The defending national champion South Dakota State Jackrabbits played like it in their 74-39 defeat of the host and #1 seed in the region, Concordia University-St. Paul. The # 4 seed in the region and #10 team in the country made a statement in St. Paul on Saturday night, making it clear that the road through the national championship goes through them.

South Dakota State got hot early in the contest and ran out to an early 11-2 lead. Concordia tried to close the gap when Golden Bear guard Jennifer Pozzani made a lay-up, stole the inbounds pass, and made another lay-up to bring Concordia within seven at 15-8. That is as close as the Bears would come, as the Jackrabbits then ran off ten straight points, capped by a Brooke Dickmeyer lay-up to bring the score to 25-8. Concordia was only 7-31 (22.6%) from the field in the first half, scoring just 17 points and heading into the break down 37-17.

The second half saw more of the same. South Dakota State stretched their lead to 25 points when Concordia tried to make a push at getting pack in the game, scoring nine straight. The Jackrabbits answered right back by scoring 14 straight of their own, putting the game out of reach for the Bears at 63-33. The Bears went more than ten minutes without a field goal in the second half and ended the game with a season-low 39 points in the 74-39 loss

Shannon Schlagel led the charge for South Dakota State with a double-double, scoring 17 and grabbing 11 rebounds. Megan Vogel added 14 points and nine rebounds of her own, while Stacie Cizek chipped in with 11.

Concordia was lead by Jennifer Pozzani and Ashley Smith, who both scored 10 points. Senior Jill Kalvik helped out with nine points, seven rebounds, three rebounds, and a career-high six block in her last collegiate performance.

South Dakota State outrebounded Concordia 65-31, and there were three Jackrabbits with 11 or more rebounds. The Golden Bears shot 22.7 percent from the field to South Dakota State's 37.3 percent. The Jackrabbits converted 25 of 30 free throws, while Woncordia was five out of 11. The Jackrabbit bench produced 25 points to Concordia's nine.