South Dakota State relied on defensive intensity to win its first Division II Women's Basketball Championship March 29. The Jackrabbits held Northern Kentucky to 23 percent shooting and forced 16 first-half turnovers en route to a 65-50 win in the championship game in St. Joseph's, Missouri.

"South Dakota State really gets after you defensively, and they are a fine basketball team and deserving champion," said Northern Kentucky head coach Nancy Winstel. "Every time we made a run, they would hit a big shot or get a loose ball."

Despite shooting only 34.5 percent from the field in the opening half, the Jackrabbits controlled the game with a 32-17 lead. Northern Kentucky edged to within nine points twice in the final half, including with 12:37 remaining when Bridget Flanagan hit a three-point shot.

The Norse, however, hit only six of 15 attempts at the free-throw stripe.

South Dakota State's Melissa Pater was voted the most outstanding player of the tournament after scoring 22 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in the title game. The senior averaged 26.3 points per game in the Elite Eight.

Freshman teammate Heather Sieler, who scored 11 points in the championship game, joined Pater on the all-tournament team. Northern Kentucky's Sharell Snardon also was honored, along with Carone Harris from Central Arkansas and Bentley's Keri Flynn.

Northern Kentucky advanced to the championship game for the fourth time in five years with a 45-43 win over California (Pennsylvania). The Norse were seeded No. 5 in the Great Lakes region to start the tournament and finished 26-8.

The Jackrabbits had their closest game of the Elite Eight in the semifinals against Bentley, winning, 69-62. South Dakota State finished 32-3 on the year.

SEMIFINALS

Northern Ky. 45, Calif. (Pa.) 43

Northern Ky.: Amy Mobley 2-9, 3-4, 5, 8; Kristin Polosky 2-11, 6-7, 5, 10; Connie Myers 2-6, 0-1, 5, 4; Elizabeth Burrows 0-2, 0-2, 2, 0; Bridget Flanagan 3-13, 0-0, 4, 8; Mandy Sterling 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0; Sharell Snardon 4-9, 3-5, 6, 11; Emily Phillips 0-1, 0-0, 3, 0; Jessica Brock 2-3, 0-0, 2, 4. TOTALS: 15-55, 12-19, 35 (3 team), 45.

Calif. (Pa.): Sara McKinney 5-13, 0-0, 2, 10; Becky Siembak 6-12, 2-2, 7, 14; Suzie Gyarfas 2-4, 1-1, 9, 5; Stacia Hamilton 0-4, 1-2, 7, 1; Megan Storck 4-11, 0-0, 4, 9; Jenni Morrison 1-2, 0-0, 2, 2; Lisa Gottuso 0-1, 1-2, 2, 1; Sameera Philyaw 0-4, 1-2, 2, 1; Erin Dillon 0-3, 0-0, 2, 0; Krystal Cornish 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 18-54, 6-9, 44 (7 team), 43.

Halftime: Northern Ky. 24, Calif. (Pa.) 21. Three-point field goals: Northern Ky. 3-17 (Mobley 1-4, Polosky 0-2, Burrows 0-1, Flanagan 2-10); Calif. (Pa.) 1-5 (Hamilton 0-2, Storck 1-2, Dillon 0-1). Disqualifications: Hamilton. Officials: Robert Simmons, Lisa Ulmer, Marty Heine. Attendance: 1,824.

South Dakota St. 69, Bentley 62

South Dakota St.: Brenda Davis 3-11, 5-6, 3, 12; Melissa Pater 12-16, 6-9, 5, 31; Shannon Schlagel 2-9, 0-0, 4, 4; Stacie Cizek 6-8, 0-1, 0, 14; Heather Sieler 0-0, 0-0, 3, 0; Stephanie Bolden 1-1, 0-0, 3, 3; Megan Otte 0-1, 0-0, 1, 0; Brooke Dickmeyer 0-2, 0-0, 2, 0; Karly Hegge 2-4, 1-2, 5, 5; Christina Gilbert 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0. TOTALS: 26-52, 12-18, 31 (4 team), 69.

Bentley: Liz Leonard 5-14, 2-2, 6, 12; Sara Wright 5-8, 0-0, 8, 10; Becky Davison 3-7, 2-2, 6, 11; Chante Bonds 2-7, 0-0, 4, 4; Keri Flynn 4-15, 1-2, 3, 12; Morgan DePietro 0-1, 2-4, 1, 2; Shevon Gibbons 5-8, 1-3, 4, 11. TOTALS: 24-60, 8-13, 35 (3 team), 62.

Halftime: Bentley 35, South Dakota St. 30. Three-point field goals: South Dakota St. 5-18 (Davis 1-5, Pater 1-2, Schlagel 0-3, Cizek 2-4, Bolden 1-1, Otte 0-1, Dickmeyer 0-2); Bentley 6-16 (Davison 3-5, Bonds 0-1, Flynn 3-10). Disqualifications: Cizek, Sieler. Officials: Ron Harris, Lois Holmes, Jeffrey Heider. Attendance: 2,444.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

South Dakota St. 65, Northern Ky. 50

South Dakota St.: Brenda Davis 3-8, 7-8, 4, 13; Melissa Pater 7-12, 8-10, 11, 22; Shannon Schlagel 1-6, 0-1, 6, 2; Stacie Cizek 1-7, 0-0, 3, 3; Heather Sieler 3-5, 5-5, 5, 11; Stephanie Bolden 0-3, 0-0, 2, 0; Megan Otte 1-4, 0-0, 2, 2; Brooke Dickmeyer 1-6, 0-0, 2, 3; Karly Hegge 2-4, 3-3, 6, 7; Christina Gilbert 1-3, 0-0, 2, 2. TOTALS: 20-58, 23-27, 47 (4 team), 65.

Northern Ky.: Amy Mobley 4-9, 1-3, 7, 11; Bridget Flanagan 3-13, 0-0, 1, 8; Kristin Polosky 1-7, 3-5, 5, 5; Elizabeth Burrows 0-3, 2-2, 3, 2; Connie Myers 6-11, 0-5, 4, 12; Lindsey Marx 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Mandy Sterling 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0; Sharell Snardon 4-7, 4-6, 6, 12; Emily Phillips 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Jessica Brock 0-2, 0-0, 4, 0. TOTALS: 18-53, 10-21, 35 (5 team), 50.

Halftime: South Dakota St. 32, Northern Ky. 17. Three-point field goals: South Dakota St. 2-18 (Davis 0-2, Cizek 1-5, Sieler 0-2, Bolden 0-1, Otte 0-2, Dickmeyer 1-6); Northern Ky. 4-20 (Mobley 2-6, Flanagan 2-8, Polosky 0-2, Burrows 0-2, Brock 0-2). Disqualifications: Schlagel. Officials: Robert Simmons, Ron Harris, Jeff Heidner. Attendance: 2,556