SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The IUPUI women's basketball team cut its six-point halftime deficit to two three minutes into the second half, but top-seeded South Dakota Coyotes hit eight of their 11 three's after that point to defeat the Jaguars 69-58 in the Summit League Tournament Semifinals at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center.
 
The loss dropped IUPUI's record to 15-16 on the season, while the Coyotes improved to 25-6 overall.
 
South Dakota's First-Team All-Summit League selection Nicole Seekamp played at an elite level scoring a game-high 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including hitting 4-of-5 from three.  Seekamp was joined in double figures by Raeshel Contreras and Tia Hemiller, who added 11 points apiece.
 
IUPUI had three players reach double figures with Nevena Markovic, Shaquira Scott and Jenna Gunn each scoring 11 points. Markovic, the Jaguars lone senior, added seven rebounds and a steal in her final game as a Jaguar.
 
Markovic finished her career with 1,105 points and 685 rebounds for her career. Her point total ranks 15th in school history, her rebounding total is sixth, and her 127 blocks rank third.
 
Both teams got after it defensively in the opening stages of the first half causing problems for both offenses. The two teams combined to score just 32 points in the first 13 minutes resulting in an 18-14 Coyotes lead before a 7-0 run opened a 25-14 cushion with four minutes to play.
 
From the 10:55 mark to the 4:03 mark, Seekamp scored all 11 of her first half points to aid the USD run, but she picked up two fouls in a 35 second span just past the under-four media timeout.
 
Without Seekamp on the floor, IUPUI held the Coyotes scoreless over the final four minutes and went on a 5-0 surge to cut its deficit to six, 25-19, heading into halftime.
 
Out of the half, Akilah Sims, Markovic and Scott all scored in the first 2:45 to inch IUPUI within two, 27-25, but an 11-0 USD response featuring two three's from Seekamp slid the Coyotes lead to double digits, 38-25, with 13:46 remaining.
 
A three-point play from Gunn and a three from the right wing from Kelsi Byrd broke a nearly four-minute scoring drought and trimmed IUPUI's deficit to seven, 38-31, at the 12:40 mark, and two baskets from Gunn and a lay-up from Scott ensued following a USD basket to bring the Jags back within three as the midway point neared.
 
But just as IUPUI closed within a possession, three's on consecutive possessions from Kelly Stewart and Seekamp lifted the Coyotes margin back to nine, 46-37, with 9:50 to play.
 
Over the next four minutes, the Jaguars got five points from Markovic and a lay-up from Gunn, but the Coyotes made six of their next seven field goals to open a 62-44 lead with five minutes to play forcing head coach Austin Parkinson to use his final timeout.
 
IUPUI continued to fight down the stretch, but it wasn't enough as USD finished off the 69-58 win to advance to its third straight Summit League Championship game.