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
Friday, November 16
Fort Myers, Fla.
7 p.m.
South Dakota State University
at
Florida Gulf Coast
Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia
Jackrabbits, Eagles meet Friday
11/14/2018 3:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
| Â GAME 4: South Dakota State (3-0) at Florida Gulf Coast (1-2) |
| Â When | Â Friday, Nov. 16 | 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT |
| Â Where | Â Alico Arena | Fort Myers, Florida |
| Â Radio | Â Jackrabbit Sports Network I WNAXÂ 570 AMÂ | Ari Shanok |
| Â Live Video / Television | Â WatchESPN/ESPN+Â Â | Tom James (Play-by-Play) & J. Webb Horton (Analyst) |
| Â Live Audio | Â Jackrabbits All-Access |
| Â Live Stats | Â GoJacksLive.com |
| Â Game Notes | Â South Dakota State | Florida Gulf Coast | The Summit League |
| Â Social Media | Â Twitter I Facebook | #NextStep |
| Â Tickets | Â JackrabbitTickets.com |
Previewing the Game
South Dakota State hits the road for the first time this season with a Friday night contest at Florida Gulf Coast. Tipoff from Alico Arena in Fort Myers, Florida is at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT.
The Jackrabbits, off to a 3-0 start, are the three-time defending Summit League tournament champions and last year claimed the program's first-ever outright Summit League regular season title, going 13-1 in league play. State knocked off Grand Canyon (79-74), Alabama State (78-61) and Bemidji State (86-63) last week in a season-opening homestand.
Florida Gulf Coast (1-2) is coming off a 106-82 loss at No. 10 Michigan State Sunday night after knocking off Southeastern, 81-54, in its home opener on Nov. 8. The Eagles, picked second in the Atlantic Sun preseason poll after going 23-12 a year ago, return eight players to the 2018-19 roster with numerous transfers filling out the lineup.
The two programs have met two times prior to Friday's bout, with the series tied, 1-1. The Jackrabbits fell in a neutral site contest at the Sanford Pentagon (Sioux Falls) in 2014-15 (71-58), but picked up a win over the Eagles in 2015-16 in Fort Myers, 56-52.
About South Dakota State
The Jackrabbits have four players averaging double figures through the first week of the season, led by Mike Daum's 23 points per game. David Jenkins (17.7 points per game) dropped 31 in the season opener to get off to a fast start, while Skyler Flatten (13.0 ppg) and Matt Dentlinger (10.0 ppg) are in double figures as well. Tevin King, the Jacks' other starter, has two double-digit scoring performances through three games and is averaging 9.7 points per contest.
Daum also paces the Jacks in rebounds (12.3) and assists (3.0), just ahead of Tevin King's 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists on average. Both Jackrabbits have been vital towards SDSU's plus-9.3 rebounding margin on the year -- a stat that proved important to SDSU's success a year ago, as the Jacks were 20-2 when winning the rebounding battle in 2017-18.
Daum, a two-time Summit League Player of the Year and Associated Press All-American, now has 2,301 career points, he is closing in on Nate Wolters' all-time SDSU scoring record of 2,363 and is on pace to reach the mark next week at the Gulf Coast Showcase.
Dentlinger posted back-to-back seven-rebound performances in the first two contests of the season and has scored 11, 10 and nine, respectively, to start the year while shooting 60 percent from the field.
Alex Arians (2.7 ppg), Alou Dillon (2.7 ppg) and Owen King (2.3 ppg) have come off the bench for valuable minutes in the first three contests of the season, with Dillon recording pair of blocks, Owen King dishing four assists and Arians pulling down 3.0 rebounds per contest.
As a team, South Dakota State is averaging 81.0 points per contest and allowing 66.0. The Jackrabbits are shooting 48.8 percent from the field with a 63-for-78 effort at the charity stripe.
About Florida Gulf Coast
Head Coach Michael Fly is in his first season leading Florida Gulf Coast after spending the last seven years on the bench as an assistant for the Eagles.
Troy Baxter Jr., and Christian Carlyle had career-highs against Michigan State and are averaging 13.0 and 10.3 points per game for the Eagles, just behind Schadra Casimir (13.7 ppg) for the team-lead in scoring. Two other starters for FGCU are near-double figures, with Dinero Mercurius averaging 9.7 points per contest and Haanif Cheatham, a member of the ASUN's Preseason All-Conference Team, scoring 9.3 on average.
Carlyle paces the Eagles on the boards with 5.3 per game, while Cheatham (4.3 rebounds per game), Brady Ernst (4.3 rpg) and Ricky Doyle (4.0 rpg) are at or above the 4.0-rebound mark.
Florida Gulf Coast is averaging 76.3 points per game while shooting 44.8 percent as a team from the field.
A South Dakota State Win Would ...
Give SDSU its fourth win of the season ... move the Jackrabbits to 2-1 all-time against FGCU ... push Otzelberger to 50-24 at South Dakota State ... give the Jacks a 1,515-1,031-1 program mark.
A South Dakota State Loss Would ...
Give State its first lost of the year and snap a three-game winning streak ... move SDSU to 1-2 all-time against the Eagles ... make Otzelberger 49-25 at South Dakota State ... drop SDSU to 1,514-1,032-1 all-time.
Daum Honored by Summit League
South Dakota State's Mike Daum was named the Summit League's Player of the Week Nov. 12 after helping the Jackrabbits open the season with three wins in the first week of action.
Daum averaged 23 points and 12.3 rebounds per contest, tallying three double-doubles and shooting over 46 percent from the field. The 6-9 senior scored 20 points and had 13 rebounds against Grand Canyon, 23 and 13 against Alabama State and finished the week with 26 points and 11 boards against Bemidji State.
This is the 12th time Daum has been named as the Summit League's weekly honoree, picking up the award six times last year. He is third behind Wolters and Caleb Green (Oral Roberts, 2003-07), who each have 15, for the most Player of the Week honors in Summit League history
Preseason All-Conference Team; Jacks Picked First
Mike Daum and David Jenkins headlined the Summit League's preseason teams, announced early-October. Jenkins is a first-time preseason honoree while Daum earned his third-consecutive Preseason Player of the Year nod.
Daum is the second Jackrabbit to be named Preseason All-Conference and the first to do it more than once, joining Nate Wolters (2012-13).
As a team, South Dakota State was picked to win the league for the fifth time in program history, garnering 34 of 36 first-place votes.
#Chasing3K
South Dakota State's Mike Daum is within reach of rarefied air as he enters his senior campaign looking to become just the ninth men's basketball player all-time to reach 3,000 points. Daum currently sits tied for 155th on the NCAA's all-time scoring chart (as of Nov. 13) and will look to climb the ranks throughout the year.
He is currently second among active scorers, trailing only Campbell's Chris Clemons (2,329 points). A look at Daum's latest scoring chart listing can be found on page five of the game notes.
Tacoma Talent
Tacoma, Washington native David Jenkins made a statement early in 2018-19 to erase any doubt of a sophomore slump, matching his career-high in points (31) against Grand Canyon while scoring the final 10 Jackrabbit points to seal the home-opening victory. He now has 618 points in 38 career games.
Jenkins is a hot commodity in his second season of collegiate play after racking up an SDSU freshman record 565 points a year while finishing in the top 10 of freshman scorers nationwide. Additionally, Jenkins finished with 84 3-pointers (one shy of previous record, prior to Mike Daum breaking it with 96 last year) and hit at least two treys in 24 contests.
On Dec. 22, 2017 at Colorado, Jenkins set the school's freshman single-game scoring record with 31 and matched it Feb. 8, 2018 at Denver.
Jenkins has reached double figures in 30 career games (out of 38).
Jenkins and Steve Holdren are the only two Jackrabbit freshmen to lead the team in scoring in their first collegiate game over the last 17 years (dating back to 2000-01 when game-by-game stats were readily available).
Fellow Tacoma native Isaiah Thomas, currently with the Denver Nuggets, had 541 points and 29 double figure games (out of 35 available) through his freshman season at Washington. Through 38 career games, Thomas had 615 points and 32 double-digit scoring performances.
#FearFrost
The Jacks own an 92-5 record at Frost Arena over the last seven seasons dating back to 2011-12, which includes perfect home records in five of the last seven years and a 3-0 start to the current campaign. That span includes two home winning streaks of 30 or more games.
- The Jackrabbits' current 23-game home winning streak ranks as the nation's longest active streak in Division I entering the 2018-19 season. The Jacks have held the nation's longest active-home winning streak twice in the last five years.
- Since 2011-12, South Dakota State has won 94.7 percent of its home games, a mark that top all Division I programs in that span. That list is on page three of the game notes.
- South Dakota State won 34 consecutive games from Jan. 30, 2014 to Dec. 28, 2016. It ended as the nation's second longest active streak.
- The Jackrabbits won 30 consecutive home games from Jan. 29, 2011 to Nov. 14, 2013.
- SDSU put together undefeated seasons inside Frost Arena the following years: 1984-85 (18-0), 2002-03 (17-0), 2011-12 (14-0), 2012-13 (13-0), 2014-15 (13-0), 2015-16 (12-0) and 2017-18 (15-0).
- South Dakota State has won 31 consecutive home nonconference games inside Frost Arena entering this year. That mark ranks eighth nationally.
Somebody's Watching Me
South Dakota State's Mike Daum has been named to four national award watch lists in the 2018-19 preseason, with more recognition possible as additional lists are released this month.
- The John R. Wooden® presented by Wendy's® announced its Preseason Top 50 today on ESPN's SportsCenter and on ESPN.com, featuring Daum for the second-consecutive year. Chosen by a preseason poll of national college basketball experts, the list is comprised of 50 student-athletes who are the early front-runners for college basketball's most prestigious individual honor.
- The National Association of Basketball Coaches on Nov. 5 announced its preseason watch list for the 2019 NABC Division I Player of the Year Presented by ShotTracker, with Daum among the 20 names released. The 2019 NABC Division I Player of the Year award will be announced on Sunday, April 7, at the NABC Guardians of the Game Awards Show in Minneapolis, Minn. - site of the 2019 NCAA Final Four®.
- Daum was named to the 2019 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award preseason watch list in mid-October by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The award, now in its fifth year, recognizes the top power forwards in Division I men's basketball. Daum was one of five finalists for the 2018 Karl Malone Award and is a repeat selection to the preseason watch list. The winner of the 2019 Karl Malone Award will be presented at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's in Los Angeles, CA on Friday, April 12, 2019, along with the other four members of the Naismith Starting 5. Broadcast information will be released by ESPN at a later date.
- Daum was a repeat selection on the 2018-19 Lute Olson Award Preseason List, announced Nov. 12. The award is presented annually to the nation's top Division I player in College Basketball. Incoming freshman and transfers are not eligible for the preseason watch list. The 2019 Lute Olson Award will be presented at the College Insider awards event in April at the site of the men's division I national championship in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Charity Stripe Success
The Jackrabbit offense has found a comfort zone at the charity stripe over Otzelberger's tenure as head coach, leading the league in free throw makes (578), attempts (759) and percentage (.762) a year ago while ranking among the nation's top 50 in makes and attempts.
- South Dakota State got to the free throw line more than its opponents in 27 of 35 games last year.
- Mike Daum opened Summit League play with 35 consecutive free throws, matching the second-longest streak in Jackrabbit history (Garrett Callahan, 2008-09) after setting the record last season with 43 straight from Dec. 7-22, 2016.
- Mike Daum matched his school record of 16 made free throws (out of 16 attempts) at North Dakota State Jan. 3, 2018. He did it twice in 2016-17.
- Daum holds the school's single-season free throw record (set in 2016-17) and now is 590 of 693 in his career. He ranks second in career makes (58 shy of Nate Wolters' record) and fourth in attempts.
Let It Rain
South Dakota State's 3-point offense ranked among the nation's best a year ago for the second-straight season, and the Jackrabbits are primed for another year of hot shooting beyond the arc.
- South Dakota State reset the school record for single-season 3-pointers made (374) and attempted (927) in 2017-18 after breaking the previous record a year prior (318 of 883).
- South Dakota State returns three players who hit 50 or more 3-pointers last year in Mike Daum (96), David Jenkins (84) and Skyler Flatten (55). After breaking the single-season record a year ago, Daum now has 205 3-pointers in his career and is just 51 away from the program's career record.
- Since the arrival of T.J. Otzelberger, the Jacks now hold all of the top five spots in the record book for 3-pointers made and attempted in a Division I game.
- The Otzelberger-led Jackrabbits have hit 14 or more 3-pointers in 13 games over the last three seasons, and prior to his arrival a State team had hit 14 or more 3-pointers in just six games.
- Through the first 12 seasons of Division I basketball (starting in the first transition year of 2003-04 through 2015-16), SDSU had 71 games of 10 or more 3-pointers, with a max of 13 in one season (2010-13). The Jackrabbits have done it 34 times since then, hitting 10 or more in 21 games last year.
- Under Otzelberger, the Jackrabbits have attempted 30 or more 3-pointers in a game 15 times. The Pre-Otzelberger era teams did it on 11 total occasions since the adoption of the 3-point line in 1986. It happened three times at the Division II level and eight times between 2003-04 and 2015-16, the last season Scott Nagy led the program.
Jacks Up to Third in Mid-Major Top 25
After opening the year fifth in the 2018-19 preseason College Sports Madness Mid-Major Top 25, the Jackrabbits moved up to third in the latest rankings, released Nov. 13. SDSU trails only Gonzaga and Buffalo, both nationally ranked in the Associated Press Top 25.
SDSU were ranked in all but one version of the poll last year and were in the top 10 for the last month of the season, sitting fourth in 2017-18's final poll.
Daum Reaches 2,000 Points
Mike Daum became just the second Jackrabbit to score over 2,000 points in his career when he reached the mark Feb. 1, 2018 against North Dakota State. Daum is the 15th Summit League player to achieve 2,000 points, and ranks among the fastest to do it in the NCAA over the last 20 years.
Additionally, Daum stacks up well against previous Oscar Robertson Trophy and John R. Wooden Award winners over the last 25 years, reaching the 2,000-point mark faster than any previous winner. Daum was on the midseason Robertson Trophy Watch List and on the Wooden Award's preseason list in 2017-18, and was named to the 2018-19 Wooden Preseason list earlier this month. The Robertson Trophy Watch List has not been announced.
Team Quick Hits
- SDSU's 28 wins in 2017-18 was the most in program history.
- South Dakota State went 12-0 when holding opponents under 70 points last season, while posting a 24-2 record when breaking the 70-point barrier on the offensive end. The Jacks are 2-0 when holding opponents under 70 this year and have reached 70 points in three contests.
- Since T.J. Otzelberger's arrival three years ago, the Jackrabbits are 39-3 when winning the rebounding battle and 10-21 when being out-rebounded or tied on the boards.
- South Dakota State won its 1,500th game Jan. 20, 2018 at Western Illinois. The Jacks won their 500th game in Frost Arena in the 2016-17 regular season finale.
- 2018-19 marked the fourth time State started 3-0 at the Division I level (dating back to transition year of 2004-05). The Jacks also did it in 2010-11, 2015-16 (when the team started a Division I-best 6-0) and 2017-18.
- At least one Jackrabbit has scored in double figures over the last 345 games dating back to Jan. 12, 2008 at IUPUI when Anthony Cordova had nine points to lead the Jacks.
- From Jan. 31, 2009 through the 2013-14 season, SDSU put together a streak of 179 games with at least one 1,000-point scorer on the floor. SDSU snapped a streak of 90 games without a 1,000-point scorer when Mike Daum joined the club on Jan. 21, 2017. SDSU has now restarted a streak of 51 games with at least one 1,000-point scorer on the court.
- State has made at least one 3-pointer in 375 consecutive games. The last time the Jackrabbits did not make a 3-point field goal was Jan. 25, 2007
- SDSU is 93-18 all-time in home openers (where records available). Dating back to 2004-05, SDSU's first year of DI transition, SDSU is 14-2.
- SDSU is 74-39 in season-openers all-time. The Jacks are 7-8 in season-opening games at the Division I level.
- The Jackrabbits are 6-5 in Summit League openers.
Daum Eyes All-Time Scoring Mark
Mike Daum is just 62 points away from breaking Nate Wolters' all-time school scoring record on 2,363 points. Daum averaged 23.9 points per game last season, and if he continues that pace he will break the record in late-November. A look at SDSU's all-time scoring chart is on page 12 of the game notes.
Jackrabbits in Two Scheduling Agreements
Summit League and Western Athletic Conference officials announced in October the matchups and dates for the first year of The Summit League/WAC Challenge in men's basketball.
The Challenge features head-to-head competition between all nine teams. Matchups were set based upon factors including the previous year's achievements, records and RPI rankings, as well as projected rankings in the upcoming season. Those teams with home games in 2018 will play on the road in 2019 and vice versa. In addition, teams will not face the same opponent in back-to-back years.
The Jackrabbits will host Grand Canyon Nov. 6 in their 2018-19 season opener and travel to CSU Bakersfield in 2019-20 as part of the agreement.
Last year, the Jacks were announced as part of a four-year deal with the Big Sky.
Each school will play one home game and road contest against separate schools from the other league during each of the four seasons. South Dakota State joins North Dakota State, North Dakota and Omaha as Summit League representatives, while Montana State, Montana, Idaho and Eastern Washington are participating from the Big Sky.
The Jackrabbits will play the following games as part of the agreement:
2018-19: Montana (home), Eastern Washington (away)
2019-20: Idaho (home), Montana State (away)
2020-21: Eastern Washington (home), Montana (away)
2021-22: Montana State (home), Idaho (away)
Jacks Add Four on Signing Day
South Dakota State men's basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger announced four additions to the Jackrabbit basketball program as part of November's national signing day. Three incoming freshman and a junior transfer will enroll at SDSU for the 2019-20 season and be eligible to play immediately for the Jackrabbits:
- Owen Coburn • Center/Forward • Spirit Lake, Iowa -- Will graduate from Spirit Lake High School (Spirit Lake, Iowa) in May 2019 … earned Second Team IPSWA Class 3A All-State, 3A IBCA All-Sub State and First Team All-Lakes Conference (unanimous) honors as a junior while averaging 20.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game … named all-substate and first team all-conference (unanimous) as a sophomore, putting up 18.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game … played his freshman season at Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School before transferring to Spirit Lake High School … during his rookie campaign averaged 11 points and seven rebounds per contest and was named All-War Eagle Conference honorable mention.
- Doug Wilson • Forward • Des Moines, Iowa -- Will graduate from Kirkwood Community College (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) in May 2019 … 2018 NJCAA Second Team All-American and First Team All-Region selection … averaged 14.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 69.2 percent from the field as a freshman … helped team to a 24-6 record and regular season ICCAC title in 2017-18 … graduated from Hoover High School (Des Moines, Iowa) in May 2017.
- Baylor Scheierman • Guard • Aurora, Nebraska -- Will graduate in May 2019 from Aurora High School (Aurora, Nebraska) … First Team All-State (Class B), All-Area and All-Conference selection in 2018 … averaged 16.1 points, six assists, six rebounds and 2.5 steals per game as a junior … three-time academic honor roll selection (2016-18).
- Caleb Grill • Guard • Maize, Kansas -- Will graduate in May 2019 from Maize High School (Maize, Kansas) … picked First Team All-State (Class 5A) by Topeka Capital Journal, Wichita Eagle and CatchItKansas in 2018 … named 2018 Third Team All-State (All Classes) by Wichita Eagle … selected as 2018 All-AVCTL I First Team and Most Valuable Player and picked up All-Metro First Team honors from Wichita Eagle … averaged 17 points, four rebounds and three assists per game as a junior while leading team to AVCTL DI title.
Tough Tests
South Dakota State played five Power Five (ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12) opponents a year ago (in addition to a matchup at then-No. 6 Wichita State of the American Athletic Conference).
- Although the team does not have any power five opponents on this year's schedule, the Jacks will travel to AAC's Memphis and preseason No. 7/9 Nevada of the Mountain West.
- South Dakota State has seven wins over Power Five programs since joining The Summit League in 2007, picking up wins over Iowa State (2008), Iowa (2010 and 2017), Washington (2011), TCU (2015), Minnesota (2015) and Ole Miss (2017).
- SDSU's wins over Iowa and Ole Miss in 2017-18 came in the shortest time frame of any Summit League team since 1998 (seven days). The Jackrabbits are the fifth league team to post a win over separate Power Five conferences in the same regular season, and the first to do it since 2009.
- In 10 games against power five opponents for his career, Mike Daum is averaging 18.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 44.2 percent from deep. He has two double-doubles in those matchups.
SDSU Last Time Out (Nov. 10)
South Dakota State saw four players reach double figures in an 86-63 victory over Bemidji State Saturday at Frost Arena.
The Jackrabbits (3-0) shot 50.6 percent in the game and a near-automatic 24-for-27 at the charity stripe while limiting the Beavers, who played the game as an exhibition, to a 41.5 percent effort from the field.
Mike Daum led all scorers in his third double-double of the 2018-19 campaign, finishing with 26 points and 11 rebounds. He sank 10-of-11 at the line.
David Jenkins added 16 points, Skyler Flatten added 13 and Tevin King scored 11. Flatten paced the team with three assists and Matt Dentlinger tallied nine points and four boards, even with King and Alou Dillon on the boards.
"This was another game for us to grow as a team," head coach T.J. Otzelberger said. "I thought in the first half we were a little complacent defensively and settled on offense, but I was happy with how we came out in the second half and thought we attacked better on both ends. I like the possibilities of where we can go with this group."
Tied 8-8 four minutes in, SDSU used a Jenkins jumper and Daum layup to break the tie and take the lead for good, growing its advantage to 13 (26-13) over the next six minutes thanks to a burst of 11 unanswered for the Jacks.
Bemidji State fought back to pull within three (29-26) before the seven-minute mark, but that was as close as the Beavers came as an 11-1 run Jackrabbit rally moments later pushed the lead back to double figures for good.
Ahead 48-36 at the break, South Dakota State kept the offense rolling in the second half, outscoring Bemidji State by 11 the rest of the way to push its nation-leading home winning streak to 23.
Opponent Last Time Out (Nov. 11)
EAST LANSING, MICH.- The FGCU Eagles (1-2) squared off against the #10 Michigan State Spartans (1-1) Sunday night in the Breslin Center and got 20 points apiece from Christian Carlyle and Troy Baxter Jr., career highs for both, but it wasn't enough as the Spartans rolled to a 106-82 win.
"I didn't think we were competitive enough on the defensive end tonight" head coach Michael Fly said. "To have 22 assists and only 14 turnovers and to still lose by 24, that points towards a problem on the other side of the ball. You just have to play better defensively and rebound better than we did if you are going to win a game like that, and we knew that coming into tonight."
In front of a crowd of nearly 15,000, the Eagles got off to a hot start as Baxter (Tallahassee, Fla./UNLV/Oldsmar Christian), drawing his first start of the season, scored seven points in the first 2:15 to force a Michigan State timeout with FGCU in front 10-6.
But just like they have seen happen in their first two games of the year, the Eagles faucet quickly turned off. This time it stayed off for a while, as the Spartans went on a 16-0 run over a 4:30 scoreless drought for FGCU to flip the script on the scoreboard and give Michigan State a 22-10 advantage.
After a three from Schadrac Casimir (Samford, Conn./Iona/Trinity Catholic) stopped the Michigan State run, the Spartans quickly packed on five more quick ones to build their lead to 27-13 with 12:16 to go in the half.
The Eagles strung together a few quality possessions on the offensive side of the ball, but Michigan State had their way on the other side as well. Without an answer from FGCU's defense, the Spartans slowly pushed their lead towards the 20 point mark before taking their largest lead to that point in the game with just under four minutes to go when they went in front 51-28. Â
Moments later, just after scoring his eighth point of the first half, FGCU guard Haanif Cheatham (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Marquette/Pembroke Pines) was called for a flagrant two foul during a rebound, which disqualified him from the remainder of the contest and forced the Eagles to adjust their gameplan on the offensive end.
The game went to the half with Michigan State leading 59-35. The Eagles shot just 39% in the half and 36% from the three point line after the hot start. On the other side, the Spartans shot 50% overall and 44% from three in the period. Michigan State outrebounded the Eagles 30-10 in the first half, including 11 offensive rebounds for the Spartans. Individually for FGCU Baxter led the way with 10 points in the half, while Cheatham added eight in his 13 minutes of work.
Michigan State built the lead up to 27 early in the second half before FGCU made a quiet push to get back into the game.
Decardo Day (Jackson, Miss/Iowa Western/Southern Utah/Callaway HS) sliced to the bucket on back to back plays for four quick points and Christian Carlyle (Jacksonville, Fla./Bishop Kenney HS) knocked down a pair of free throws to start his career second half to make it a 16 point game at 69-53.
But as soon as FGCU looked like they had a chance to make a game of it, the Spartans responded with a quick 7-2 run to push their lead back past 20 with just over 12 minutes to go.
From that point on, it was nearly literally all Baxter and Carlyle for the Eagles as the duo scored 27 of FGCU's next 28 points into the waning moments of the game, but again the Green and Blue couldn't slow down Sparty as Michigan State hit a late three to put an exclamation point on a 106-82 win to put an end to the Eagles night.
FGCU had a big half offensively in the second, shooting 52% from the field and 3-5 from three to play the Spartans even 47-47 in the final 20 minutes.
Overall the Eagles shot 45% from the field and 42% from deep, but Michigan State shot 53% on the night and poured in 64 points in the paint to come away with the 24 point win. The toughest number for FGCU fans to swallow at the end of the night was on the glass where the Spartans outrebounded the Eagles 49-25 including 20 offensive rebounds that turned into 23 points.
Individually the Eagles were led by Baxter and Carlyle who each scored career highs of 20. For Carlyle, 18 of the 20 came in the second half. Carlyle and Brady Ernst (Clinton, Iowa/Indian Hills/Iowa State/Clinton HS) shared the team lead with five rebounds while Day dished out a career best seven assists in the defeat.
Nick Ward led Michigan State with a game high 25 points and 11 rebounds while Joshua Langford also dialed up a double-double with 18 points and 10 boards.
The Eagles drop to 1-2 with the loss while #10 Michigan State improves to 1-1 after a season opening loss to #1 Kansas Tuesday.
-GoJacks.com-
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