SDSU women lose despite Waytashek's 20
by KDLT Sports
February 14, 2013 11:18 PM
INDIANAPOLIS — For the second time this season, IUPUI made the plays down the stretch to knock off league-leading South Dakota State in Summit League women’s basketball. Thursday night, the Jaguars rallied from eight points down in the second half to defeat SDSU, 70-67.
IUPUI pulled to within a game of the Jackrabbits in the loss column, improving to 8-3 in The Summit League and 15-9 overall. SDSU dropped to 19-7 overall and 11-2 in league play.
The game was physical throughout as the two squads combined for 53 fouls. SDSU used the free throw line to its advantage in the first half,erasing a 22-13 deficit late in the stanza with 9-0 run in which the Jackrabbits scored seven points at the stripe. Four different SDSU players scored in the spurt before Mariah Clarin gave the Jackrabbits a 30-28 halftime lead with a basket in the final minute of the opening half.
SDSU built its advantage to eight points four-plus minutes into the second half and maintained that cushion with 12:30 to play after baskets by Megan Waytashek and Mariah Clarin.
IUPUI closed to within a basket halfway through the second half and regained the lead at 51-49 on a three-pointer by Katie Comello. The lead would change hands eight more times before the Jaguars prevailed.
After sitting most of the first half with two early fouls, Comello connected on three more three-pointers down the stretch, the last of which game IUPUI a momentary 64-61 lead.
SDSU countered with two quick baskets by Katie Lingle and Ashley Eide to grab a 65-64 lead with 2:29 remaining.
However, the Jaguars grabbed the lead for good on a basket by DeAirra Goss on their next trip down the floor and turned a steal into alayup on the other end to go up 68-65 with 1:46 to play.
Gabby Boever pulled the Jackrabbits to within 68-67 with 42 seconds remaining, but her game-tying free throw attempt rimmed off and theJaguars again converted on their end of the floor with a basket by Kerah Nelson with 17 seconds to play.
After a timeout, the Jackrabbits worked the ball around the perimeter, but Waytashek’s attempt at a game-tying three-pointer was off the mark.
Cold three-point shooting again plagued the Jackrabbits, who made only 1-of-17 attempts from long range. Overall, SDSU was 21-of-47 from the field, 44.7 percent, and 24-of-37 at the free throw line for 64.9 percent.
Waytashek scored a game-high 20 points in a losing effort. Clarin and Eide wach finished with 11 points.
IUPUI was led by Goss with 16 points and six rebounds, while Comello added 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from three-point range. Nelson finished the night with 11 points and six rebounds.
The Jaguars ended the night 24-of-60 from the field, 40 percent, including 5-for-20 from long range. At the line, IUPUI converted 17-of-31 attempts, 54.8 percent.
Rebounding was even at 37. Hannah Strop tallied a game-high seven boards for the Jackrabbits.
SDSU closes out its weekend road trip Saturday afternoon at Western Illinois. Tipoff is slated for 4:30 p.m. in Macomb, Ill.
NOTES: SDSU leads the all-time series, 12-2 … the Jackrabbits lost for the first time this season when leading at halftime (12-1) … SDSU lost for only the second time this season when shooting better than 40 percent from the field … the Jackrabbits dropped to 53-6 in February games during the Division I era … SDSU committed 22 turnovers, while IUPUI turned the ball over 17 times … the Jackrabbits have gone a combined 4-for-40 from three-point range in the two meetings with IUPUI this season … Waytashek scored in double figures for the 20th time this season …. Eide ended the night with 991 career points … attendance was 303 at The Jungle
