Jackrabbits crush Pioneers, 78-54

Posted

BROOKINGS – It was a perfect night for a Jackrabbit senior to go off.

Clarissa Ober posted a double-double with a career-high 24 points to go along with 10 rebounds, three blocks and an assist as South Dakota State pulled away late for a 78-54 Summit League win over Denver on Thursday night at Frost Arena.

The Jacks improved to 21-7 on the season and 12-4 in conference play as the Pioneers dropped to 6-22 and 3-12.

SDSU still has a chance to tie for the regular-season title if South Dakota (22-6 and 11-4 SL) knocks off Western Illinois (22-6, 12-3 SL) on Saturday in Macomb, Ill. If that happens, IUPUI (21-7, 11-4 SL) could also gain a share of the league title if the host Jaguars beat IPFW on Saturday.

Jacqlyn Poss’ basket with 9:24 left in the game pulled the Pioneer within 45-44, but from there, the Jackrabbits went on a 33-10 run over the final nine minutes of the game to close out the win.

SDSU scored the first seven points of the game on baskets by Kerri Young and Alexis Alexander before Madison Guebert dropped a 3. SDSU went up by 10 at 14-4 in the first quarter following an Ober 3-pointer before Denver came back to within 16-11 at the first intermission.

Denver rallied to take a 22-20 lead with 6:47 to play in the second quarter following a Jordyn Alt basket but the Jacks came back to tie it up, 28-28, at halftime.

Back-to-back hoops by Poss and Samantha Romanoski to open the third quarter gave the Pioneers a four-point lead before an old-fashioned three-point play by Ellie Thompson and a basket in the paint by Ober put the Jacks back on top, 33-32, less than a minute later.

Another basket in the lane and two free throws by Ober pushed the SDSU lead to five points before two more Ober free throws made it 45-38 inside of a minute to play in the third.

Two free throws by Romanoski and a Poss basket pulled Denver within 45-42 heading into the final quarter.

Thompson added 18 points and a game-high 11 boards while Alexander finished with 11 points and five assists as Young chipped in with 10 markers and six dimes.

Romanoski led the Pioneers with 16 points as Poss contributed 14.