South Dakota State continues its run through the Summit League women’s basketball season without a league loss. Senior Hannah Strop and freshman Chynna Stevens each posted career highs as South Dakota State (17-7, 8-0) extended its win streak to eight games with a 77-66 victory over Fort Wayne (11-11, 4-4).
Strop (New Prague, Minn.) and Stevens (Clark) each scored 16 points for the Jacks. Strop was 4 of 7 from the field, including 2 of 5 from three-point range, and a perfect 6 for 6 from the free-throw line. Stevens was 4 of 5 from the field with two treys and was also 6 for 6 from the foul line. The forward also grabbed eight rebounds.
Juniors Mariah Clarin (Princeton, Minn.) and Megan Waytashek (Lino Lakes, Minn.) each grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. Junior Gabby Boever (Worthington, Minn.) had a season- and game-high six steals.
The Jackrabbits broke from an early 15-7 at 12:38 to take a 30-9 lead with 8:37 remaining in the first half when Strop hit back-to-back three-pointers and junior Rachel Walters (Sioux Falls) added a three-pointer.
The Jackrabbits pushed the lead to 25 points, 39-14 with 2:13 left, when freshman Clarissa Ober (Glencoe, Minn.) scored six-straight points. Sophomore Chloe Cornermann (Yankton) followed with a three-pointer, and Ober closed the scoring for the Jacks with a layup with four seconds left for a 46-24 halftime lead.
South Dakota State led by as many as 20 in the second half but did not allow Fort Wayne any closer than 10 points in the second half.
Haley Seibert led Fort Wayne with a game-high 23 points. Amanda Hyde added 13 points and Stefanie Mauk 10 points.
South Dakota State concludes its two-game road trip when it travels to Indianapolis, Ind., Saturday for a 1 p.m. game vs. the IUPUI Jaguars in The Jungle.
