SIOUX FALLS – South Dakota State opened the Summit League Women’s Basketball Championship with an 87-62 quarterfinal win over North Dakota State on Saturday afternoon at the PREMIER Center.

The Bison built an early 14-7 lead before the second-seeded Jackrabbits got going. They pulled even at the end of the first quarter and then outscored NDSU 30-13 in the second to take a 48-31 advantage into halftime.

“We’re just pleased to get our first win,” said SDSU coach Aaron Johnston, whose team is 23-2 in 10 tourney appearances. “The first game, there are always a little bit more nerves that go into it and getting everybody ready. There are a lot of people that haven’t played in this event before; I thought we handled it really well.

“North Dakota State had a good start to the game and gave themselves a chance, but we showed a lot of composure and kept executing and had a really nice second quarter to settle it.

“It was a good win for us.”

Player of the Year Macy Miller scored a team-high 19 points, going 6-of-13 from the field. She added five assists, three rebounds and two steals.

“I thought we did a good job defensively, just getting out with some pressure and causing some turnovers; and I thought that led to our offense. We were more aggressive getting to the foul line,” Miller said of the second-quarter push.

It marked a return to the league’s biggest stage for the fourth-year junior, who was sidelined for a majority of the 2016-17 season following a knee injury.

“It felt really good, really special,” added Miller, a two-time all-tourney selection and the 2016 MVP. “It was nice to be back on the court with my teammates. It stunk last year, but it was fun watching them; but it feels good to be back out there.”

Five Jackrabbits reached double figures.

Sydney Palmer hit three 3-pointers while totaling 13 points off the bench.

Madison Guebert and Tylee Irwin added 12 points apiece – the latter had 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting in the second period.

Irwin, a freshman from Wahpeton and the only North Dakotan in program history, averaged 11.6 points in the three games versus the Bison this year.

“It was fun, it was really fun,” Irwin, who is averaging 6.8 points in 28 games overall, said of the matchup. “I have family here and then you still see those players who I played against in high school or played with. It’s always fun to see them, but it was even more fun getting the win.”

Freshman Myah Selland narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds while coming up with five of SDSU’s 12 steals. She also blocked two shots.

Rylie Cascio Jensen, another newcomer in the event, and Ellie Thompson both finished with eight markers.

The Jackrabbits buried 12 treys and committed a season-low three turnovers.

SDSU led 63-46 heading to the fourth and its lead peaked at 27 points – 87-60 – with 1:04 remaining.

The Bison’s Reilly Jacobson posted a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Notes: Miller has 1,660 career points. … Thompson moved to 26th in career points with 1,238. … NDSU’s Taylor Thunstedt finished third in Summit League history with 278 career 3-pointers.

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 87, NORTH DAKOTA STATE 62

North Dakota State (9-20)

Autumn Ogden 1-3 0-0 2, Rylee Nudell 0-3 0-0 0, Reilly Jacobson 6-13 7-8 19, Sarah Jacobson 2-10 0-0 6, Tyrah Spencer 3-5 0-0 7, Taylor Thunstedt 1-2 2-2 5, Macey Kvilvang 2-5 0-0 5, Michelle Gaislerova 4-6 0-0 10, Emily Dietz 3-6 1-2 7, Danneka Voegeli 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 22-53 11-14 62.

South Dakota State (24-6)

Tagyn Larson 1-4 0-0 2, Ellie Thompson 3-6 2-2 8, Alexis Alexander 1-4 0-0 3, Madison Guebert 3-13 5-5 12, Macy Miller 6-13 5-6 19, Rylie Cascio Jensen 2-4 2-2 8, Tylee Irwin 5-8 0-0 12, Sydney Palmer 4-6 2-2 13, Sydney Trac 0-0 0-0 0, Myah Selland 4-11 1-2 10, Megan Bultsma 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 29-71 17-19 87.

NDSU 18  13  15  16  –  62

SDSU 18  30  15  24  –  87

3-point goals – NDSU 7-21 (Gaislerova 2-4, S. Jacobson 2-7, Spencer 1-2, Thunstedt 1-2, Kvilvang 1-2, Ogden 0-1, Nudell 0-3), SDSU 12-33 (Palmer 3-5, Irwin 2-3, Cascio Jensen 2-4, Miller 2-6, Selland 1-2, Alexander 1-3, Guebert 1-8, Larson 0-1, Thompson 0-1). Rebounds – NDSU 35 (R. Jacobson 12), SDSU 40 (Selland 9). Assists – NDSU 11 (R. Jacobson, Spencer 3), SDSU 17 (Miller 5). Steals – NDSU 2 (S. Jacobson, Spencer 1), SDSU 12 (Selland 5). Blocks – NDSU 6 (Ogden 3), SDSU 6 (Selland 2). Turnovers – NDSU 17, SDSU 3. Total fouls – NDSU 17, SDSU 11. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls – none. A – 8,944.

Dave Eggen/Inertia:

Above: South Dakota State’s Macy Miller pulls up for a mid-range jump shot during the Jackrabbits’ 87-62 win over North Dakota State in the quarterfinals of the Summit League Women’s Basketball Championship on Saturday at the PREMIER Center. Below: SDSU’s Tylee Irwin (21) drives to the basket at NDSU’s Michelle Gaislerova defends.