SPOKANE, Wash. – South Dakota State basketball dropped an 83-58 contest to No. 21 Gonzaga Sunday afternoon at the McCarthey Athletic Center.
Gonzaga improves to 11-2 on the season while the Jacks drop to 6-4.
Gonzaga raced out to an 11-0 lead before the first Jackrabbit bucket came from Brooklyn Meyer at the 6:37 mark. The Zags went 11-for-16 from the floor and forced five SDSU turnovers in the opening 10 minutes to lead 24-8 after one period.
SDSU scored seven of the first 10 points in the second period to cut the deficit to 12. In total, Gonzaga outscored the Jacks by just three in the second period, 24-21, but the hot-shooting Zags maintained led 48-29 at the halftime break.
At halftime, SDSU held a 34-percent shooting mark from the floor compared to a blistering 67-percent half by Gonzaga.
The Zags cooled off in the second half but still stretched its lead to 29 in the third quarter with a 12-0 run. The home team maintained its lead through the fourth for a 25-point win. SDSU shot 57 percent in the second half but could not make up any ground against Gonzaga.
The Jackrabbits were led by Mesa Byom and Jenna Hopp with 12 points apiece. Byom was 4-for-5 from the floor and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Hopp was 3-for-5 and also 4-for-4 from the stripe. Hopp also led the team with two steals. Ellie Colbeck paced the squad with five rebounds. Madison Mathiowetz and Madysen Vlastuin tallied three rebounds each.
Gonzaga had four players in double figures, led by a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double from Eliza Hollingsworth.
In the end, Gonzaga had a 38-27 edge in rebounding, including a 16-5 advantage on the offensive glass. The Zags scored 18 second chance points. The Jacks committed 17 turnovers that resulted in 21 points for the Zags.
NOTES
- SDSU moves to 0-3 against ranked opponents this season and 3-1 against Gonzaga all time.
- SDSU is 17-39 all-time against ranked opponents.
- Hopp’s 12 points is a career high.
UP NEXT
South Dakota State wraps up its December slate at No. 20 Creighton Thursday night in Omaha.