– Matchups with seven teams that played in the postseason a year ago, a pair of Big East opponents and a Southeastern Conference foe highlight the 2014-15 South Dakota State women’s basketball schedule.
The Jackrabbits, who are coming off their eighth 20-win season and eighth Division I postseason appearance in 2013-14, host six home nonconference games, plus two exhibitions, in November and December.
“We are very pleased with how the nonleague schedule came together. Our two main goals in scheduling are to play great competition and to create excitement for our fans. We believe this schedule accomplishes both,” 15th-year head coach Aaron Johnston said. “Most of the teams we face will have the potential to play in a postseason tournament. We are looking forward to an exciting year of Jackrabbit women’s basketball.”
November 14 marks the opening of the 49th season of women’s basketball at South Dakota State when Brigham Young University comes to town. The Jacks will be protecting the NCAA’s fifth-longest home win streak (21). BYU, one of six teams on the schedule that played in the NCAA Tournament last year, by reached the NCAA Regionals.
SDSU plays Big East opponents Nov. 18 and 22. A rematch between the Jacks and WNIT qualifier Creighton University is Nov. 18 in Frost Arena and the first meeting at NCAA participant DePaul Nov. 22.
South Dakota State returns to Frost Nov. 24 hosting Sam Houston State out of the Southland Conference.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday, the Jackrabbits are at the UNLV Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev., where they play either Northern Illinois, Delaware State or host UNLV Nov. 29-30.
SDSU opens December at SEC foe Arkansas Dec. 4. It will be the schools’ first meeting in women’s basketball.
The Jacks return to the friendly confines of Frost Arena for a three-game homestand in mid-December. They host Wisconsin-Green Bay, which won 20-plus games, Dec. 10; Middle Tennessee State, winners of 29 games and a NCAA participant, Dec. 15; and Arkansas Little Rock, Dec. 18.
SDSU concludes its nonconference schedule when it plays at NCAA qualifier Marist Dec. 21 and at Northern Iowa Dec. 29.
The Jackrabbits also host a pair of exhibition games against NCAA Division II opponents South Dakota Tech and Northern State, Oct. 30 and Nov. 8, respectively, to tip off the season.
SDSU earlier announced its 16-game Summit League schedule that includes eight home-and-home contests vs. Denver, Fort Wayne, IUPUI, North Dakota State, Omaha, Oral Roberts, South Dakota and Western Illinois. Three of the eight home Summit League contests fall on a Saturday at Frost Arena, including rivals North Dakota State (Jan. 31) and South Dakota (Feb. 21).
South Dakota State went 26-10 in 2013-14, including a 13-1 mark in Summit League play. The Jackrabbits won The Summit League regular-season title and advanced to the semifinals of the Women’s NIT.
