2008 Woodie Awards
Lady Jacks overrun NDSU Bison in Fargo
A 12 minute field goal drought by NDSU helped SDSU rout them 71-55 in Summit League play.
Ariy-El Boynton
Issue date: 1/30/08 Section: Sports
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The home team started out well as the Bison's leading scorer, Emily Moran, who had 15 points in the contest, made a three-pointer with just over a minute into the game.
From that moment on, it was all Jackrabbits. Defensively the Jacks did not allow a field goal for more than 12 minutes.
SDSU's coaches were impressed with the Lady Jacks' effort: ?"I thought it was really a complete game for us," head coach Aaron Johnston said. "Defensively, I thought we played exceptionally well. North Dakota State made a couple of runs, but our defense was really good. We rebounded well, and we did the things well our team is capable of doing."
The offense got a spark from sophomore Ketty Cornemann as she scored five points in a row during a 9-0 Jacks run. The Jacks held the lead for more than 36 minutes. The feisty Bison squad (9-10 overall, 4-5 in Summit League play) cut the SDSU advantage to a mere seven points with just over four minutes to go in the first half, but SDSU would not be denied.
In the first half, SDSU (14-6, 7-2) dominated the paint as the Jacks scored 20 points inside the key, while the Bison only managed six. Points off turnovers made a big difference as SDSU forced 15 points off turnovers, while the Bison made only two points off turnovers.
"I thought it was a great first half. I think one of the things we have struggled with this year is defending people on the perimeter," said Johnston.
Coming out of the locker room for the second half, the visiting team kept the pressure up and used an Andrea Verdegan three-pointer to take a 25-point lead a little more than two minutes into the half.
A host of Bison turnovers gave way to unsung heroes who have not been accustomed to making clutch shots so far in the 2007-2008 campaign. Senior Courtney Grimsrud, whose scoring has taken a plunge (2.7 points a game, compared to 7.5 ppg in the 2006-07 season), and junior Ashlea Muckenhirn scored the final eight points of the game putting victory virtually out of reach for the Bison.
Muckenhirn made two consecutive three-pointers. On the next play, Grimsrud benefited as two Bison defenders were quick to apply pressure to Muckenhirn, causing the senior from Sisseton to have a wide-open layup.
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