Preview: South Dakota at South Dakota State

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Interstat) — The Summit League women’s basketball regular season concludes Saturday with a high-stakes rivalry rematch as the South Dakota State Jackrabbits host the South Dakota Coyotes at the Elmen Center.

South Dakota State (25-6 overall, 15-2 Summit) enters as one of the nation’s hottest teams, riding a nine-game winning streak and seeking to avenge its only conference loss this season — a 73-54 defeat in Vermillion on Jan. 31. The Jackrabbits have been dominant since, including an 82-49 rout of the Coyotes in Brookings on Feb. 28.

South Dakota (23-8, 12-5) looks to salvage a series split and build momentum for the upcoming conference tournament. The Coyotes are coming off a 61-50 home win over Denver on Friday afternoon but have lost two of their last three.

The matchup features two of the league’s premier players. South Dakota State is powered by forward Brooklyn Meyer, who is playing at an All-American level. In the Feb. 28 win over South Dakota, she scored 33 points in just 27 minutes. Over her last six games, Meyer is averaging 26.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per contest.

South Dakota counters with guard Angelina Robles, who scored 21 points in Friday’s win and has averaged 18.1 points over her last seven outings. Her playmaking will be critical against the Jackrabbits’ stifling defense.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, South Dakota State holds a 94.70 percent probability to win. The Jackrabbits have won by an average of 32.7 points during their current streak.

The game tips off at 2 p.m. CST Saturday and will likely determine the seed for the Summit League Tournament, which begins next week. South Dakota State can clinch the outright regular-season title with a victory.