OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — In a commanding season-opening performance on Monday night, the South Dakota State Jackrabbits used a dominant fourth-quarter surge to defeat the Creighton Bluejays 78 to 62 in a non-conference women’s basketball game at CenturyLink Center.

A crowd of 1,489 watched as the visiting Jackrabbits, who led for the majority of the contest, broke open a tight game with a 26-point explosion in the final period. The victory gave South Dakota State a 1-0 start to the season, while the home-standing Bluejays began their campaign 0-1.

South Dakota State established control early, outscoring Creighton 18 to 13 in the opening quarter. They extended their lead by halftime, taking a 38 to 30 advantage into the locker room after adding 20 points in the second quarter against 17 from the Bluejays.

The third quarter proved to be Creighton’s best opportunity to mount a challenge, as both teams traded 17-point frames. The Bluejays’ defense managed to slow the Jackrabbits, holding them to just 14 points, but their own offense could not capitalize sufficiently to close the gap, leaving the score at 55 to 47 heading into the final ten minutes.

Any hopes of a Creighton comeback were swiftly extinguished in the fourth quarter. The South Dakota State offense found another gear, unleashing a 26-point barrage that overwhelmed the Bluejays, who managed only 15 points in response. The period sealed a decisive 16-point road victory for the Jackrabbits.

Creighton was led by the backcourt duo of Ava Zediker and Kennedy Townsend. Zediker, a guard from Des Moines, Iowa, logged 27 minutes and scored a team-high 17 points while dishing out one assist. Townsend, from Kansas City, Missouri, played a game-high 35 minutes and contributed 14 points and one assist.

Point guard Kiani Lockett of Minneapolis facilitated much of the Bluejays’ offense, distributing a team-best six assists to go with nine points in her 31 minutes of action. Forward Allison Heathcock from Edmond, Oklahoma, added eight points and two assists in 26 minutes.

Other contributors for Creighton included Kendall McGee with four points, Elizabeth Gentry with four points, and Tara Dacic, who saw two minutes of action. The Gessert sisters from Omaha, Neleigh and Norah, combined for 10 minutes, with Norah recording one assist and one block.

For South Dakota State, guard Mahli Abdouch of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, scored two points in 11 minutes of play. The Jackrabbits’ balanced attack and potent fourth-quarter run, however, were the story of the game, as they consistently found answers for Creighton’s defensive efforts.

The loss sends Creighton into a challenging early-season stretch. Their next contest is on the road against in-state rival Drake on Sunday, Nov. 9, followed by another road test at Nebraska on Wednesday, Nov. 12. Their next home game at CenturyLink Center is against Northern Iowa on Thursday, Nov. 20.

South Dakota State, meanwhile, will look to build on its opening-night momentum with a busy November schedule. The Jackrabbits return home to host Rice on Friday, Nov. 7. A neutral-site game against Montana in Rapid City, South Dakota, follows on Saturday, Nov. 15. Later in the month, the team faces a tough slate that includes games against Gonzaga in Sioux Falls, a multi-team event featuring North Carolina and Columbia, and a road game at Kansas State.

The game marked a successful start for South Dakota State, which showcased its offensive capabilities and depth in a hostile environment. For Creighton, the contest revealed areas for improvement, particularly in containing opponents’ scoring runs over a full forty minutes, as they prepare for their upcoming tests.