Upcoming Event: Men's Basketball versus Mayville State (Exhibition) on October 29, 2025 at 8:30 p.m.
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8:30 p.m.
Men's Basketball
vs Mayville State (Exhibition)
South Dakota State University Athletics
Wednesday, January 18
Orlando, Fla.
TBA
South Dakota State University
69
at
64
Central Florida
Cadwell sparks Jackrabbit rally past UCF
1/1/1970 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Matt Cadwell matched a career high with 26 points, including the go-ahead three pointer in the final minute, as South Dakota State rallied from a 17-point halftime deficit to defeat Central Florida, 69-64, Wednesday night in men's basketball action.
With their first road victory of the season, the Jackrabbits improved to 5-12. Central Florida, a first-year member of Conference USA, dropped to 7-8 overall.
After spotting UCF an early 6-0 lead, SDSU came back to take its first lead of the night at 12-11 on a Cadwell three-pointer with 13:31 remaining in the first half. For Cadwell, it would be his only field goal of the half as he overcame a 1-for-7 effort in the first 20 minutes to make 5-of-7 field goal attempts, including a pair of three pointers, en route to 19 second-half points.
The two teams traded baskets for the next few minutes before the Golden Knights went on a 10-0 run midway through the half to open a double-digit lead and take a 43-26 lead into the intermission. UCF made 17-of-26 field goal attempts in the first half, 65.4 percent.
SDSU opened the second half with a 6-0 run in the first minute and a half to get back to within 11. However, the Golden Knights continued to hold a double-digit lead for much of the second half, including a 58-48 advantage with 9:41 remaining in the game.
UCF would score only six more points the rest of the way as the Jackrabbit defense limited the Golden Knights to 6-of-26 shooting, 23.1 percent.
While the Jackrabbit defense was clamping down, the SDSU offense also began to click. A 9-0 run brought the Jacks to within one, 58-57, with five and a half minutes to play.
Cadwell, a redshirt freshman from St. Paul, Minn., tied the game at 62 with a layup at the 2:24 mark, then gave the Jackrabbits their first lead of the second half as he drained a three-pointer with 55 seconds remaining to put SDSU up 65-62. After a UCF miss, Cadwell, who was a perfect 11-for-11 at the free throw line, was fouled and drained both free throws to give the Jackrabbits a five-point cushion.
Eric Heien added a pair of free throws in the closing seconds to seal the victory.
The Jackrabbits finished the game 22-of-25 at the stripe, 88 percent, and also converted 7-of-13 three-point attempts for 53.8 percent. Overall from the field, SDSU shot 42.6 percent, 20-of-47.
Despite cooling off considerably in the second half, UCF held the edge in shooting at 44.2 percent, 23-of-52. The Golden Knights were 5-of-20 on three-pointers, 25 percent, and 13-of-20 at the line, 65 percent.
Josh Peppers led UCF with 15 points, followed by Anthony Williams with 13.
Andre Gilbert also reached double figures for the Jackrabbits with 11 points.
Rebounds were nearly even as UCF held a 33-30 advantage. Cadwell grabbed a career-high nine boards to lead all players. Justin Rose led UCF with seven rebounds.
SDSU continues play on the road Jan. 25 at Idaho State. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Mountain Time (8 p.m. Central) in Pocatello, Idaho.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 69 (5-12)
Andre Gilbert 4-6 1-2 11, Michael Loney 2-4 2-2 6, Mohamed Berte 3-7 2-2 8, Eric Heien 2-5 2-2 8, Matt Cadwell 6-14 11-11 26, Mackenzie Casey 0-0 0-0, Jose Frias 2-4 2-2 6, Andy Kleinjan 0-1 0-0 0, Ben Beran 1-6 2-4 4. Totals 20-47, 22-25 69.
CENTRAL FLORIDA 64 (7-8)
Lavell Payne 2-2 1-5 5, Josh Peppers 6-13 0-0 15, Anthony Williams 5-6 3-4 13, Mike O’Donnell 1-6 1-1 3, Justin Rose 3-11 1-3 7, Jermaine Taylor 0-1 0-0 0, Dave Noel 2-3 1-1 5, Kenrick Zondervan 0-0 0-0 0, Troy Lindbeck 2-3 2-2 8, Marcus Johnson 1-4 4-4 6, Adam Gill 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 23-52 13-20 64.
Halftime: UCF 43, SDSU 26. FG% SDSU .426, UC .442. 3-Point Goals: SDSU 7-13 (Cadwell 3-7, Gilbert 2-2, Heien 2-3, Loney 0-1); UCF 5-20 (Peppers 3-9, Lindbeck 2-3, Noel 0-1, Rose 0-3, O’Donnell 0-4). Rebounds: SDSU 30 (Cadwell 9), UCF 33 (Rose 7). Fouls: SDSU 22, UCF 23. Fouled out: SDSU (Beran, Berte). Assists - SDSU 10 (Cadwell, Frias 3); UCF 18 (O’Donnell 5). Steals: SDSU 8 (Gilbert, Heien, Cadwell 2); UCF 10 (O’Donnell, Rose 4). Blocked shots: SDSU 0, UCF 6 (Rose 3). Turnovers: SDSU 15, UCF 17. A - 1,412.
With their first road victory of the season, the Jackrabbits improved to 5-12. Central Florida, a first-year member of Conference USA, dropped to 7-8 overall.
After spotting UCF an early 6-0 lead, SDSU came back to take its first lead of the night at 12-11 on a Cadwell three-pointer with 13:31 remaining in the first half. For Cadwell, it would be his only field goal of the half as he overcame a 1-for-7 effort in the first 20 minutes to make 5-of-7 field goal attempts, including a pair of three pointers, en route to 19 second-half points.
The two teams traded baskets for the next few minutes before the Golden Knights went on a 10-0 run midway through the half to open a double-digit lead and take a 43-26 lead into the intermission. UCF made 17-of-26 field goal attempts in the first half, 65.4 percent.
SDSU opened the second half with a 6-0 run in the first minute and a half to get back to within 11. However, the Golden Knights continued to hold a double-digit lead for much of the second half, including a 58-48 advantage with 9:41 remaining in the game.
UCF would score only six more points the rest of the way as the Jackrabbit defense limited the Golden Knights to 6-of-26 shooting, 23.1 percent.
While the Jackrabbit defense was clamping down, the SDSU offense also began to click. A 9-0 run brought the Jacks to within one, 58-57, with five and a half minutes to play.
Cadwell, a redshirt freshman from St. Paul, Minn., tied the game at 62 with a layup at the 2:24 mark, then gave the Jackrabbits their first lead of the second half as he drained a three-pointer with 55 seconds remaining to put SDSU up 65-62. After a UCF miss, Cadwell, who was a perfect 11-for-11 at the free throw line, was fouled and drained both free throws to give the Jackrabbits a five-point cushion.
Eric Heien added a pair of free throws in the closing seconds to seal the victory.
The Jackrabbits finished the game 22-of-25 at the stripe, 88 percent, and also converted 7-of-13 three-point attempts for 53.8 percent. Overall from the field, SDSU shot 42.6 percent, 20-of-47.
Despite cooling off considerably in the second half, UCF held the edge in shooting at 44.2 percent, 23-of-52. The Golden Knights were 5-of-20 on three-pointers, 25 percent, and 13-of-20 at the line, 65 percent.
Josh Peppers led UCF with 15 points, followed by Anthony Williams with 13.
Andre Gilbert also reached double figures for the Jackrabbits with 11 points.
Rebounds were nearly even as UCF held a 33-30 advantage. Cadwell grabbed a career-high nine boards to lead all players. Justin Rose led UCF with seven rebounds.
SDSU continues play on the road Jan. 25 at Idaho State. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Mountain Time (8 p.m. Central) in Pocatello, Idaho.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 69 (5-12)
Andre Gilbert 4-6 1-2 11, Michael Loney 2-4 2-2 6, Mohamed Berte 3-7 2-2 8, Eric Heien 2-5 2-2 8, Matt Cadwell 6-14 11-11 26, Mackenzie Casey 0-0 0-0, Jose Frias 2-4 2-2 6, Andy Kleinjan 0-1 0-0 0, Ben Beran 1-6 2-4 4. Totals 20-47, 22-25 69.
CENTRAL FLORIDA 64 (7-8)
Lavell Payne 2-2 1-5 5, Josh Peppers 6-13 0-0 15, Anthony Williams 5-6 3-4 13, Mike O’Donnell 1-6 1-1 3, Justin Rose 3-11 1-3 7, Jermaine Taylor 0-1 0-0 0, Dave Noel 2-3 1-1 5, Kenrick Zondervan 0-0 0-0 0, Troy Lindbeck 2-3 2-2 8, Marcus Johnson 1-4 4-4 6, Adam Gill 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 23-52 13-20 64.
Halftime: UCF 43, SDSU 26. FG% SDSU .426, UC .442. 3-Point Goals: SDSU 7-13 (Cadwell 3-7, Gilbert 2-2, Heien 2-3, Loney 0-1); UCF 5-20 (Peppers 3-9, Lindbeck 2-3, Noel 0-1, Rose 0-3, O’Donnell 0-4). Rebounds: SDSU 30 (Cadwell 9), UCF 33 (Rose 7). Fouls: SDSU 22, UCF 23. Fouled out: SDSU (Beran, Berte). Assists - SDSU 10 (Cadwell, Frias 3); UCF 18 (O’Donnell 5). Steals: SDSU 8 (Gilbert, Heien, Cadwell 2); UCF 10 (O’Donnell, Rose 4). Blocked shots: SDSU 0, UCF 6 (Rose 3). Turnovers: SDSU 15, UCF 17. A - 1,412.
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