After a disappointing Summit League tourney, the South Dakota State women’s basketball team looks for a more promising end to their season.
Only three Division I women’s basketball teams will end their season with a win. South Dakota State begins its quest to be one of those teams when it hosts Butler University in the 17th annual Women’s NIT Thursday at 7 p.m. in the friendly confines of Frost Arena.
The Jackrabbits, regular season champions of The Summit League with a 13-1 mark, enter the matchup with a 22-9 overall record. SDSU enters the 64-team single-elimination WNIT as winners in five of its last six games and is 13-2 in its last 15 outings.
South Dakota State hasn’t played since losing to in-state rival and Summit League Championship champion South Dakota, 72-58, in The Summit League semifinals March 10.
Butler finished the regular season with a 15-14 overall record. They moved to .500 after taking a loss to Creighton in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament, 61-52. The Bulldogs have played in five of the last six WNITs.
The winner of Thursday’s game faces the winner of the Creighton vs. Missouri game in the WNIT’s second round March 22-25. Location and time is yet to be determined. The WNIT Championship is April 5 at 2:30 p.m. CT on the CBS Sports Network.
