VERMILLION, S.D.—North Dakota State outscored South Dakota 9-1 in the final two minutes to pull out a 79-76 win Saturday inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
South Dakota (8-9, 4-2 Summit) had won 13 straight meetings and 20 of 21 dating back to 2013. But that didn't matter much to senior guard Heaven Hamling and a Bison team trying to make a statement in year four under Jory Collins. Hamling scored half her 22 points in the fourth quarter including back-to-back buckets in the final minute that gave NDSU (10-5, 4-1) a lead it hadn't had since midway through the third quarter.
The result came despite a herculean effort from South Dakota guard
Grace Larkins who scored 30 points and had eight rebounds and nine assists. It was the third time this season she has flirted with a triple-double and her second such effort inside Summit League play.
Larkins had 20 points in the first half, then handed out seven assists in the second. It was her third 30-point effort of the season and the nine assists are a career-high and second-most by a Summit player this season.
So naturally with her team trailing 76-75 with 11 seconds left after Hamling put the Bison ahead, South Dakota coach
Kayla Karius used her final timeout to draw up a play for Larkins. It worked to a T, except Larkins missed an open look at a reverse layup and the Bison rebounded to secure the win.
It was a tough way for the Coyotes' 43-game home win streak against Summit foes to end, but give North Dakota State all the credit. Its height played a large role in the result. The Bison had 13 second-chance points in the first half, and shot 59 percent from the field in the second half. The Coyotes tried a zone look defensively midway through the third quarter but got out of it after a few possessions. North Dakota State lost the first three quarters on the scoreboard but won the fourth 25-15.
Still, South Dakota had to feel good after
Nicole Avila-Ambrosi swished a corner 3 with two minutes to go that put the Coyotes ahead 75-70 and ignited the home crowd. But Abby Schulte answered with a corner 3 of her own and Hamling tied it on the next Bison possession following a USD turnover.
Hamling, one of the league's premier shooters, was 1-of-11 from 3-point range. She made up for it by going 8-of-11 from inside it. Hamling also had seven rebounds and six assists without a turnover in 38 minutes.
North Dakota State freshman Elle Evans had 16 points, one shy of her season-high, and her 4-of-7 effort from long range was critical. The Bison also got 16 points and seven rebounds from Taylor Brown.
Carley Duffney had 10 points off South Dakota's bench. It was her third double-digit point tally in six Summit games.
Macy Guebert had another strong defensive game in forcing Hamling to take 22 shots to reach 22 points. She was 3-for-5 from long range on the offensive end for nine points.
Despite being undersized, USD lost the battle of the boards by just three. It was the 11 turnovers, several of them unforced, that the Bison turned into 22 points.
South Dakota next meets rival South Dakota State next Saturday in Brookings.
