Summit League Women: South Dakota Beeaten by Western Illinois

Just three games into the 2014 Summit League, the scouting report is out on South Dakota: they are vulnerable on defense, especially defending from beyond the 3-point line.

Coming into Thursday night's game against Western Illinois in Vermillion, the Coyotes had allowed a league high 27 3's, with teams shooting a league best 44% from long range.

The Leathernecks did their homework, and it payed off with an 81-71 win.

In the first half, USD grabbed a quick 6-point lead on the Leathernecks, with Tia Hemiller hitting a pair of 3's in the first 5:00.

But Western Illinois started heating up from beyond the arc, with Michelle Maher leading the way.  Maher with 6 3's in the first half, and 19 points, as nearly half (15-of-31) of the
Leathernecks field goal attempts in the first 20 minutes came from long range.  In all, WIU made 7 3's in the first half, pacing them to a 41-29 lead at the break.

In the second half, USD made it competitive, cutting the lead to just five, but in the end it was too much three-point firepower for Western Illinois, another 6 3's in the second half - 13 for the game - as Maher finished with 8 3's and 27 points overall.

South Dakota had three in double figures: Hemiller and Kelly Stewart with 12, Bridget Arena with 11, but the Coyotes shot just 36% for the game.

USD hosts Omaha Saturday afternoon at 2:00pm.