BROOKINGS, S.D.--Steph Paluch scored a game-high 18 points and led a three-point barrage as South Dakota State University defeated North Dakota State 88-43 in a Summit League women's basketball game played Saturday, Feb. 18, before a crowd of 5,378 in Frost Arena.

North Dakota State (6-10 Summit League, 9-19) is scheduled to close out the regular season against Western Illinois on Saturday, Feb. 25, and IUPUI on Monday, Feb. 27, in the Bison Sports Arena.

Paluch hit 4 of 5 attempts from beyond the arc and the Jackrabbits nailed 15 of 33 three-pointers overall for 45.5 percent. Six different SDSU players made a three-pointer.

South Dakota State (14-2 Summit League, 19-8), which clinched the league title with the win, used a 13-0 early in the first half to create cushion. The Jackrabbits outscored the Bison 34-13 over the last 14 minutes to take a 47-27 halftime lead.

Dani DeGagne made a short jumper to put the Bison ahead 14-13 with 14:42 left in the opening half. Janae Burich and Jamie Van Kirk combined to score 10 points during that stretch. Van Kirk scored 12 points and Burich added 11.

However, the Bison went over four minutes without a field goal. NDSU also had to endure an eight-minute drought in the second half, shooting just 14.8 percent and 27.8 percent for the game.

Balance carried SDSU in the first half as Jannie Sunnarborg, Ashley Eide and Paluch each scored 10, and Jill Young added nine points all on three-pointers. The Jackrabbits made 54.8 percent from the field in the first half and 51.6 percent for the game.

Eide and Sunnarborg each scored 17 points and Young collected 13. South Dakota State also scored 19 points off 14 turnovers.

South Dakota State outrebounded the Bison 49-31 as 11 of 12 players who played grabbed at least two rebounds. Sunnarborg had a game-high seven, Abby Plucker had six for NDSU.