SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Haleigh Timmer scored 13 of her 18 points in the first half when the outcome was essentially settled and top-seeded South Dakota State defeated sixth-seeded Omaha 93-51 on Tuesday to win the Summit League tournament championship and a bid to the NCAA tournament.
Timmer was 7-for-8 shooting and made all four of her three-point attempts. Paige Meyer (Albany) added 16 points, shooting 5-for-6 from the field and making all five of her free throws. Paiton Burckhard had 14 points and two-time league player of the year Myah Selland scored 10 of her 11 points in the first half.
There are four other Minnesotans on the South Dakota State roster: Madison Mathiowetz, Sleepy Eye; Ellie Colbeck, Fergus Falls; Kallie Theisen, Plymouth; and Tori Nelson, Mendota Heights. Coach Aaron Johnston is a native of Pine Island, Minn.
The Jackrabbits shot 62%, made 13 of 19 three-point tries and scored 29 points off 17 turnovers, including 10 steals.
Katie Keitges scored 11 points for the Mavericks (15-17), who shot 34%.
The Jackrabbits (28-5) never trailed, led 21-8 after the first quarter and 44-16 at the half, shooting 65% to 20% for the Mavericks. A 12-0 run extended the lead to 30 late in the half.
The 42-point margin of victory is the largest in the tournament's history.
"It was a great game for us," Johnston said in a postgame TV interview. "You never know how these are going to go. Obviously, Omaha has been playing really well. Earlier this year they had us down at half and had a really tough game. So kind of felt like it might be that again but we were really locked in defensively here."
