BROOKINGS, S.D. – South Dakota State basketball dropped a 75-71 decision to No. 16 Duke Sunday afternoon at First Bank & Trust Arena. The loss is SDSU’s first of the season, moving the Jackrabbits to 3-1 while the Blue Devils improve to 4-1 overall.
SDSU never let the Blue Devils pull out of reach, but Duke did lead for the vast majority of the contest – 32 minutes compared to two minutes for the Jacks. The game was tied for 6:27 of game clock.
The Jacks led briefly at the midway point of the opening quarter, then not again until the third period. Down eight at halftime, 38-30, SDSU traded buckets with Duke out of the locker room, then an eight-point stretch for the Jackrabbits gave them the lead. Mesa Byom, Brooklyn Meyer and Haleigh Timmer put away consecutive layups to tie the game at 45-all. Meyer hit two free throws to lead.
Byom tied the game again at 59 with a 3-pointer at the 7:38 mark in the fourth, but Duke answered with a 7-0 run over the next four minutes. Paige Meyer and Brooklyn Meyer combined for five points to make it a two-point game, however the Blue Devils again responded with five straight.
Emilee Fox drained a triple to pull the Jacks within three with 17 seconds on the clock but Duke hit a free throw on the other end to seal the win.
Brooklyn Meyer led all players with a 25-point night on 9-of-13 shooting. She went 6-of-7 from the free throw line and connected on the first 3-point attempt of her career in the second quarter of action. Paige Meyer added 12 points and a game-high seven assists. Timmer was also in double figures, adding 11 points, four assists and two steals.
Madison Mathiowetz chipped in eight points and Byom contributed seven points, five rebounds and three assists. Kallie Theisen pulled down 12 rebounds.
The Jackrabbits outshot the Blue Devils, 46 percent to 43 percent, but Duke forced 15 SDSU turnovers that resulted in 21 points for the Blue Devils. SDSU knocked down eight 3-pointers at a 50 percent clip. Duke also corralled 14 offensive rebounds for 19 second-chance points.
Jadyn Donovan had a career day for the Blue Devils. The sophomore posted a 23-point, 15-rebounds double-double to lead the visitors.
NOTES
- Duke takes a 1-0 lead in the all-time series.
- Sunday was the second time a matchup between ranked teams (either in the Coaches Poll of the AP Poll) has taken place on the Jackrabbits’ home floor. SDSU is 0-2 in those contests.
- 4,582 fans packed First Bank & Trust Arena for the tilt, the highest attendance at an SDSU home game since the Jacks hosted the WNIT in 2022.
- SDSU tallied a season-high 20 assists on 26 made field goals.
UP NEXT
South Dakota State looks ahead to two games at the North Shore Showcase in Hawaii next week. The Jackrabbits take on Georgia Tech November 23 and Oregon November 26 in Laie, Hawaii.