# 2002–03 South Dakota State Jackrabbits women's basketball team

The 2002–03 South Dakota State Jackrabbits women's basketball team represented South Dakota State University in the 2002–03 NCAA Division II women's basketball season. The Jackrabbits, led by third year head coach Aaron Johnston, played their home games in Frost Arena in Brookings, South Dakota, and played as a member of the NCC. They finished the season tied for first place in the NCC losing in the second game of the conference tournament. However, The Jackrabbits won all six of their NCAA tournament games, claiming the NCAA D–II Championship over Northern Kentucky, 65–50.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Regular season ||||||
| November 22, 2002* | No. 3 | Sioux Falls | W 91–67 | 1–0 | Frost Arena (1,618) Brookings, SD |
| November 23, 2002* 7:00 p.m. | No. 3 | Concordia–St. Paul | W 100–70 | 2–0 | Frost Arena (1,227) Brookings, SD |
| November 29, 2002* 5:00 p.m. | No. 3 | vs. Briar Cliff (Ia.) UNK Holiday Inn/Captain's Table Thanksgiving Tournament | W 101–46 | 3–0 | (250) Kearney, NE |
| November 30, 2002* 7:00 p.m. | No. 3 | vs. Nebraska–Kearney UNK Holiday Inn/Captain's Table Thanksgiving Tournament | W 82–59 | 4–0 | Health and Sports Center (1,150) Kearney, NE |
| December 6, 2002* 7:00 p.m. | No. 3 | at Bemidji State (Minn.) | W 85–67 | 5–0 | BSU Gymnasium (182) Bemidji, MN |
| December 7, 2002* 7:00 p.m. | No. 3 | at MSU–Moorhead | W 86–63 | 6–0 | Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse (312) Moorhead, MN |
| December 10, 2002* 7:00 p.m. | No. 3 | Winona State (Minn.) | W 89–57 | 7–0 | Frost Arena (1,189) Brookings, SD |
| December 14, 2002* 5:30 p.m. | No. 3 | at Northern State | W 95–45 | 8–0 | Wachs Arena (3,682) Aberdeen, SD |
| December 20, 2002* 6:00 p.m. | No. 1 | Chadron State | W 110–60 | 9–0 | Frost Arena (712) Brookings, SD |
| December 21, 2002* 7:00 p.m. | No. 1 | No. 22 Wisconsin–Eau Claire | W 73–59 | 10–0 | Frost Arena (1,023) Brookings, SD |
| December 30, 2002* 7:00 p.m. | No. 1 | Dakota Wesleyan | W 90–46 | 11–0 | Frost Arena (1,277) Brookings, SD |
| January 1, 2003 6:00 p.m. | No. 1 | at Minnesota State | W 99–65 | 12–0 (1–0) | Bresnan Arena (802) Mankato, MN |
| January 10, 2003 | No. 1 | at North Dakota State | W 77–72 | 13–0 (2–0) | Bison Sports Arena (4,075) Fargo, ND |
| January 11, 2003 6:00 p.m. | No. 1 | at St. Cloud State | W 75–54 | 14–0 (3–0) | Halenbeck Hall (2,248) St. Cloud, MN |
| January 16, 2003 6:00 p.m. | No. 1 | No. 12 South Dakota | W 86–69 | 15–0 (4–0) | Frost Arena (7,814) Brookings, SD |
| January 18, 2003 6:00 p.m. | No. 1 | at Nebraska–Omaha | W 95–74 | 16–0 (5–0) | Sapp Fieldhouse (2,200) Omaha, NE |
| January 24, 2003 6:00 p.m. | No. 1 | St. Cloud | W 83–63 | 17–0 (6–0) | Frost Arena (2,734) Brookings, SD |
| January 25, 2003 6:00 p.m. | No. 1 | No. 5 North Dakota | W 78–62 | 18–0 (7–0) | Frost Arena (4,032) Brookings, SD |
| January 30, 2003 6:00 p.m. | No. 1 | at Augustana | W 74–54 | 19–0 (8–0) | Sioux Falls Arena (3,507) Sioux Falls, SD |
| February 6, 2003 6:00 p.m. | No. 1 | at No. 7 North Dakota | L 62–86 | 19–1 (8–1) | Hyslop Sports Center (3,041) Grand Forks, ND |
| February 8, 2003 6:00 p.m. | No. 1 | No. 5 North Dakota State | W 77–47 | 20–1 (9–1) | Frost Arena (4,674) Brookings, SD |
| February 13, 2003 5:30 p.m. | No. 2 | at Northern Colorado | W 71–59 | 21–1 (10–1) | Butler-Hancock Hall (582) Greeley, CO |
| February 15, 2003 6:00 p.m. | No. 2 | at No. 17 South Dakota | L 83–87 | 21–2 (10–2) | Dakota Dome (7,777) Vermillion, SD |
| February 20, 2003 6:00 p.m. | No. 5 | Augustana College | W 101–66 | 22–2 (11–2) | Frost Arena (2,163) Brookings, SD |
| February 22, 2003 6:00 p.m. | No. 4 | Minnesota State | W 101–51 | 23–2 (12–2) | Frost Arena (2,581) Brookings, SD |
| February 28, 2003 6:00 p.m. | No. 4 | Nebraska–Omaha | W 96–62 | 24–2 (13–2) | Frost Arena (2,079) Brookings, SD |
| March 1, 2003 6:00 p.m. | No. 4 | Northern Colorado | W 77–59 | 25–2 (14–2) | Frost Arena (1,634) Brookings, SD |
| NCC Wells Fargo Tournament ||||||
| March 7, 2003 8:00 p.m. | | North Dakota State Wells Fargo Finals Semifinal game | W 87–67 | 26–2 | Frost Arena (2,791) Brookings, SD |
| March 8, 2003 7:00 p.m. | | North Dakota Wells Fargo Finals Championship Game | L 87–90 | 26–3 | Frost Arena (3,014) Brookings, SD |
| NCAA Division II Tournament ||||||
| March 14, 2003* 8:00 p.m. | | Regis (Colo.) NCAA D–II First Round | W 107–71 | 27–3 | Frost Arena (2,536) Brookings, SD |
| March 15, 2003* 8:00 p.m. | | North Dakota NCAA D–II Second Round | W 77–56 | 28–3 | Frost Arena (3,837) Brookings, SD |
| March 17, 2003* 7:00 p.m. | | South Dakota NCAA D–II North Central Regional Championship | W 87–63 | 29–3 | Frost Arena (4,237) Brookings, SD |
| March 26, 2003* 8:00 p.m. | | vs. Cal State Bakersfield NCAA D–II Elite 8 | W 83–62 | 30–3 | St. Joseph Civic Arena (2,125) St. Joseph, MO |
| March 27, 2003* 8:00 p.m. | | vs. Bentley College NCAA D–II Elite 8 Semifinal | W 69–62 $^{OT}$ | 31–3 | St. Joseph Civic Arena (2,444) St. Joseph, MO |
| March 29, 2003* 5:00 p.m. | | vs. Northern Kentucky NCAA D–II Women's National Championship Game | W 65–50 | 32–3 | St. Joseph Civic Arena (2,556) St. Joseph, MO |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central Time. ||||||
* Source: