Sweet 16 Bound: USD Dominates Top Seed Baylor in NCAA Tournament
The University of South Dakota women's basketball team made history on Friday night as they won their first-ever NCAA Tournament game with a win over Ole Miss.
On Sunday, they made even more history as they advanced to their first-ever Sweet 16 with a win over one of the top seeds in No. 2 Baylor.
USD defeated Baylor 61-47 and led wire to wire in the most impressive win in school history.
Here is the complete release from the University of South Dakota women's basketball team after their historic win.
Waco - South Dakota women's basketball led wire-to-wire in a 61-47 win over Baylor inside the Ferrell Center in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.
The Coyotes (29-5) are just the second Summit League team to advance to the Sweet 16. Sunday also marks the first win over a top-10 nationally ranked team in Summit history.
USD's historical afternoon included ending Baylor's streak of 12-straight Sweet 16 appearances and handed the Bears' just their third second-round loss in 19 tournament appearances. It was the first non-Big 12 loss on Baylor's home floor since 2014.
South Dakota's trio of super seniors paced the Coyotes with double-figure scoring. Hannah Sjerven scored 16 points, Chloe Lamb had 15 and Liv Korngable added 11 points and five assists.
Baylor (28-7) was led by seniors Queen Egbo and NaLyssa Smith with 13 and 10 points, respectively. The pair were both members of Baylor's 2019 NCAA Championship squad.
Sunday's game started much like Friday afternoon, with Sjerven stealing the ball and knocking down a 3-pointer on the opening defensive and offensive possessions for the second-straight game. USD scored the first 11 points, holding Baylor scoreless for the first seven minutes of the game. South Dakota's 16-4 lead after the first quarter was the difference-maker in the game, never allowing the Bears to close within four points during the game. South Dakota has not yet trailed in 80 minutes of NCAA Tournament action.
The Coyotes' top-10 defense held Baylor to its lowest scoring outing of the season with those four first-quarter points being the lowest Baylor's scored in a quarter this season. Baylor's 31.5 percent (17-of-54) from the field was the Bears' lowest field-goal percentage in a game this season. The Bears shot 19.2 percent (5-of-26) from 3-point range. Baylor became the 17th opponent South Dakota has held under 50 points this season.
South Dakota shot 39.2 percent (20-of-51) from the field and made 50 percent (8-of-16) from deep.
In addition to slowing Baylor's high-octane scoring output, the Coyotes capitalized with 20 points off 19 Bear turnovers. Sjerven led the way with four steals, while second-year freshman Maddie Krull added three.
Other notables in Sunday's game include South Dakota's first top-25 win since Dec. 15, 2018. The Coyotes' last top-10 win came at the Division II level, when the Coyotes defeated No. 1 Delta State 68-58 in the 2008 Division II Final Four.
South Dakota plays the winner of third-seeded Michigan and 11th-seeded Villanova next Saturday in Wichita, Kansas.
For more information on the University of South Dakota women's basketball team, their current roster and their upcoming schedule, you can visit their team website.
TRENDING FROM RESULTS-TOWNSQUARE MEDIA SIOUX FALLS:
- Detour Ahead! Sioux Falls Diverging Diamond Project Set to Begin
- South Dakota's 'Safest' City' is an Hour from Sioux Falls
- Iowa Man Charged After Making 228 Harassing Phone Calls
- Striking Images from the South Dakota Dust Bowl
From Frybread to Pheasants - Here are South Dakota's Official State Things