BROOKINGS, S.D. — Paiton Burckhard scored a season-high 24 points, T ylee Irwin scored a critical basket with 20 seconds to go and No. 22 South Dakota State held on to defeat UMKC 72-66 on Saturday, wrapping up a perfect Summit League regular season for the first time.
The Jackrabbits, who led by as many as 17 late in the third quarter, went ice cold down the stretch. The Roos had a 7-0 run to pull within 68-64 with 2:31 to play.
Both teams missed and had turnovers before the Jackrabbits had a miss with 26 seconds to go. In a scramble for the offensive rebound, the ball went to South Dakota State with six seconds on the shot clock. Irwin got the ball on the left wing, drove to the basket and finished in traffic from close range, ending a scoreless drought of 5 minutes, 10 seconds.
Irwin finished with 17 points for South Dakota State (21-2, 14-0), which has won 18 straight games. The Jackrabbits were without conference scoring leader Myah Selland after she suffered a possible season-ending leg injury last weekend. Selland and starting forward Tori Nelson both missed their third-straight game.
Naomie Alnatas scored 19 points for UMKC (10-11, 7-8) and Paige Bradford add 17 with 11 rebounds.
The Roos for 7 of 11 in the fourth quarter, going 3 of 4 from 3-point to finish 10 of 20 from 3-point range and 24 of 48 overall after shooting less than 40 percent in a loss to SDSU on Friday.
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