After cutting its deficit to as little as six points in the third quarter, South Dakota women’s basketball fell short in the fourth quarter against North Dakota State on Wednesday, losing 72-53.
After hanging around for most of the game, the Coyotes were outscored 21-10 in the final frame.
The matchup between USD and NDSU presented a chance for the Coyotes to jump from fifth to tie for third in the Summit League standings.
The Bison jumped out to a 10-point lead in the first quarter, outscoring South Dakota 16-6 in points in the paint. North Dakota State also held the Coyotes to just 35% shooting from the field in the first quarter and took a 21-11 lead into the second frame.
North Dakota State outrebounded USD by 10 in the first half, including by four on the offensive glass. The Bison also recorded eight second-chance points in the first half compared to just three for South Dakota. NDSU went into halftime leading 36-26.
Grace Larkins did her best to keep her team in it, scoring 16 of her team’s 26 first-half points on 7-for-12 shooting while NDSU’s Abbie Draper tied her career-high in points in the first half alone, scoring 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting.
USD regained control of the paint in the third quarter, outscoring NDSU 14-8 down low and 17-15 overall in the quarter. A layup by Carley Duffney cut the Coyotes deficit to six points and South Dakota had the chance to cut it even closer but they missed an open three and a layup down the stretch of the quarter.
The Bison outscored the Coyotes 6-1 in the early stages of the fourth quarter to extend their lead to 13 points.
Draper led North Dakota State in scoring with 29 points while Larkins led South Dakota with 23. Larkins also recorded seven rebounds, one assist, and five turnovers. She was one of only two Coyotes to score in double digits. The only other USD player to score in double figures was Carley Duffney who scored 13 points on five of eight shooting.
The Bison held South Dakota to 36.4% shooting from the field while shooting 49.1%. They also outrebounded the Coyotes 42-20 and outscored them in the paint by 10.
Up next South Dakota will host South Dakota State in Vermillion on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 1 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: South Dakota women’s basketball falls to North Dakota State
