Preview: North Dakota Fighting Hawks at South Dakota State Jackrabbits BROOKINGS, S.D. (Interstat) — The South Dakota State women’s basketball team, riding high atop the Summit League, will look to continue its dominance when it hosts struggling North Dakota on Thursday night at Frost Arena. The Jackrabbits (18-6 overall) have established themselves as the class of the conference, boasting a potent offense that averages over 80 points per game in league play. Their most recent outing was a commanding 84-51 road victory over Saint Thomas (Minn.) on Feb. 4. Brooklyn Meyer has been a force for South Dakota State. The standout forward is coming off a 19-point, 4-assist performance against the Tommies and dropped 31 points in just 26 minutes in the teams’ first meeting this season—a 99-47 demolition of North Dakota in Grand Forks on Jan. 21. North Dakota (7-18) enters on a modest uptick, having snapped a two-game skid with a 68-58 win at Missouri-Kansas City on Feb. 7. The Fighting Hawks were led in that contest by Ava Miller, who posted a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds, and Mackenzie Hughes and Sydney Piekny, who each scored 18 points. Miller will be a key player to watch for the visitors. The forward has been active on the boards, recording 14 rebounds against Kansas City and nine against Saint Thomas in late January. However, she was held to just two points in the January blowout loss to the Jackrabbits. The historical context of this matchup heavily favors the home team. South Dakota State’s 52-point victory last month underscores the challenge facing North Dakota, which has lost eight of its last ten games. For the Fighting Hawks to be competitive, they must find a way to slow Meyer and improve upon a defensive effort that allowed the Jackrabbits to shoot 58% from the field in the prior meeting. Thursday’s contest is the second of a regular-season home-and-home series. South Dakota State will look to solidify its conference standing, while North Dakota seeks a measure of redemption and a signature road upset. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST at Frost Arena.