DO OR DIE TIME FOR JAGUARS ON TWO-GAME SWING THROUGH DAKOTAS

IUPUI must win both games, hope Southern Utah drops both to make Summit Tourney

2/26/2010 11:55:19 AM

By: Bill Potter, IUPUI Sports Information

Game Notes (.pdf) | Live Audio | Live Video | Live Stats

BROOKINGS, S.D. -- It is do-or-die time for the IUPUI women's basketball team. Nothing less than two wins, combined with two Southern Utah losses, will put the Jaguars into The Summit League Tournament. The first of two road games will take place on Saturday, Feb. 27, when the Jaguars face off against the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State. Tip-off from Frost Arena is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET, with Scott McCauley on the call on IUPUIJags.com.

IUPUI (3-24, 2-14 Summit) has never won in the Mount Rushmore State in two trips, and has never beaten South Dakota State (17-10, 12-4 Summit) in six meetings between the teams. It was the Jackrabbits who put an end to the IUPUI season a year ago, beating the Jaguars, 68-53. in the semifinals of The Summit League Tournament in 2009.

The teams met nearly three months ago, as the Jaguars could not keep up with the Jacks in an 85-77 defeat on Dec. 7, 2009. Briannica Tye scored a career-high 18 points in that matchup, but SDSU put four players into double figures to pull out the win.

Tye, who missed six weeks due to an injury after the New Year, has played in the Jaguars' last four games, is averaging 10.8 points per game since returning to the IUPUI rotation.

Kerah Nelson continues her push to become IUPUI's first freshman to lead the team in scoring since the 1996-97 season, when Kelli Werling led the Jags with 12.7 points per game. Nelson is currently posting 13.6 points per contest and 15.1 points in Summit League play.

The Jackrabbits have three players - Maria Boever, Ketty Cornemann and Kristin Rotert - averaging more than 10 points per game. Currently sitting in third place in The Summit, SDSU can finish as high as first and as low as fourth depending on the results of the weekend.

McCauley's pregame show will begin at approximately 5:50 ET, and fans can follow the game by clicking on any of the links above.

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