SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—Senior guard Nicole Avila-Ambrosi scored a season-best 16 points as the Coyotes fell 76-63 to South Dakota State in the semifinals of the Summit League Tournament on Monday afternoon inside the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center.
 
South Dakota (21-12) had cut the Jackrabbits' lead to five, 66-61, with 2:28 remaining in the game but the Jacks pulled away down the stretch. There were five lead changes and three tie-ups in the game before a 12-point run from South Dakota State (26-5) in the second quarter opened it up.
 
Avila-Ambrosi finished with 16 points, two shy of her career high, on 5-of-8 shooting to go with two assists and two steals. She opened the game by knocking down a floater at the shot clock buzzer in the Coyotes' first possession.
 
Joining her in double-figures were junior guard Grace Larkins with 15 points and sophomore forward Carley Duffney with 12. Duffney tied her career best of three triples in the game, including a halftime buzzer beater to cut the Jacks' lead to seven.
 
South Dakota State was led by Brooklyn Meyer's 21 points and Paige Meyer's 20. Madison Mathiowetz finished with 10 to join them in double-figure scoring.
 
South Dakota shot 40.4 percent (23-of-57) from the field to SDSU's 50 percent (25-of-50). The Jacks made 20-of-24 from the free-throw line to the Coyotes' 11-of-14.