Summit League Women's Basketball Championship Quarterfinals
(7) North Dakota State vs. (2) South Dakota State
Saturday, March 3 | 2:30 p.m. | Sioux Falls, S.D. (Denny Sanford PREMIER Center)
TV: MidcoSN & ESPN3 (Tom Nieman, pxp; Brad Newitt, color; Elaina Lanson, reporter)
Radio: Bison 1660 & 92.7 FM (Keith Brake, pxp; Jeremy Jorgenson, color)
Live Stats | Watch | Listen | Tournament Info | Fan Fest Info

NDSU Notes (PDF)

NDSU WBB on Twitter: @NDSUwbb?

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Scene Setter
        Seventh-seeded North Dakota State (9-19) is scheduled to take on second-seeded South Dakota State (23-6) in the quarterfinals of The Summit League Women's Basketball Championship Saturday, March 3, at 2:30 p.m. inside the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls, S.D.
 
Summit League Fan Fest
        North Dakota State fans are invited to attend a pregame pep fest prior to NDSU's quarterfinal contest Saturday. The event will be held from 1:10 to 1:30 p.m. at Sioux Falls Arena -- next to the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center. 

Series History
        Saturday's Summit League tournament game against the Jackrabbits will mark the 88th meeting in the all-time series that dates back to 1976. The Jacks lead the series, 48-39, and have won the last seven meetings against the Bison. NDSU lost to SDSU this season, 83-63 in Brookings, S.D., and 85-64 in Fargo. North Dakota State and South Dakota State have met just one time in The Summit League tournament, with the Jackrabbits defeating the Bison, 62-51, in the quarterfinals during the 2010-11 season.
 
NDSU in The Summit League Tournament

• North Dakota State is 1-8 in Summit League tournament play.
• The Bison have lost their last eight games in Sioux Falls.
• The lone NDSU victory in the league tournament was in 2008-09 when the Bison defeated Western Illinois in the quarterfinals, 46-43.

Bison Notes

• NDSU wrapped up the regular season with an overall record of 9-19 and finished seventh in The Summit League with a 2-12 league record.
• Through 28 games, the Bison are led by sophomores Reilly Jacobson (11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game) and Sarah Jacobson (10.3 points and four assists per game).
• Reilly Jacobson ranks sixth in The Summit League in rebounding (6.5 boards per game), while Sarah Jacobson is second in the league in assists (four assists per game). In league games-only, Reilly Jacobson ranked third in rebounding (7.6 rebounds per game).
• As a team, NDSU is averaging 67.4 points, 36 rebounds and 15.3 turnovers per game while its opponents are averaging 71.6 points, 38.4 boards and 12.7 turnovers per game.
• The Bison led The Summit League in blocked shots (4.3 per game), ranked second in three-point field-goal percentage (36.7 percent) and third in assists (16 per game) during the regular season.
• North Dakota State was picked to finish sixth in The Summit League preseason poll.

Scouting South Dakota State

• The South Dakota State Jackrabbits completed the regular season with a 23-6 overall record and finished second in The Summit League with a 12-2 league record. SDSU's two league losses came to regular season league champion South Dakota, which finished a perfect 14-0 in league play.
• SDSU is ranked ninth in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll entering tournament action.
• Through 29 games, the Jacks are led by Summit League Player of the Year Macy Miller, who is averaging a team and Summit League-high 18.2 points per game to go along with 5.4 rebounds per game. Miller is also shooting a team and league-best 47 percent from three-point range. All-Summit League First Team selection Madison Guebert ranks second on the team in scoring with 15.1 points per game, while Summit League Transfer of the Year Tagyn Larson leads SDSU in rebounding with 5.8 boards per game.
• As a team, South Dakota State is averaging 78.4 points, 40.3 rebounds and 13.3 turnovers per game while its opponents are averaging 62.4 points, 33 boards and 14.4 turnovers per game.
• During the regular season, the Jacks ranked second in The Summit League in scoring offense (78.4 points per game), field-goal percentage (45.6 percent) assists (17 per game) blocked shots (3.8 per game), rebounding (40.3 per game) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3), and third in three-point field-goal percentage (36.6 percent).
• SDSU led the league in field-goal percentage defense during the regular season, holding opponents to a 38.3 field-goal percentage.
• The Jackrabbits were picked to finish first in The Summit League preseason poll.
• South Dakota State is under the leadership of 18th season head coach Aaron Johnston.

Last Time Out: Omaha Defeats NDSU Women's Basketball in Regular Season Finale
        Amber Vidal hit a jump shot with 2.7 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to lift the Omaha Mavericks to a 59-57 victory over the North Dakota State University women's basketball team in the final game of the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 24, inside the Scheels Center at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex.
        Playing in the final home game of her NDSU career, senior Taylor Thunstedt scored 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting to lead the Bison, while sophomore Reilly Jacobson netted 10 points and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.
        The Mavs used an 8-0 run with just over 4:30 remaining in the fourth quarter to turn a five-point NDSU lead into a three-point Omaha advantage after Claire Killian hit a three-pointer with 1:19 to go.
        NDSU responded, though, as Sarah Jacobson converted a three with 46 seconds to go, tying the contest at 57. After a pair of Bison fouls with 29 seconds on the clock, the Mavericks held the ball until Vidal sank what proved to be the game-winning basket with just under three seconds remaining.
        North Dakota State shot 42 percent from the field but were just 30 percent from three-point range and committed 14 turnovers in the contest.
        Vidal and Courtney Vaccher each scored 15 points, leading the Mavs.
        Omaha shot 38 percent from the floor and 24 percent from long range, but outrebounded the Bison 39-35, including an 11-4 advantage in offensive rebounds.
 
Reilly Jacobson Named Honorable Mention All-Summit League
        Sophomore forward Reilly Jacobson was named to the Honorable Mention All-Summit League women's basketball team, the league office announced on Wednesday, Feb. 28.
        Jacobson led the Bison with 12.9 points and 7.6 rebounds in NDSU's 14 Summit League games. Her 7.6 boards per game ranked third in the league.
        The Waukee, Iowa, native scored in double figures in 10 out of 14 league contests, including a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds in North Dakota State's game against Western Illinois Feb. 22.
        Jacobson also posted a team-best 14 blocks and one block per game in league action, tying her for third in the league statistics. In addition, she led the team and ranked fifth in the league in free-throw percentage, making 33-of-38 foul shots for 87 percent.
        Overall during the regular season, Jacobson averaged a team-high 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, and posted a team-best free-throw percentage of 84 percent.
 
Jacobson² Leading the Bison Entering Summit League Tournament
        Sophomores Sarah Jacobson and Reilly Jacobson are averaging a combined 21.6 points, 11 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game entering NDSU's Summit League tournament quarterfinal contest Saturday. Reilly Jacobson is averaging 11.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while Sarah Jacobson is averaging 10.3 points, 4.5 boards and four assists per contest.
 
Jacobson among NDSU Career Leaders
        Sarah Jacobson ranks in the NDSU career records top 10 in both three-point field-goal percentage and assists average. Jacobson is second in career three-point field-goal percentage at 37.9 percent and seventh in career assists average with 3.7 assists per game.
 
Thunstedt on the NDSU Career Charts
        Senior Taylor Thunstedt ranks 12th on the NDSU women's basketball career scoring chart with 1,390 career points entering Saturday's game. She holds the NDSU career records for both three-point field goals made (277) and attempted (739), and ranks fifth in career three-point field-goal percentage (37.5 percent).
 
From Downtown
         The Bison rank second in The Summit League and 32nd nationally in three-point field-goal percentage at 36.7 percent through 28 games. Individually, NDSU has two players ranked in the top-10 in the league in three-point field-goal percentage. Michelle Gaislerova s fourth at 42.1 percent, and Sarah Jacobson is fifth at 42 percent.
 
Sharing the Basketball
        Through 28 games, North Dakota State ranks third in The Summit League and 43rd nationally in assists per game (16). The Bison rank 53rd nationally in total assists (449).
 
Fernandez and Jacobson Making the Pass
        Sarah Jacobson and Marina Fernandez both rank in the top-10 of The Summit League in assists per game through 28 games. Jacobson leads NDSU and ranks second in the league with four assist per game while Fernandez is 7th with 2.7 assists per game.
 
Reilly and Rylee Making an Impact Offensively and Defensively
        Through 28 games, Reilly Jacobson and Rylee Nudell are averaging a combined 20.9 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Jacobson is averaging 11.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while Nudell is averaging 9.6 points, 3.8 boards and two assists per game.
 
Converting Shots
        Rylee Nudell leads NDSU and ranks fourth in The Summit League in field-goal percentage at 53.9 percent. She has made 103 shots in 191 attempts in 28 games.
 
The Bison Block Party
        Entering tournament play, NDSU leads The Summit League in blocked shots with 119 blocks and 4.3 blocks per game. Individually, three Bison rank in the top-10 in the league in blocks. Macey Kvilvang is fourth with 31 blocks and 1.1 blocks per game, Reilly Jacobson is fifth with 27 blocks and one block per game and Marina Fernandez is 10th with 16 blocks and 0.7 blocks per game.
 
Taking Care of the Basketball
        Through 28 games, Sarah Jacobson ranks third in The Summit League in assist-to-turnover ratio. Jacobson has 113 assists and 73 turnovers for a 1.5 ratio.
 
Bench Contributions
        The NDSU bench has outscored opposing benches 785-533 through 28 games. NDSU is averaging 28 bench points per game while its opponents are averaging 19 bench points per game.