SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Summit League women’s basketball season is off and running, and the teams aren’t showing any signs of slowing down.
After a pair of buzzer-beater wins over Kansas State and Idaho State, South Dakota remains the only team at 5-0, while the Jackrabbits join them as the other unbeaten squad at 4-0. The Coyotes joined the Jackrabbits in this week's CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25. USD slotted in at No. 23, while SDSU remained at the top receiving all 31 first-place votes. North Dakota State received votes in the poll for the third straight week.
Oral Roberts opens a two-game stretch against Power Four opponents Wednesday at Nebraska, before heading to Lawrence to take on the Jayhawks on Sunday.
South Dakota State, receiving votes in both the AP and USA Today/WBCA Coaches Polls as well, will face Gonzaga at the Pentagon in Sioux Falls on Thursday before taking a break to prepare for next week’s trip to Cancun, Mexico. The Bulldogs (2-2) are currently ranked No. 20 in the mid-major poll.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
• South Dakota picked up a pair of road wins this past week to start the season 5-0, edging both Kansas State 72-71 and Idaho State 64-63 in game-winning fashion.
• With just one second left, senior Patience Williams drilled a contested three pointer as the buzzer sounded to take down the Wildcats -- it was the only field goal Williams made in the game.
• The victory at K-State marked the first P-5 win for a Summit League team this season.
• Three days later at Idaho State, the Yotes again faced a last-second situation and senior Angelina Robles knocked down a step-back three at the horn to secure the win.
• Second-year head coach Carrie Eighmey has a chance against Valparaiso on Friday to guide South Dakota to its first 6-0 start in the program’s DI era.
• SDSU improved to 4-0 on Saturday after a dominant neutral site win against Montana (95-71) in Rapid City, S.D.
• Preseason Player of the Year Brooklyn Meyer continues to anchor the Jacks with elite production, sitting tied for second nationally in blocks per game (3.75), second in field goals made (44), fifth in total points (104), and fourth in scoring average (26.0).
• North Dakota State came up short in its first neutral-site matchup of the season, falling 82-70 to Nebraska on Sunday at the Sanford Pentagon.
• Two Bison reached double figures, with redshirt freshman Karrington Asp scoring 14 points and junior standout Avery Koenen posting a game-high 26 on 11-of-15 shooting.
• Koenen leads the league in field-goal percentage at 74.3 percent, a mark that also ranks sixth nationally.
• After opening the season 0-3, Denver responded with back-to-back wins, edging Northern Colorado 56-53 on the road before defeating Cal State Fullerton 60-55 at home.
• Sophomore guard Coryn Watts posted game-high scoring efforts in both contests, tallying 18 points against the Bears and 23 against the Titans.
• Watts sits tied for 12th in the nation in field goals made (35) and tied for 10th in total points (98).
• Oral Roberts has an opportunity Wednesday at Nebraska to snap a three-game skid after beginning the season 2-0.
• Redshirt senior guard Jalei Oglesby is averaging 17.6 ppg for the Golden Eagles which is fourth in the conference, while tying for 12th nationally in field goals made (35).
• Twin sisters Elauni and Emani Bennett have been key contributors for Kansas City this season, averaging 17.0 and 19.0 ppg, respectively.
• Elauni ranks tied for 12th nationally in field-goal percentage (68.2), while Emani is connecting on 61.5 percent of her three-pointers, tied for eighth in the nation.
• Omaha hosts back-to-back home games against CSU Bakersfield and Lindenwood, looking to snap a three-game losing streak.
• Freshman Avril Smith has been a rebounding force for the Mavericks, leading the conference with 10.6 rpg and tying for eighth nationally with 53 total rebounds.
• St. Thomas hits the road to Anchorage, Alaska, aiming for its first win of the season with matchups against Alaska Anchorage on Friday and either Bowling Green or UC Irvine on Saturday.
• Ava Miller has dominated the glass for North Dakota, pulling down 10.4 rebounds per game (second in the Summit League) and 9.4 defensive boards per contest (fifth nationally).
This Week In The Summit League
Date | Stream/TV | Local Time
Wednesday, Nov. 19
Oral Roberts at (RV/RV) Nebraska | BIG+ | 7 p.m. CT
Thursday, Nov. 20
Hesston at Kansas City | SLN | 12 p.m. CT
CSU Bakersfield at Omaha | SLN | 6:30 p.m. CT
(RV/RV) South Dakota State vs. Gonzaga | SLN | 7 p.m. CT
Friday, Nov. 21
Wyoming at North Dakota | SLN | 12 p.m. CT
Regis at Denver | SLN | 6 p.m. MT
Valparaiso at South Dakota | SLN | 7 p.m. CT
Tulane at North Dakota State | SLN | 7 p.m. CT
St. Thomas at Alaska Anchorage | GNAC | 7:30 p.m. AKST
Saturday, Nov. 22
Lindenwood at Omaha | SLN | 1 p.m. CT
St. Thomas vs. Bowling Green/UC Irvine | GNAC | TBA
Sunday, Nov. 23
Oral Roberts at Kansas | ESPN+ | 2 p.m. CT
Tuesday, Nov. 25
UTEP at Kansas City | SLN | 7 p.m. CT
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at South Dakota | SLN | 7 p.m. CT
Key: BIG+ (Big 10 Plus), ESPN+ (ESPN Plus), GNAC (Great Northwest Athletic Conference Network), SLN (Summit League Network), MWN (Mountain West Network)
Rankings: (AP/Coaches) | * Summit League game
RESULTS
Wednesday, Nov. 12
Omaha 56, Utah Tech 62
Kansas City 61, (6/6) Oklahoma 89
Thursday, Nov. 13
South Dakota 72, (RV/RV) Kansas State 71
Oral Roberts 65, Lindenwood 76
Omaha 47, BYU 104
Friday, Nov. 14
Denver 56, Northern Colorado 53
Eastern Michigan 52, St. Thomas 41
Saturday, Nov. 15
Omaha 69, Utah State 77
(RV/RV) South Dakota State 95, Montana 71
Sunday, Nov. 16
North Dakota State 70, (RV/RV) Nebraska 82
North Dakota 46, Eastern Kentucky 57
NJIT 68, St. Thomas 63
Cal State Fullerton 55, Denver 60
South Dakota 64, Idaho State 63
Monday, Nov. 17
Kansas City 71, Lindenwood 80
Tulsa 78, Oral Roberts 69
Tuesday, Nov. 18
Eastern Kentucky 87, North Dakota 66
Rankings: (AP/Coaches) | * Summit League game
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