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Hannah Sjerven looked around as the final seconds wound down and the vocal batch of South Dakota fans chanted "U-S-D" in anticipation of the school's first NCAA Tournament victory.
The senior center tried to relate it to another feeling she's had, but had to catch herself.
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"Just looking around in that last 15 seconds when we knew that we had done it," Sjerven said after a 75-61 first-round victory over Mississippi on Friday. "It was a really good feeling, similar to ... actually it’s not similar to anything we’ve experienced before. It was a great feeling, though."
Sjerven had 20 points and seven rebounds and fellow senior Chloe Lamb also scored 20 as the 10th-seeded Coyotes (28-5) broke through in their fourth consecutive tournament appearance and fifth in 10 eligible seasons.
The South Dakota bench celebrates during the second half of a college basketball game against Mississippi in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Waco, Texas, Friday, March 18, 2022. South Dakota won 75-61. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
The difference in experience showed with the Rebels (23-9) making their first NCAA appearance in 15 years as seventh-seeded Ole Miss never led while shooting 27% in the first quarter and 39% for the game.
Shakira Austin, the leading scorer for the Rebels, was 3 of 16 from the field and finished with nine points and 11 rebounds. Angel Baker was the only Ole Miss player in double figures with 23.
"I wasn’t able to make shots," Austin said. "They were calling some flops and that definitely allowed it to get into my head for a few moments. It was frustrating. It was tough. It was definitely tough."
Sjerven and Lamb were steady from the start, with Sjerven opening the game by swishing a 3-pointer and screaming toward the rafters at the home of Baylor, the No. 2 seed in the Wichita Regional. The Coyotes play the Baylor on Sunday.
Lamb and Korngable, who had 10 points and seven assists, embraced as the final buzzer sounded and their teammates converged for a group hug on one of the Bear logos.
Coach Dawn Plitzuweit smiled widely as the band played the school and she and her players sang while facing the fans across from the team bench.
"We don’t even know what this looks like because we haven’t done this before," Plitzuweit said. "Are we supposed to stay and watch the next team, the game? Are we supposed to recover? How much time do you get with your family? Those are all things we told them, ‘We’re going to figure this out.’ But our kids are pretty good I think in that moment."
The Rebels were down six and had the ball early in the third quarter when Liv Korngable knocked the ball out of Snudda Collins' hands and took off the other way. Kyah Watson hit a shot, Lamb connected on a 3 and Watson scored again after another Ole Miss turnover for a 46-33 lead.
The Coyotes took control with a 13-0 run in the second quarter for a 32-16 lead. Lamb had a pair of buckets, and Korngable scored the last five points.
For Ole Miss coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Sjerven's opening 3 started it all.
"We had said we didn't want her to hit that 3, because it would give everybody on their team confidence," McPhee-McCuin said. "Once she hit that, it gave them that momentum, and it kind of felt like it did in the past, maybe when we didn't win a game. That's just the sign of a young team. I think experienced teams know who they are."
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BIG PICTURE
South Dakota: Freshman Maddie Krull showed no nerves in her NCAA debut, running the offense at times, while finishing with 13 points, four assists and no turnovers. The Coyotes had 19 assists on 29 buckets with nine turnovers and outscored Ole Miss 13-9 in points off turnovers.
Mississippi: Austin's struggles epitomized the game for the Rebels. The 6-foot-5 senior was 1 of 7 from the field at the half, then missed three easy shots in the first minute of the third quarter. McPhee-McCuin took her out and the pair had an extended chat on the sideline before Austin went to the bench. She soon returned.
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