MADISON, Wis. – South Dakota State women’s basketball was outlasted by Wisconsin Tuesday night as the Jackrabbits dropped a 66-64 decision at the Kohl Center. The Jackrabbits move to 1-1 on the season while the Badgers improve to 3-0.
The Jackrabbits trailed by nine with five minutes remaining in the contest but came all the way back to knot it at 62-all with 51 seconds to play. The Badgers managed four points in the final minute to come away with the win. In the end, the contest featured four ties and 12 lead changes.
Brooklyn Meyer posted the second double-double of her career with a career-best 19 points to go with 11 rebounds. The sophomore was 6-of-11 from the floor and knocked down 7-of-10 from the free throw line. She also tallied five blocks, two assists and a steal.
Three more Jackrabbits finished in double figures. Madison Mathiowetz scored 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting and had three steals. Mesa Byom tallied 11 points (4-for-6) and seven boards in her home state. Madysen Vlastuin had 10 points on a 3-for-4 showing from beyond the arc and recorded five rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Ellie Colbeck drained both her 3-point attempts for six points. Tori Nelson finished with four points, four rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks.
Wisconsin opened the scoring, but an 8-0 run fueled by five points from Meyer pushed the Jacks ahead, 8-2. Meyer and Vlastuin combined for all the Jackrabbit points in the opening period (seven from Meyer, six from Vlastuin) as the Badgers led 14-13 after 10 minutes.
The Jacks put together a 9-0 run during a 90-second stretch in the second period that put them ahead, 26-20, at the 5:14 mark. Byom and Mathiowetz scored four apiece during the run and Jenna Hopp added a pair of free throws. Wisconsin came back to lead 33-32 at halftime. The Jacks were 46 percent from the floor in the opening 20 minutes and went 5-for-7 from the free throw line.
Wisconsin maintained its lead during the third quarter, then scored 10 straight to go up 12 at 51-39. The Jacks came back within eight to end the period trailing 54-46.
SDSU chipped away at the deficit through the entirety of the fourth to tie the game with less than a minute to play. Colbeck hit a 3-pointer and the Jacks got seven points from the free throw line over the first six-plus minutes to come within four, 60-56. Following two Badger free throws, Byom, Meyer and Mathiowetz combined for a six-point run that tied the game at 62. Wisconsin went up again, 64-62, then Tori Nelson put away a layup for the 64-64 tie. The Badgers scored again with less than a second to play and the Jacks could not convert on the final play.
Ronnie Porter set a new career high with 17 points to lead the Badgers. She also had six assists and five steals.
The Jackrabbits shot 47 percent from the floor compared to 42 percent by the Badgers. SDSU also went 7-of-12 from the 3-point line and 17-of-21 from the charity stripe.
NOTES
The Jackrabbits are now 2-2 all-time against the Badgers.
UP NEXT
South Dakota State travels to take on UT Martin Saturday and No. 1 South Carolina Monday.