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South Dakota State women’s basketball is running out of ways to top itself in March, but the Jackrabbits found another one in Sioux Falls.
On March 8, 2026, in front of 7,930 fans at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center, South Dakota State University (SDSU) knocked off top-seeded North Dakota State 64–51 to secure a fourth straight Summit League tournament championship. The win delivered the program’s 14th NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship berth since 2009 and added another layer to one of the most enduring conference dynasties in the country.
Senior forward Brooklyn Meyer was the difference. She poured in 26 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked four shots to earn Summit League tournament championship MVP honors, powering the second-seeded Jackrabbits to a 27–6 overall record and a 14–2 mark against league opponents. North Dakota State, which dominated the regular season at 15–1 in conference play, slipped to 28–4 and faces an anxious wait for a possible at-large NCAA bid.
For recruits, parents and coaches trying to understand what makes South Dakota State University such a consistent mid-major force, this title game offers a clear snapshot: a dominant frontcourt anchor, disciplined guard play, elite rebounding and a program wired for March basketball.
While the final score suggests a comfortable win, the championship game swung through several momentum shifts before South Dakota State stamped its authority in the fourth quarter.
From the opening minutes, the Jackrabbits made a deliberate choice to run their offense through Meyer on the block. The 6-foot-plus senior forward punished single coverage, carving out deep position and finishing efficiently around the rim. By halftime, she had already scored 15 of her game-high 26 points, establishing a matchup problem North Dakota State never fully solved.
South Dakota State’s interior emphasis did more than just put points on the board. It set the tone physically and helped the Jackrabbits control the glass. Behind Meyer and guard-forward hybrid Hadley Thul, SDSU began to separate on the backboards, a theme that would only grow more pronounced as the game wore on.
The Jackrabbits built a lead that stretched to as many as nine points in the first half. Thul complemented Meyer’s scoring punch with eight early points, attacking the paint and cleaning up on the offensive glass. Still, every time South Dakota State threatened to pull away, North Dakota State’s perimeter shooting reeled the game back in.
The Bison, who entered as the No. 1 seed after a 15–1 regular season in Summit play, leaned hard on the three-point line to keep contact. They buried five triples in the opening 20 minutes, stretching SDSU’s defense and punishing any late closeouts.
The biggest shot of that bunch came just before the break. With the Jackrabbits holding a two-possession lead and threatening to seize full control, North Dakota State guard Marisa Frost drilled a buzzer-beating three to cut the deficit to 31–27 at halftime. It was a reminder that, despite SDSU’s interior dominance, the Bison’s perimeter firepower meant the game was far from over.
Coming out of the locker room, North Dakota State briefly showed why it had controlled the league all winter. A 9–3 run flipped the score to 36–34 in favor of the Bison, their first lead since the opening quarter. The stretch was fueled by defensive stops, improved ball movement and renewed confidence on the perimeter.
For a few minutes, SDSU looked vulnerable. Then the Jackrabbits’ young backcourt took over.
Sophomore guards Emilee Fox and Ellie Colbeck turned the tide with an eight-point burst that settled the Jackrabbits and re-established their control.
In a span of minutes, the 36–34 Bison edge became a 42–36 SDSU cushion. That mini-run underscored an important element of this Jackrabbits team: while Meyer is the centerpiece, the sophomore backcourt gives South Dakota State multiple options to initiate offense and withstand opposing runs.
North Dakota State did not fold. The Bison traded baskets with SDSU for the remainder of the period, trimming the gap and keeping the game within one possession at times. South Dakota State carried a 44–41 lead into the final quarter, setting up a 10-minute stretch that would define both teams’ seasons.
Over the last decade and a half, South Dakota State has built its reputation as a program that thrives in March. That experience showed up in the fourth quarter.
Colbeck opened the frame with four quick points, expanding the lead to seven and immediately putting pressure back on North Dakota State. Even as the Bison responded with a three-pointer from guard Molly Lenz to close the gap to 48–44 with just over seven minutes remaining, SDSU never looked rattled.
From there, the Jackrabbits’ veteran core took over the game’s most important possessions:
The closing sequence revealed a key divide between the programs in this moment. While North Dakota State’s offense stalled under increased pressure and fatigue, South Dakota State sharpened its execution and physicality.
The stat sheet from the fourth quarter tells the story of SDSU’s composure:
By the final buzzer, SDSU had turned a tight championship into a convincing 64–51 win, powered by elite late-game execution typical of a program that expects to play in the NCAA tournament every year.
Meyer’s MVP performance deservedly headlines this title run, but the Jackrabbits’ supporting cast was just as crucial in sustaining their Summit League dominance.
On a big stage, Meyer showed why she is one of the most productive post players outside the power conferences. Her final line:
She anchored both ends of the floor, forcing North Dakota State to collapse in the paint and freeing up driving lanes for guards. Defensively, her rim protection turned potential layups into kick-outs and late-clock jumpers.
For high school posts imagining themselves at a strong mid-major, Meyer’s role is a blueprint of how a frontcourt player can be a system-defining star at a place like South Dakota State University.
Thul delivered 10 points and seven rebounds, giving SDSU a second physical presence around the rim. She helped the Jackrabbits dominate the glass 45–31, a margin that neutralized North Dakota State’s early three-point barrage.
Wing Hilary Behrens added seven points and a team-high nine rebounds. Her work on the glass, especially on long misses and in traffic, was vital in limiting second-chance opportunities for the Bison.
Then there was Mathiowetz, the classic glue player every winning March roster needs. She posted six points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals while logging a game-high 38 minutes. The senior guard’s versatility allowed SDSU to stay connected defensively and stable offensively, even when lineups shifted.
Fox and Colbeck combined for 15 points, but their impact went beyond scoring:
Overall, the Jackrabbits shot just over 41 percent from the field and limited themselves to only eight turnovers. Those numbers, paired with their 45–31 rebounding dominance, allowed SDSU to win despite a relatively quiet night from beyond the arc.
For North Dakota State, the 64–51 loss was a harsh reminder of how thin the margins can be in conference tournament play, even after a dominant regular season.
Summit League Player of the Year Avery Koenen still filled the stat sheet with 12 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, but SDSU’s collapsing defense held her to 4-for-12 shooting. Every touch in the paint drew multiple defenders, and the Jackrabbits consistently forced her to make plays through traffic.
North Dakota State’s first-half three-point shooting masked some of those struggles, but as fatigue set in and SDSU ramped up pressure, the Bison’s offense stagnated. The late turnovers, limited field goals in the fourth quarter and inability to get clean looks ultimately opened the door for South Dakota State’s closing run.
The loss dropped North Dakota State to 0–5 against SDSU in Summit League tournament games, emphasizing just how steep the hill has been in March for the rest of the league. Still, a 28–4 overall record gives the Bison a real case for an at-large bid, depending on how the selection committee evaluates mid-major résumés in a given year.
For context, the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee has historically rewarded strong nonconference schedules and quality wins for mid-majors seeking at-large bids, as outlined in its public selection principles and procedures (NCAA.com). Whether North Dakota State’s profile matches those benchmarks will be a key storyline heading into Selection Sunday.
With this latest championship, South Dakota State has now captured 13 Summit League tournament titles since becoming Division I postseason-eligible in 2009. The Jackrabbits’ record in Summit tournament play over that span is a staggering 44–5, including 12 straight wins.
This four-year title streak is the program’s longest since a run of five consecutive tournament crowns from 2009 through 2013. That level of sustained success places SDSU in rare company among mid-major women’s programs nationwide.
According to historical archives and media coverage of mid-majors such as Gonzaga, South Florida and South Dakota State itself (Associated Press women’s college basketball hub), only a handful of non-power-conference programs have matched that level of consistent conference tournament dominance over the last 15 years.
Perhaps even more telling: with 14 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship appearances in 17 eligible seasons, SDSU has been in the bracket more often than many power-conference programs. For recruits, that matters. Playing for a program that expects to be in the NCAA tournament every year is a tangible selling point for athletes who want meaningful March experience.
This Summit League title does more than add a banner in Brookings. It shapes how national observers and potential recruits view South Dakota State heading into another NCAA tournament.
The Jackrabbits are not sneaking up on anyone. One year earlier, SDSU went 30–4 and reached the second round of the 2025 NCAA tournament. That run included an upset of Oklahoma State in the first round before the Jackrabbits bowed out against UConn, one of the sport’s traditional powers.
That experience, combined with a 27–6 record this season and wins over quality opposition on the way to the Summit League crown, positions SDSU as a lower-seeded team few power-conference programs will want to see opposite their name on the bracket.
In March, matchups and style make all the difference. South Dakota State’s interior-focused attack around Meyer, balanced by efficient guard play and physical rebounding, is exactly the kind of profile that can unsettle a higher seed that is unfamiliar with the Jackrabbits’ tempo and physicality.
The 2026 roster checks many of the boxes coaches and analysts look for when projecting NCAA tournament upsets:
Put together, that mix makes South Dakota State a dangerous draw, particularly for high seeds that may underestimate mid-major champions.
For high school prospects and families looking at college options, this run tells you a lot about the women’s basketball experience at South Dakota State.
First, winning is baked into the culture. Playing for SDSU means competing for Summit League titles and NCAA tournament bids every year. That kind of stability is valuable for athletes who want a clear path to postseason play.
Second, the program develops players over time. Meyer’s evolution into a dominant post player, Fox’s rise as an elite shooter and the growth of role players like Mathiowetz and Behrens are all examples of athletes taking big steps within the Jackrabbits’ system.
Third, the environment is real Division I energy. Playing in front of nearly 8,000 fans in Sioux Falls for a conference final reflects the community investment in women’s basketball at SDSU and across the Dakotas region.
If you are exploring whether a school like SDSU fits your goals, tools like Pathley’s College Directory and College Fit Snapshot can help you quickly compare academic, athletic and campus fit, and then go deeper on how your profile matches the women’s basketball program.
One of the biggest challenges in women’s basketball recruiting is sorting through hundreds of potential schools and realistically gauging where you fit. That is where tools built specifically for college discovery can help.
If you are just getting started, you can also create a recruiting profile and let Pathley’s AI help you identify possible target schools and manage your outreach. Visit https://app.pathley.ai/sign_up to set up a free account and unlock college matching, resume tools and personalized recruiting insights.
With another Summit League tournament trophy in hand, South Dakota State heads into the NCAA bracket with a familiar identity:
Regardless of seed, the Jackrabbits will again be one of the mid-major programs most likely to break brackets and grab national headlines. For recruits, that combination of visibility, winning and player development makes SDSU an appealing option if you are looking for a strong basketball experience outside the power conferences.
To learn more about South Dakota State and other potential fits across the country, start exploring the college directory at https://app.pathley.ai/college_directory or visit Pathley to see how AI-powered search and guidance can simplify your college basketball recruiting journey.
