ST. PAUL, Minn. (Interstat) — The South Dakota State women’s basketball team reasserted its dominance in the Summit League with a methodical and comprehensive 84-51 victory over Saint Thomas on Wednesday night at Schoenecker Arena.

The Jackrabbits, rebounding decisively from a loss to rival South Dakota just four days prior, never trailed and built a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter. They methodically expanded their advantage each period, showcasing a stifling defense and a relentless, efficient offense that the Tommies could not counter.

The most important part of the game was its opening ten minutes, which set a tone of utter control for the visitors. South Dakota State established its interior presence immediately, with Brooklyn Meyer winning the opening tip and scoring the game’s first basket on a layup just 16 seconds in. The Jackrabbits’ defense was suffocating, forcing Saint Thomas into five first-quarter turnovers and limiting the Tommies to just 4-of-12 shooting from the field. While South Dakota State’s own offense experienced some early missed opportunities, their work on the offensive glass—securing five rebounds on their own end in the quarter—created extra possessions that stifled any chance of Saint Thomas gaining early footing. By the time the period ended with the Jackrabbits leading 15-9, the trajectory of the contest was firmly established. This early defensive clampdown and effort on the boards provided the foundation for the systematic dismantling that followed.

South Dakota State’s offensive execution was a model of efficiency. The Jackrabbits scored 84 points on just 69 possessions, translating to an elite offensive rating of 121.4. They shot 52.4% from the field (33 of 63) and dominated inside, outscoring Saint Thomas 46-24 in the paint. Their defense was equally impactful, holding the Tommies to 44.2% shooting and an offensive rating of 78.3. South Dakota State converted 16 Saint Thomas turnovers into 20 points, while committing only 12 turnovers themselves.

Brooklyn Meyer, a 6-foot-2 sophomore from Larchwood, Iowa, led all scorers with 19 points in just 26 minutes, adding four assists. Madison Mathiowetz, a 5-10 guard from Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, provided a potent scoring punch with 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Point guard Emilee Fox orchestrated the offense with 11 points and a game-high six assists.

For Saint Thomas, which fell to 10-12 overall and in Summit League play, the offensive struggles were widespread. Alyssa Sand led the team with 12 points, while Autumn McCall added 10. Faith Feuerbach scored 11, but the Tommies managed only eight assists against 16 turnovers and hit just 6 of 21 attempts from three-point range.

The victory improved South Dakota State to 18-6 overall and solidified its position atop the conference standings. The Jackrabbits have now won eight of their last nine games, with the only blemish being the road loss to South Dakota. Saint Thomas, in its transition to Division I, has now dropped both meetings with the Summit League powerhouse this season by an average of 31.5 points.

A crowd of 501 at Schoenecker Arena watched as South Dakota State methodically put the game away in the third quarter, outscoring the Tommies 25-15 to take a 63-38 lead into the final period. The Jackrabbits’ depth was on full display as nine different players scored, and the lead ballooned to as many as 35 points in the fourth quarter.

South Dakota State next hosts North Dakota on Feb. 12, while Saint Thomas travels to face Denver on Feb. 7.