Steph Paluch scored a career-high 18 points and drained four of the team's season-high 15 three-pointers, leading South Dakota State to an 88-43 victory over North Dakota State in women's basketball action Saturday afternoon at Frost Arena.
With the victory, SDSU clinched at least a share of the Summit League regular season title in improving to 19-8 overall and 14-2 in league play. NDSU dropped to 9-19 overall, 6-10 in The Summit League.
Each team got off to a hot start offensively; the Bison started the game 7-of-11 from the field while SDSU made eight of its first 12 shots.
The Jackrabbits took the lead for good at 15-14 on a basket by Jennie Sunnarborg. That basket ignited a 13-0 run as SDSU took control of the game. The Jackrabbits extended their lead to as many as 22 points in the opening half before taking a 47-27 lead into halftime.
The Bison scored the first basket of the second half, but SDSU scored the next 23 points in a row to blow the game wide open at 70-29. The Jackrabbit lead grew to its largest margin of the day — 47 points at 83-36 — on a Hannah Strop three-pointer with five and a half minutes to play.
SDSU finished the game 33-of-64 from the field, 51.6 percent, including 15-of-33 from three-point range. At the line, the Jackrabbits made only 7-of-15 attempts, 46.7 percent.
Besides Paluch, three other Jackrabbits finished in double figures. Ashley Eide and Sunnarborg each tallied 17, with Jill Young adding 13.
Jamie Van Kirk paced NDSU with 12 points, followed by 11 from Janae Burich. The Bison ended the game 15-of-54 from the field, 27.8 percent, but failed to convert a three-point attempt, going 0-for-8. At the line, NDSU was 13-of-21, 61.9 percent.
The Jackrabbits dominated the glass, holding a 49-31 rebounding advantage. Katie Lingle led SDSU with eight boards, with Sunnarborg adding seven. Abby Plucker posted six rebounds to led the Bison.
SDSU returns to action next Saturday (Feb. 25), hosting IUPUI in a 5 p.m. matinee at Frost Arena.
