Jacks lose back and forth battle at the BCA

Saturday, November 11

Columbus, Ohio

12 p.m. ET

South Dakota State University

Alabama A&M

11/11/2006 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

By: SDSU Sports Info

COLUMBUS, OHIO ? South Dakota State and Alabama A&M exchanged leads 12 times, but the Bulldogs held it when it mattered most in a 70-66 win over the Jackrabbits in the second round of the BCA Classic.

Andy Kleinjan led all scorers with 21 points including five three-pointers. Kleinjan finished the game 8-of-13 from the floor, 5-of-10 from beyond the arc. He also pitched in seven rebounds.

Matt Cadwell got his first field goal of the season four minutes into the game, and finished with 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting, with one three-pointer in five tries. Cadwell also came up just one assist shy of a double-double.

Kai Williams finished off the double digit scorers for the Jacks. The freshman shot 50 percent from the floor and finished with 12 points and five rebounds.

Blake Yackley led the Jacks in rebounding with 12, he also added six points.

The Bulldogs opened the game on a 6-0 run, but the Jacks clawed their way back to take a 17-15 lead with 11:27 to go in the first. The lead did not last though, as A&M used a 9-0 run to take it back. The Jacks hung tough, and Kleinjan nailed a three-pointer at the buzzer to get SDSU within six at the half, 37-31.

The second half started with the Jacks getting a run of their own, a 9-1 run that gave them a 40-38 lead. The lead changed hands 10 times in the second half, but the Jacks could never get up by more than two points.

The Jacks shot 49.1 percent compared to the Bulldogs 37.1 percent, but SDSU could only convert 4-of-12 free throws, while A&M made 18-of-25.

Andrew Williams led the Bulldogs in scoring with 19, LaNorris Smith and Trant Simpson both added 11.

South Dakota State (0-2) plays its third and final game of the BCA Classic on Sunday against Virginia Military Institute. That game tips off at noon Eastern, 11 a.m. Central.