Lady Jacks Knock off Nationally Ranked Corn Huskers

by Nick Lenz, Sports Anchor/Reporter
November 18, 2012 5:34 PM


BROOKINGS, S.D. — Ashley Eide scored a season-high 26 points, leading South Dakota State to a 60-55 upset victory over 15th-ranked Nebraska Sunday afternoon at Frost Arena.

The Jackrabbits, who defeated their highest-ranked opponent in the Division I era, evened their record at 2-2. Nebraska, playing its first road game of the season, dropped to 3-1.

The game was tightly contested throughout, with neither team holding more than a three-point lead in the first half. SDSU’s largest lead of the opening half was 5-2 after an Eide three-pointer, while the Cornhuskers led 24-21 with 6 minutes, 38 seconds to play.

Nebraska All-America candidate Jordan Hooper hit a baseline jumper at the first-half buzzer to give the Cornhuskers a 28-27 halftime lead. In all, the first half featured nine ties.

SDSU opened the second half with an 8-0 run, four points of which came on a pair of Eide baskets.

Nebraska countered with an 8-0 run of its own to regain a 36-35 lead on a three-pointer by Hooper with 12:33 to play in the game.

Baskets by Megan Waytashek on back-to-back possessions gave SDSU the lead for good at 45-41 with under seven minutes to play, breaking the 11th and final tie of the game. A putback by Leah Dietel — her only points of the game — at the 3:28 mark put the Jackrabbits out front 53-45.

The Jackrabbits sealed the victory by making 4-of-5 free throw attempts in the final 34 seconds.

Eide was the lone Jackrabbit in double figures, tallying her 26 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field and a 5-of-6 effort at the line. Katie Lingle contributed nine points and eight rebounds. Dietel matched a career high with 10 rebounds as the Jackrabbits held a 38-27 advantage on the boards.

SDSU finished the afternoon 21-of-48 from the field, 43.8 percent, including a 3-for-14 effort from three-point range. At the line, the Jackrabbits converted 15-of-21 attempts, 71.4 percent.

Lindsey Moore led Nebraska with 21 points, while Hooper tallied 15 points and a team-high seven rebounds. The Cornhuskers went 19-of-47 from the field, 40.4 percent, including 5-of-18 from behind the arc. Nebraska ended the day 12-of-19 at the line, 63.2 percent.

The Jackrabbits return to road action Wednesday night at Northern Illinois. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m.