Summit League Preview: Jackrabbit Women at Oral Roberts

With one game left in the first half of the Summit League women's basketball schedule, a trio of teams are tied for the top spot. That number will be reduced by at least one as a pair of those teams go head-to-head Wednesday night.

South Dakota State (16-4/6-1) plays at Oral Roberts, the hottest team in the conference right now with a six-game winning streak coming in.

The Golden Eagles (9-10/6-1) are playing tough defense this season, leading the Summit in opponents field goal percentage (35) and fewest points allowed per game (53). Offensively, guard Kaylan Mayberry is ninth in scoring (15 points per game).

This game will be a showcase of some of the best young talent in the Summit League. ORU starts two freshmen and two sophomores, while SDSU counters with two sophomores and a freshman in the starting lineup.

Tipoff is 7:00 PM Tulsa, Wednesday night.

The Jackrabbits won a pair of home games last week, beating IUPUI 68-66 in double overtime, and Western Illinois 85-63.

Against the Jaguars, the SDSU defense limited IUPUI to 28 percent shooting in the first half, but gave up 11 straight points to start the second half. Kerri Young's 16 points and Ellie Thompson's double-double (13 points/12 rebounds) kept the game close, as IUPUI missed potential game-winning shots at the end of regulation and the first overtime.

In the second OT, SDSU's Madison Guebert's jumper with less than five seconds to play proved to be the game winner.

Against the Leathernecks two days later, the Jackrabbits showed no signs of letdown as the scored the first seven points of the game and shot 54 percent in the first half. All eleven Jacks who played scored, and SDSU won the battle of the boards by 20.

I talked with head coach Aaron Johnston about the victories and this week's match-up against Oral Roberts: