SOUTH DAKOTA STATE HOSTS ORAL ROBERTS IN SUMMIT LEAGUE SHOWDOWN

BROOKINGS, S.D. (Interstat) — A surging South Dakota State women’s basketball team looks to continue its strong start to conference play when it hosts Oral Roberts in a Summit League matchup Saturday at Frost Arena.

The Jackrabbits (12-4 overall) have opened league play with decisive wins over Omaha (65-36) and Saint Thomas (Minn.) (67-49). They are led by forward Maggie Hartwig, who is coming off a dominant 12-point, 16-rebound performance in the win at Omaha. Her presence on the boards will be critical against an Oral Roberts squad that averages over 78 points per game.

The Golden Eagles (9-7) arrive in Brookings riding the momentum of an 83-61 road victory at South Dakota on Thursday. Guard Anna Trusty fueled that win with 18 points and three assists, continuing a hot streak. Over her last six games, Trusty is averaging 19.2 points, including a 23-point outing in a narrow loss at Wichita State and a 20-point game in a win over North Dakota.

Oral Roberts has shown a potent offense but has struggled on the road against high-major competition, with losses at Nebraska and Kansas earlier this season. Containing Trusty and frontcourt player Azailah Funches, who also scored 18 points against South Dakota, will be a priority for the Jackrabbits’ defense.

South Dakota State has faced a challenging non-conference slate, including games against then-Texas and Duke. The Jackrabbits have been stout defensively at home, holding opponents to an average of 54.2 points in their last five games in Frost Arena.

This contest marks the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams. They will meet again in Tulsa on Feb. 19.

Saturday’s game tips off at 2 p.m. Central Time. South Dakota State holds a commanding historical advantage in the series, having won 16 of the last 17 matchups.