SDSU Edges USD in WBB Preseason Predictions
The 2022-2023 Summit League season is right around the corner and the expectation is that the season will be eventful as it always tends to be.
That said, according to the preseason predictions that came out this week, the two teams that have dominated the women's side of things are most likely going to be in a similar position this year.
The voting panel was comprised of the league's head coaches, the SID's and certain media members and they concluded that SDSU and USD would most likely be atop the conference this season.
Here is the complete release from the Summit League on the women's preseason predictions for the conference.
TRENDING FROM RESULTS-TOWNSQUARE MEDIA SIOUX FALLS
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – South Dakota State was selected to take home the Summit League Women’s Basketball regular season title under the leadership of redshirt senior Myah Selland who was named the Preseason Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, league officials released Tuesday. The voting panel included the league’s ten head coaches, sports information directors and select media members.
The Jackrabbits, who won a share of the 2021-22 regular season title and were named the 2022 WNIT Champions, topped the poll after totaling 746 points and receiving 36 of the 40 first-place votes. South Dakota, the other shareholder of the 2021-22 regular season title and the 2022 Summit League Women’s Basketball Tournament champion, earned the remaining four first-place votes and held down the second spot with 676 total points.
Oral Roberts, who is under the direction of first-year head coach Kelsi Musick, rounded out the top three in the poll with 602 points.
Selland averaged a team-high 14.2 ppg while ranking second in rebounds (4.9 rpg) and assists (3.3 apg) last season. She held a 52.7 shooting percentage from the floor and a .607 clip from behind the arc while her 2.7 assist/turnover ratio led the League last season. During League play, she posted double figures 12 times and scored 20-plus on five different occasions.
Joining Selland on the Preseason All-Summit League first team were teammates Paiton Burckhard and Paige Meyer, North Dakota’s Kacie Borowicz, North Dakota State’s Heaven Hamling and Oral Roberts’ Tirzah Moore.
The Preseason All-Summit League second team is made up of Kansas City’s RaVon Nero, St. Thomas’ Jade Hill, South Dakota’s Grace Larkins, SDSU’s Tori Nelson and Western Illinois’ Elizabeth Lutz.
Points for the preseason poll were compiled on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis, while all-league teams were compiled on an 11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. The top six vote-getters earned first-team honors and the next five were selected to the second team. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own student-athletes or team.
2022-23 Preseason Summit League Player of the Year
Myah Selland, South Dakota State
2022-23 Preseason All-Summit League First Team
Kacie Borowicz, North Dakota, Sr., G (21.1 ppg/5.1 rpg/4.2 apg/95.7 FT%)
Paiton Burckhard, South Dakota State, Sr., F. (11.2 ppg/5.8 rpg/2.3 apg/73.7 FT%)
Heaven Hamling, North Dakota State, Sr., G (14.3 ppg/4.9 rpg/2.8 apg/88.2 FT%)
Tirzah Moore, Oral Roberts, So., F, (14.8 ppg/6.0 rpg)
Paige Meyer, South Dakota State, So., G (10.8 ppg/4.5 apg/3.6 rpg/61.6 FG%)
Myah Selland, South Dakota State, R-Sr., F (14.2 ppg/4.9 rpg/3.3 apg)
2022-23 Preseason All-Summit League Second Team
Jade Hill, St. Thomas, So., G (14.5 ppg/3.5 apg/2.9 rpg/76 FT%)
Grace Larkins, South Dakota, So., G (6.3 ppg/3.0 rpg)
Elizabeth Lutz, Western Illinois, Gr., G (11.9 ppg/4.9 rpg/3.4 apg/2.2 spg)
Tori Nelson, South Dakota State, Jr., F (11.5 ppg/4.0 rpg/1.8 apg/68.2 FG%)
RaVon Nero, Kansas City, Gr., G (8.4 ppg/1.9 rpg/1.7 apg/88.9 FT%)
*Preseason player of the year automatically earns a spot on the first team
2022-23 Summit League Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rank | School | Points (1st) | 2021-22 Record (SL) |
1. | South Dakota State | 746 (36) | 29-9 (17-1) |
2. | South Dakota | 676 (4) | 29-6 (17-1) |
3. | Oral Roberts | 602 | 16-15 (10-8) |
4. | North Dakota | 522 | 15-15 (9-9) |
5. | North Dakota State | 475 | 11-18 (7-11) |
6. | Kansas City | 388 | 23-9 (12-6) |
7. | Western Illinois | 308 | 14-15 (5-12) |
8. | Denver | 227 | 10-20 (5-13) |
9. | St. Thomas | 211 | 7-21 (4-14) |
10. | Omaha | 199 | 7-19 (3-14) |
#SummitWBB Preseason Notes
- South Dakota State enters the season coming off a 2021-22 campaign that saw the Jackrabbits become just the second team in Summit League history to be crowned the WNIT Champions and end its season with a championship game victory on their home court.
- South Dakota begins the season coming off a run that led them to the Sweet 16 at the 2022 Big Dance. The Coyotes became just the second Summit League team to advance to the Sweet 16 after posting a 61-47 win over No.7/5 Baylor in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
- South Dakota and South Dakota State received votes throughout the 2021-22 season in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll.
- Statistically, the Jackrabbits ranked among the nation’s top 20 in eight different categories including leading the nation in three-point field-goal percentage (38.7 percent). They also ranked in assists/turnover ratio (9th), assists (2nd), assists per game (13th), blocked shots (14th), field goal percentage (2nd), rebound margin (16th), rebounds (6th), scoring margin (11th) and three-point field goals made (8th).
- Alongside the Jackrabbits, the League had five additional teams rank among the top 20 nationally in 10 different categories (Denver, Kansas City, North Dakota, South Dakota and Western Illinois).
- This is the second consecutive year that Selland was tabbed to take home the player of the year accolade. She paced the Jackrabbits to a WNIT title after averaging 16.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 3.8 apg while shooting 50 percent from the field in those six games. For her efforts, she was named the WNIT MVP.
- Borowicz was the only individual besides Selland that was named to the preseason all-league first team that earned All-Summit League first team honors last season. The postseason accolades were the first for Borowicz and the second first-team honor for Selland.
- Borowicz led the League in points per game (21.1 ppg) and free throw percentage (95.7 percent). She broke the League record for most free throws made without a miss in a game after she went a perfect 20-for-20 from the line against Montana State last season. She was 1.000 from the free throw line in 12 of the 18 League games.
- Burckhard was the leading rebounder in League games for the Jacks, pulling down 5.8 rpg to go along with 11.2 ppg and 2.3 apg. She tallied seven double-digit scoring efforts in 11 games with at least six rebounds during League play.
- Hamling paced the Bison during League play last season averaging 14.3 ppg and 4.9 rpg while leading the League in three-point field goals made per game (2.3). She shot 40.5 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from behind the three-point line.
- Moore, the 2021-22 Freshman of the Year, started 17 of 18 League games, reaching double figures in each of those starts. She was the highest-scoring freshman last season averaging 14.8 ppg and 6.0 rpg for the Golden Eagles.
- Meyer lead SDSU in assists (4.5 apg) and steals (1.4 spg) last season while also pouring in 10.8 ppg and pulling down 3.6 rpg during League play. She ranked second in the League in assists and field goal shooting (61.6 percent) and was third in assists/turnover ratio (2.4).
- Hill started all 18 League games for the Tommies during her freshman campaign and averaged 14.5 ppg, 3.5 apg, 2.9 rpg and 1.4 spg. Her points per game ranked second on the team and was the second-best scoring output by a freshman during League play last season.
- Larkins, the 2021-22 Sixth Woman of the Year, ranked fourth on the team in scoring last season after averaging 8.1 ppg to go along with 3.3 rpg and 1.5 assists per league game. She tallied four games during League play of 15 or more points.
- Lutz led the League in steals averaging 2.2 spg and finished second on the team in rebounds (4.7). Offensively, Lutz was the second-best scorer on the team averaging 11.9 ppg during League play while dishing out a team-best 3.4 apg.
- Nelson averaged 11.5 ppg and went 63 percent from the floor, leading all League players. She also averaged 4.0 rpg and 1.8 apg and scored nine or more points in all but three League games last season.
- Nero recorded 8.4 ppg, 1.9 rpg and 1.7 apg in seven League games last season. She notched double-digit scoring efforts in three games and shot 88.9 percent from behind the charity stripe.