VERMILLION, S.D. – Molly Joyce stepped up in the biggest moment of the season for South Dakota women's basketball, pouring in 31 points to lift the Coyotes to a 65-56 win over Montana State in the Great 8 of the WNIT Sunday in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center in Vermillion.

Joyce's 31 came on 10-of-19 shooting and 10-of-13 from the free throw line. She was just 1-for-3 from three, but her three-pointer with a minute to play made it 62-56 in favor of the Coyotes, all but sealing the victory for South Dakota. The 31 points is the most of her career in a Coyote uniform and is the third most points scored in a postseason game in Summit League History.
 
Both team had to slug their way through the first quarter of the game, as an 8-8 tie after 10 minutes included the two sides being a combined 5-for-29 from the field with eight turnovers. Patience Williams started the USD scoring the same way she did Thursday, with a three-pointer, but that was just one of two made field goals for USD in the quarter.
 
South Dakota's offense started to find its footing in the second quarter as the Coyotes outscored the Bobcats 20-10 to lead by 10 at the half. After a Montana State three-pointer made it 22-18, USD ended the half on a 6-0 burst, including a Patience Williams lay-up with less than a second remaining to make it 28-18.
 
Joyce had 10 of USD's 20 in the second quarter to help establish a lead. After a quiet 18.2% shooting in the first quarter, the Coyotes found their rhythm by going 8-for-14 in the second.
 
An Elise Turrubiates three gave USD it's largest lead of the day, a 13-point 33-20 advantage, less than a minute into the second half. From there, Montana State started to recover from a rough opening 20 minutes. The Bobcats cut the lead to a single point twice in the final two minutes of the third, but Joyce responded both times. With the score 45-42 and less than 10 seconds left, the crowd of 2,375 inside the SCSC got loud, and Montana State wasn't able to get a shot off in time to end the quarter.
 
The lead was never restored to double digits, but the Coyotes still found a way to never trail in the fourth quarter. After Patience Williams started the scoring with a second chance make about a minute into the fourth, Montana State wouldn'tcut the lead back to a single possession until a three-pointer with 2:38 to play made it 57-55.
 
From there, Joyce took over yet again. She scored USD's final seven points as USD outscored Montana State 7-1 to seal the victory.
 
Joining Joyce in double figures was Jenna Hopp with 13 points, tying a career high. Patience Williams added seven points and five rebounds. Elise Turrubiates tallied five points, five rebounds, and three blocks. Angelina Robles led the team with eight rebounds and added four points, three assists, a steal and a block.
 
The Coyotes await the winner of the Illinois State and George Washington game that is being played Monday at 6:20 p.m. at Illinois State. The details of the semifinal game between the Coyotes and the winner of ISU-GWU game will be announced Monday night.
 
It will be South Dakota's second WNIT semifinal appearance. The first came in 2016 when the Coyotes won the championship in the final basketball game played in the DakotaDome.
 
Notables
• South Dakota is 26-9 on the season and 15-3 inside the SCSC.
• The 26 wins are tied for eighth most in a season in program history.
• The 15 wins in the SCSC are the second most in a season since the building opened for the 2016-17 season.
• South Dakota is now 17-5 in the WNIT with the win Sunday and is 9-1 in WNIT games inside the SCSC.
• The Coyotes will play in the WNIT semifinals for the second time in program history (2016).
• Joyce became the first Coyote to score 30-plus points in a game this season, tallying 31.
• Her 31 points are third in Summit League history in a postseason game.
• Hopp tied a career-high with 13 points.
• USD is now 23-1 when outrebounding their opponent this season.
• South Dakota is 24-2 when leading at the half this season.
   
Stay up to date with all things Coyote Women's Basketball by following South Dakota Women's Basketball on Facebook /SDCoyotesWBB, X (Twitter) @SDCoyotesWBB, and Instagram @sdcoyotesWBB! #GoYotes