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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Kerah Nelson carried the IUPUI women’s basketball team with a career-high 32 points, but 76.9-percent shooting in the second half led South Dakota to an 82-72 win over the Jaguars Monday afternoon in the Summit League semifinals at Sioux Falls Arena in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Nelson hit 12-of-21 shots and scored half of her 32 points in the opening 20 minutes to help the Jaguars take a three-point lead into halftime, but the Coyotes outscored the Jags 54-41 in the second half to advance to the championship game tomorrow against top-seed South Dakota State.

In addition to Nelson scoring a career-high 32 points, Nevena Markovic added 13 points and DeAirra Goss chipped in nine.

The Jags were clicking on all cylinders in the early going as Nelson and Markovic combined for 13 of the Jags first 18 points over the first 8:07 resulting in an 18-9 IUPUI lead.

A 14-2 response by the Coyotes over the next 6:06 turned a nine-point deficit into a three-point lead, 23-20, before Markovic found Dee-Dee Bellamy for an easy two and Nelson hit a jumper to put IUPUI back in front, 24-23.

Trailing by one, 25-24, with 4:26 to play in the opening half, Nelson outscored USD 7-3 by herself down the stretch to send the Jaguars into the locker room with a 31-28 advantage.

The Jags maintained a four-point lead, 41-37, with 14:27 to play, before South Dakota hit its next six shots – three of which coming from Nicole Seekamp – en route to a 13-4 run to take a six-point lead, 50-44, with 11:00 remaining.

A Goss jumper from the right wing with 8:55 closed the deficit to three points, 51-48, but the hot shooting for the Coyotes continued as they buried eight of their next nine shots from the floor to open a 71-59 lead with a little less than four minutes to play.

While South Dakota continued to hit their free throws down the stretch, the Jags final four points came from Nelson, pushing her past the 30-point plateau for the first time in her career, but the clock ran out on the Jags as they fell, 82-72.

Seekamp poured in 27 points on 8-of-12 shooting to pace the Coyotes, while Tempestt Wilson (14), Polly Harrington (11) and Lisa Loeffler (10) also reached double figures.