nine rebounds as well as junior guard Jasmine Trimboli with 11 points and three assists.
 
The Hilltoppers were led by Conference USA Player of the Year Kendall Noble who scored a game-high 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Guard Tashia Brown added 12 points and seven rebounds. Forward Ivy Brown led Western Kentucky on the boards with 10 rebounds while also scoring eight points and swatting down three blocks.
 
Western Kentucky took an early lead as the Coyotes missed five scoring opportunities in the first three minutes. Then junior guard Caitlin Duffy came off the bench to sink one of her two 3-pointers with 5:11 to play, giving South Dakota its first lead of the game. The Hilltoppers tied the game twice but never regained a lead.

Three of Trimboli's 11 points came on a buzzer beater half court heave to end the first quarter.
 
WKU's Ivy Brown made a layup out of the halftime break to tie the game 31-31. Seekamp found Trimboli and Stewart open for three on back-to-back possessions to answer. The Coyotes extended the lead through the fourth quarter to as much as 16 points with 1:02 remaining.
 
Senior guard Tia Hemiller scored her 1,000th collegiate point on a made 3-pointer with 1:10 left in the third quarter. Hemiller becomes the 14th Coyote women's basketball player to score 1,000 points and grab 500 rebounds. She totaled seven points and three assists in the game.
 
Seekamp also broke USD's single-season assists record with 218 this season.
 
South Dakota's outside game provided the spark with the Coyotes making 12-of-26 beyond the arc. Western Kentucky made one 3-pointer on eight attempts.
 
The Coyotes also edged the Hilltoppers on rebounding 47-35.
 
South Dakota advances to the WNIT Semifinals to play the winner of Oregon vs. UTEP. The date, time and location are to be determined.