Jacks heart broken in NCAA 2nd round game

The South Dakota State University (SDSU) Lady Jackrabbits had a great game only end in heart-break Tuesday night. The Jacks started on a tear by going up 13 points against the number two seed Baylor Lady bears. The Bears came back to go down by one at halftime 29-28. The Lady Bears only had 13 points that were not free throws the entire first half. The second half was as back and forth as it could get. The Lady Bears did not get their first lead until one minute remaining in the ball game.

The Jacks took control every second up until then. The game was tied 54-54 when Kelli Griffin from Baylor, made a shot with one minute remaining to take the lead 56-54. Then the Lady Jacks got the ball to the Summit League Player of the Year, and the most important player for the Jacks all season, Jennifer Warkenthein who shot the ball but got fouled in the process. She sank both of her free throws to tie it again at 56-56. Then the most controversial call of the night and possibly of the year happened with a little over 30 seconds to go.

Rachael Allison from Baylor was hurt with about five minutes left in the game and she was forced to go to the locker room with a bad knee. Then she came back to play with a minute to go in the game. Allison got fouled by Warkenthein and would have had to shoot free throws because of the foul situation. But, there is a little known rule that players can be substituted if injured on the play. The thing that was controversial about it was Allison was not hurt on the play she was fouled. But since she had the injury almost five minutes before, the referees let the Bears substitute for Whitney Zachariason. She made the first one and missed the second to make it 57-56. The Bears made a free throw and the Jacks made a two to make it 58-58. With 7.8 seconds left the Bears had the ball.

They gave the ball to their Big 12 all-conference guard, Kelli Griffin who drove and made a, “prayer,” 2 pointer with .5 seconds remaining. The Jacks could not get the ball inbounded and ended up losing the most exciting game in the tournament. Jennifer Warkenthein led the Lady Jackrabbits with 18 points and Griffin led the Lady Bears with 21 points.