Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus #2 St. Thomas on March 5, 2026 , Loss , 67, to, 80
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FINAL
Men's Basketball
67
vs #2 St. Thomas
80
South Dakota State University Athletics
Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia Sports Media
Jackrabbits, Coyotes face off Sunday
2/21/2020 10:23:00 AM | Men's Basketball
| GAME 30: South Dakota State (21-8, 12-2) vs. South Dakota (19-10, 9-5) |
| When | Sunday, Feb. 23 | 2 p.m. |
| Where | Frost Arena | Brookings, S.D. |
| Live Audio / Radio | Jackrabbits All-Access | Jackrabbit Sports Network I WNAX 570 AM | Tyler Merriam |
| Television / Live Video | Midco Sports Network | ESPN+ | Jackrabbits All-Access | Tom Nieman, Brad Newitt, Elaina Lanson |
| Live Stats | GoJacksLive.com |
| Game Notes | South Dakota State |
| Social Media | Twitter I Facebook |
Previewing the Game
South Dakota State hosts rival South Dakota on Sunday inside Frost Arena. Tipoff between the Jackrabbits and Coyotes is set for 2 p.m. from Brookings on SDSU's Senior Day.
South Dakota State (21-8, 12-2 Summit League) brings a seven-game winning streak into the game and a 15-0 record inside Frost Arena this season. The Jackrabbits' 23-game home winning streak is the nation's third-longest active streak.
The Jackrabbits will honor seniors Brandon Key and Beau Brown after the game.
South Dakota (19-10, 9-5 Summit League) has lost two straight entering the weekend, snapping an eight-game winning streak on Feb. 15 at Oral Roberts.
The Jackrabbits lead the all-time series with South Dakota, 130-95-1, with the tie coming in a disputed 1915 contest. SDSU dropped a 99-84 contest in Vermillion earlier this season at USD despite a career-high 26 points from Matt Dentlinger in the game.
Get off the Bench
For the fourth year in a row, fans attending this weekend's Showdown Series basketball games can make an impact across the state through the "Get Off the Bench" campaign, benefiting Feeding South Dakota.
The yearlong Showdown Series, an athletic and academic competition between in-state rivals SDSU and USD, takes center stage this weekend with a pair of contests at Frost Arena in Brookings.
The contest tracks head-to-head match-ups and conference championship results between South Dakota State and South Dakota in 17 sports, with each school accumulating points toward the overall series championship. The Jackrabbits claimed a 14.5-11.5 win in last year's competition.
The Jackrabbits currently trail, 7.5 - 1.5, in the 2019-20 series, but four points on are on the line this weekend between the basketball games and the Summit League Swim and Dive Championships, presented by U.S Special Warfare.
The Series also recognizes outstanding academic achievement by the schools' student-athletes and aims to raise awareness, funds and donations for Feeding South Dakota, a statewide not-for-profit with the goal of eliminating hunger in South Dakota. More information can be found at SDCornShowdown.com.
As part of the SD Corn Showdown Series, Feeding South Dakota and both teams have come together for orange, the color that represents awareness for hunger.
At the conclusion of last year's Showdown Series, Feeding South Dakota was able to provide 280,000 meals for adults and children throughout the state because of a generous $70,000 donation from South Dakota Corn.
With the "Get off the Bench" campaign, fans are encouraged to donate in support of hunger awareness and the fight to end hunger. Fans attending the games can donate by swiping their credit/debit cards at "dip jars" located at the concessions stands, or through cash donations at collection sites near arena entrances. Donations also can be made online at feedingsouthdakota.org/showdown.
Both South Dakota State and South Dakota are properties of Learfield IMG College, which manages multimedia rights for nearly 250 collegiate properties around the country. Other Learfield IMG College partners hosting rivalry series include Oklahoma/Oklahoma State (Bedlam Series) and Iowa/Iowa State (Cy-Hawk Series).
About South Dakota State
Two games remain in South Dakota State's race to the Summit and the Jackrabbits control their own destiny in the hunt for the No. 1 seed in next month's league championships. The Jacks have already secured a top two seed in the tournament and will play a quarterfinal game on Saturday, March 7.
The Jackrabbits have shot 50 percent of better in all but one league contest this season, separating themselves from the pack with a plus-11.2 scoring margin against Summit League teams.
SDSU's defensive unit has limited opponents to 69.9 points per game on the season, holding teams under 60 in seven contests. The Jackrabbits have allowed 80 or more points in just three games.
Offensively, the Jackrabbits are shooting 49.3 percent from the field, 35.1 percent from deep and 71.3 percent from the line. The charity stripe has been an important factor in SDSU's success, as the Jacks are 17-1 in games where it shoots more free throws than its opponent.
Douglas Wilson leads the team with 48.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, tallying 11 20-plus scoring performances and four double-doubles this year. Wilson, who has poured in 20 points per game against conference teams, has buried 10 or more field goals in six total games and currently sits tied for first in the league in scoring average. The two-time NJCAA All-American and 2018-19 NJCAA Player of the Year is shooting 92.8 percent from the field and has scored 10 or more in all 13 league appearances (missing the South Dakota game due to injury).
Matt Dentlinger, second on the team with 12.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest, is shooting 69.6 percent against league opponents and posted 20-point games against South Dakota (26), North Dakota State (21) and Denver (22). The Arcadia, Iowa native sank 13 consecutive field goal attempts between the Arizona, Mississippi Valley State and Samford contests (going 8-for-8 against MVSU) earlier this year, and has reached double figures in 18 games, including 10 league contests. Dentlinger is coming off a monster week with two double-doubles, averaging 20 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, hitting all eight of his field goals (and two free throws) in a 18-10 showing against Purdue Fort Wayne.
Wilson and Dentlinger entered the week sitting 11th and 14th nationally in field goal percentage, as South Dakota State was the only team nationally to feature two players in the top 50 in that category.
Noah Freidel broke into double figures this month and sits at 10.5 points per game. The Tea, South Dakota native has nine double-digit scoring games in league play, including four 20-plus efforts. He scored 28 with six 3-pointers at Omaha and broke the 20-point mark in both games against Oral Roberts (23 with four 3-pointers on Jan. 2, and 22 with four 3-pointers on Jan. 29). Freidel just missed a triple-double Feb. 14 against Denver, scoring all 16 of his points in the second half to go with seven rebounds and a team-high eight assists. He scored 21 and hit three triples at North Dakota Feb. 19. Freidel, the 2019 Argus Leader Class A Player of the Year, sits third on the team in scoring and second in 3-pointers (53) while shooting 43.6 percent from the field. He has buried five or more 3s in two games this year and has come up with 18 steals and 50 assists.
Alex Arians is one of two Jackrabbits to start all 29 games and is fourth in scoring at 8.9 points per game. He is third in rebounds (5.7 per contest) and has 24 steals, 52 assists and 35 3-pointers. The Madison, Wisconsin guard has scored 10 or more in 12 games this year and matched his career-high with 19 points against Omaha on Feb. 8. Arians also scored 16 at South Dakota, and against North Dakota State tallied 14 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, and did not commit a turnover in 39 minutes for his second double-double performance of the year.
David Wingett (8.5 points per game) has started the last 15 contests and leads the team with 54 3-pointers. He has buried three or more from deep in eight games. The Winnebago, Nebraska native lit up the nets for a career-best 24 points (with six 3s) at Purdue Fort Wayne and had 13 with a trio of 3-pointers at South Dakota.
Baylor Scheierman, who earned his first career start at South Dakota, has 19 3-pointers and 62 assists in his first collegiate season, averaging 6.3 points over 19.8 minutes per contest. The Aurora, Nebraska guard has also pulled down 4.5 boards on average, helping SDSU to a plus-5.0 rebounding margin at 38.4 boards per contest.
About the Coyotes
South Dakota is third in the Summit League standings with two games left on its 2019-20 docket.
The Coyotes have the league's top scoring offense at 80 points per game on the year, while allowing 74.1 points from its opponent. USD shoots 49.3 percent as a team and has all five starters average double figures.
Tyler Hagedorn leads the way with 18.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, matching Douglas Wilson's scoring total for a two-way tie among league leaders. Hagedorn leads the Coyotes with 69 3-pointers.
Stanley Umude is second on the squad with 16.9 points per game, shooting 47.2 percent from the field to go with 38 blocks and a 6.3 rebounding average.
Triston Simpson (11.8 points per game), Tyler Peterson (11.2 ppg) and Cody Kelley (10.9 ppg) round out the top Coyote scorers. Simpson has a team-high 81 assists, Peterson is close behind with 79 dishes, and Kelly has come up with 33 steals on the defensive end, adding 59 triples beyond the arc.
Todd Lee is in his second season as the head coach of South Dakota. He is 32-27 on the bench with USD, and holds a 186-108 career mark in 10 seasons as a head coach.
A South Dakota State Win Would ...
Make the Jackrabbits 22-8 on the year, 13-2 in Summit League play and 131-95-1 all-time against the Coyotes … extend South Dakota State's current winning streak to eight games, and their home winning streak to 24 ... set up a regular-season championship showdown next Thursday at North Dakota State … help SDSU maintain at least a half-game lead on NDSU for first-place in the Summit League standings … give the Jackrabbits a 1,557-1,048-1 program mark.
A South Dakota State Loss Would ...
Drop the Jackrabbits to 21-9 on the season and 12-3 in Summit League play … move SDSU to 130-96-1 all-time against South Dakota and give USD the season series sweep ... snap the Jackrabbits' seven-game winning streak, and 23-game home winning streak ... give South Dakota State a 1,556-1,049-1 program mark.
Looking Ahead
While South Dakota State's focus will remain on Sunday's showdown with the Coyotes, the Summit League Championship picture is starting to come into view with one week remaining in the regular season.
South Dakota State and North Dakota State will each play North Dakota and South Dakota this week. Both SDSU and NDSU won their Wednesday bouts (at UND and USD, respectively) to lock themselves into the top-two seeds.
If the Jackrabbits defeat the Coyotes Sunday and the Bison lose to the Fighting Hawks Saturday, South Dakota State will lock up at least a share of the regular season title.
Any scenario other than that this weekend (both win or lose, SDSU lose and NDSU win) will mean Thursday's game in Fargo, North Dakota will decide SDSU's championship hopes.
The Jackrabbits have already guaranteed a finish higher than their preseason slot (fifth).
Peaking at the Right Time
Though the Jackrabbits put together a successful nonconference season to start the 2020 season off on the right foot, SDSU's play has seen a noticeable uptick across several statistical areas during league play.
- After sinking just 103 3-pointers through 15 nonleague games (at a clip of 30.4 percent), the Jackrabbits are 110 of 268 from deep in 13 league games with a long range shooting percentage of 41 percent. Additionally, four players have double-digit 3s in that span.
- SDSU has been more selective of shots in league play, leading to an increase of seven points per game (74.3 to 82.2). With that, the Jacks are shooting 553.7 percent in league games compared to a .453 rate in the first 15 contests in 2019-20.
- In line with better shot selection, SDSU has seen an uptick in assists per game (13.5 to 15.4) and a decrease in turnovers per contest (14.1 to 12.4).
- After averaging 7.3 points per game in nonleague play, Noah Freidel and Alex Arians have posted scoring averages of 14.0 and 10.6, respectively, in the last 13 contests.
- David Wingett (27 3-pointers), Freidel (31 3s), Arians (22 3s) and Matt Mims (15 3-pointers) have lit up the nets from deep against Summit League opponents, with Mims burying two or more treys in four league games.
Sustained Success; Youth Movement
The Jackrabbits have won more games in the past three seasons than any other Summit League program. The 2017-18 and 2018-19 success was fueled by experienced squads and all-time great scorers, but the 2019-20 team has filled Frost Arena with a youthful energy.
The Jackrabbits have gone 73-24 (39-5 Summit League) dating back to the 2017-18 season. Those win totals are double-digits higher than any other team.
SDSU sits as the 343rd youngest team out of 353 NCAA Division I teams in KenPom's experience rankings. The experience value is based on a player's eligibility (freshmen have zero years, sophomores have one year, etc.), and players who appear in less than 10 percent of their team's minutes are not included in the calculations.
In addition to the team's KenPom youth ranking, the Jackrabbits returned just 16.9 percent of their scoring from 2018-19. SDSU's 15.8 points per game returning was sixth-lowest, and the 16.9 percent mark was third-lowest (according to available records).
Dentlinger named Academic All-District
South Dakota State's Matt Dentlinger was named to the 2019-20 CoSIDA Academic All-District 6 Men's Basketball Team mid-February.
A sophomore forward from Arcadia, Iowa, Dentlinger has compiled a 4.00 grade point average in mechanical engineering. He is a junior academically after redshirting the 2017-18 season.
Dentlinger will advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second- and third-team (if applicable) Academic All-America® honorees will be announced between March 9-12.
Selections to the Academic All-District 6 Basketball Team were based upon a vote of sports information directors in in Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Candidates must be at least a sophomore in athletic and academic standing, a starter or key reserve on his team and carry at least a 3.3 GPA.
Jackrabbits Honored by Summit League
South Dakota State has picked up two Summit League Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week awards this season.
- Douglas Wilson (Nov. 11) – Wilson posted a monster debut week for the Jacks, averaging 21 points and 8.7 rebounds over three double-figure scoring performances (and Jackrabbit wins). Wilson scored 24, 13 and 26 against UTRGV, Peru State and CSU Bakersfield.
- Matt Dentlinger (Feb. 17) – Dentlinger had two double-doubles in a pair of Jackrabbit wins. He had 22 points with 11 rebounds against Denver, then scored 18 and grabbed 10 boards against Purdue Fort Wayne. Dentlinger also swatted a career-high five blocks in the win over the 'Dons.
Trending Positive
The Jackrabbits have seen two trends develop through the 2019-20 season tied to free throws and rebounds.
- The Jackrabbits are 17-1 in games where they attempt more free throws than their opponent, and 4-7 in the 11 games where opponents have attempt more at the charity stripe.
- South Dakota State is 19-1 when out-performing (or tying) opponents on the boards and are just 2-7 when opponents outrebound the Jackrabbits.
#FearFrost
- The Jacks own a 118-6 record at Frost Arena over the last nine seasons dating back to 2011-12, which includes perfect home records in five seasons during that span, which includes two home winning streaks of 30 or more games and three of 25 or more.
- SDSU's .957 home winning percentage over the past five years (back to 2015-16) is also the nation's best mark in that span.
- The Jackrabbits' current home winning streak of 23 games is the third-longest active in NCAA Division I. Gonzaga leads the nation with 37 straight home wins, while Prairie View A&M just ahead of the Jacks with 24 straight at home. Florida State (21), Liberty (19), Oregon (19) and Murray State (19) are next on the list.
- Since 2011-12, South Dakota State has won 95.2 percent of its home games, a mark that top all Division I programs in that span. 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 won 26 consecutive home games from Dec. 31, 2016 to Dec. 22, 2018.
- South Dakota State won 34 consecutive home nonconference games inside Frost Arena from Dec. 31, 2016 to Dec. 22, 2018. That mark was the fourth-longest active streak when it ended.
- 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). They are 15-0 so far in 2020-21 and have one home game left in the regular season.
Quick Hits
- SDSU has held opponents under 70 points 15 times this season, posting a 14-1 record in those games. The lone loss in 2019-20 came at Indiana, where the Jacks held the Hoosiers to a season-low in points. The Jackrabbits went 13-0 when holding opponents under 70 last season (11-9 when not) and were 12-0 in those games during the 2017-18 season.
- The Jackrabbits have trailed for less than one minute in seven games this season, including three straight to end nonleague play. State did not trail against Purdue Fort Wayne (1/11) or North Dakota State (1/22) in league play.
- SDSU has held opponents to single-digit free throw attempts six times this season, including back-to-back games against Nebraska-Kearney (four attempts) and Florida Gulf Coast (eight attempts).
- 10 different Jackrabbits (out of 13 on the roster) have posted double-digit scoring performances this season.
- Five Jackrabbits have scored in double figures three times this season: at CSU Bakersfield, versus Western Illinois and at Denver.
- Douglas Wilson led the team in points (25), rebounds (10), steals (two) and blocks (four), and was tied for the lead in assists (four) against Oral Roberts Jan. 2.
- Noah Freidel led the team in points (22), assists (six) and steals (two) and was tied for the lead in rebounds (seven) at Oral Roberts Jan. 29.
- South Dakota State has played five games against opponents this year it had not previously met.
- The Jackrabbits held Mississippi Valley State to 17 first-half points on Nov. 24, 2019. That is the fewest since South Dakota State held Chadron State to 12 first-half points on Nov. 24, 2014.
- SDSU's 93-91 victory over CSU Bakersfield saw five Jackrabbits reach double figures for the first time in 2019-20. The feat last happened Jan. 31, 2019 against Oral Roberts.
- State posted back-to-back 50-rebound games to open the season. The last time an SDSU program had 50-plus rebounds in consecutive games was Dec. 15 and 27, 2002 against Finlandia (60) and Fort Lewis (58). The Jacks also had three-straight games with 50-plus rebounds that season (2002): Nov. 23, 29 and 30.
- Douglas Wilson's 24 points on Nov. 5 are the most in a Jackrabbit debut dating back to 2000-01, when game-by-game statistics were readily available.
- At least one Jackrabbit has scored in double figures over the last 403 games dating back to Jan. 12, 2008 at IUPUI when Anthony Cordova had nine points to lead the Jacks.
- State has made at least one 3-pointer in 433 consecutive games. The last time the Jackrabbits did not make a 3-point field goal was Jan. 25, 2007
- South Dakota State is 94-18 all-time in home openers (where records available). Dating back to 2004-05, SDSU's first year of DI transition, the Jacks are 12-4 in those games.
- SDSU is 75-39 in season-openers all-time. The Jacks are 8-8 in season-opening games at the Division I level. The Jackrabbits are 7-6 in Summit League openers.
Basketball Coaches Show Every Monday
The Jackrabbit Basketball Coaches Show is live at Cubby's Sports Bar and Grill in downtown Brookings Monday evenings at 6 p.m. The hour-long show covering the 2019-20 basketball season tips off every Monday through March 2.
Hosted by Tyler Merriam, the weekly look at the South Dakota State basketball teams features interviews with head men's coach Eric Henderson and head women's coach Aaron Johnston, as well as segments with Jackrabbit student-athletes and members of the coaching staff.
Fans can attend in person and will be eligible for weekly drawings.
The show also airs live on flagship radio station WNAX 570 AM and Jackrabbit Sports Network affiliates, and can be heard live or on-demand for free via Jackrabbits All-Access and the Jackrabbit App.
Jackrabbits Featured on All-Decade Teams
Former Jackrabbits Mike Daum and Nate Wolters were featured on All-Decade Teams, announced Dec. 31 as 2019 came to an end.
CollegeInsider.com featured Daum and Wolters on the Lou Henson Award team, while Daum also earned Lute Olson Award All-Decade team honors from the organization.
Mid-Major Madness also tabbed Daum as one of 10 selections to its all-decade squad.
Daum posted a 22.4 career scoring average and poured in 3,067 points, closing his time as Division I's No. 7 all-time scorer. He was a 2018-19 consensus All-American and a three-time Summit League Player of the Year.
Wolters wreaked havoc on defenses and closed his career with 2,352 points, 668 assists and 601 rebounds. He was a two-time Associated Press All-American, earning third-team honors as a senior, and picked up a second team NABC All-American nod in 2013.
Mfum Enrolls Early; Will Redshirt
Jackrabbit men's basketball signee William Mfum has enrolled at South Dakota State for the spring 2020 semester and will redshirt with the team. He is eligible to practice throughout the semester, and will look to make his debut in the 2020-21 season.
William Mfum graduated in December from Spring Creek Academy (Plano, Texas). Mfum will redshirt this semester and practice with the team after leaving Spring Creek on a high note, earning All-Texas Christian Athletic League and All-City First Team honors as a junior. Mfum averaged 19.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in 2018-19, burying 34 3-pointers and hitting 47 percent from the field. The 6-2 guard scored 20 or more points in nine games a year ago and had one double-double. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Mfum is the son of Stella Nyarko and Seth Adjei and plans to major in business management.
Jackrabbits in Two Scheduling Agreements
Summit League teams are in year two of scheduling agreements with the Western Athletic Conference and Big Sky, and this year claimed a 5-3 win in the WAC series.
The Jackrabbits took on Grand Canyon last year in the first year of the Summit League/WAC challenge, defeating the Lopes in the 2018-19 season opener. Year two of the challenge sent SDSU to face CSU Bakersfield Nov. 9, where the Jacks claimed a 93-91 double-overtime win.
The scheduling agreement with the Big Sky is a four-year contract. The Jackrabbits will play the following games as part of the deal:
- 2018-19: Montana (home; L, 74-85), Eastern Washington (away; W, 74-64)
- 2019-20: Idaho (home; W, 85-57), Montana State (away; L, 70-77)
- 2020-21: Eastern Washington (home), Montana (away)
- 2021-22: Montana State (home), Idaho (away)
Jacks Picked Fifth in Preseason Poll
South Dakota State men's basketball earned two first-place votes and was tabbed fifth in the 2019-20 Summit League men's basketball preseason poll, released in October.
The poll is voted on by league coaches, sports information directors and select media.
Tough Tests
South Dakota State played four Power Five (ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, PAC-12) opponents in the 2019-20 nonleague season, facing USC, Nebraska, Arizona and Indiana in November. Though the Jacks went winless in those games, they led for a majority of the contest at Arizona, and held Indiana (a top-10 scoring offense) to a season-low 64 points.
South Dakota State has seven wins over Power Five programs since joining The Summit League in 2007, picking up victories 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.
Jackrabbits' Last Time Out
GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- South Dakota State men's basketball shot a season-high 64 percent from the field and had four double-figure scorers in its seventh-consecutive victory Wednesday, taking down North Dakota 94-83.
The Jackrabbits (21-8, 12-2 Summit League) buried 72 percent of their shots in the second half to hold off a late UND charge and finished the game with a 12-point advantage in the paint while outscoring the Hawks 19-0 off the bench.
Douglas Wilson matched his career-high with 31 points, hitting 14-of-17 from the field to go with six rebounds and four assists.
Noah Freidel scored 21 and Alex Arians added 11 as both Jackrabbit drilled three 3s, with Arians dishing four assists and Freidel netting 17 of his points in the second half.
Baylor Scheierman was in double figures as well, finishing with 11 thanks to a 5-of-5 effort at the charity stripe.
The Jackrabbits found themselves in a back-and-forth game early, playing through 12 lead changes in the opening 10 minutes. Matt Mims buried a 3-pointer at 9:37 to give State its first two-possession advantage of the night (21-17).
The Fighting Hawks hung tough and regained a brief 36-35 lead on Filip Rebraca's jumper with 3:29 left, but a Wilson dunk on the other end started a 9-0 Jackrabbit run that helped push South Dakota State to a 44-39 halftime lead.
North Dakota came out hot in the second and made it 47-46 two minutes into the half, but the Jacks responded and stretched their lead to double figures (64-50) near the 13-minute mark thanks to a 10-0 run that opened with six consecutive from Freidel.
UND charged once more, however, and with 4:13 on the clock Rebraca pulled the Hawks within five (78-73). A Freidel bucket opened a 9-2 Jackrabbit rally, though, and South Dakota State kept the Fighting Hawks from mounting a further comeback, putting the game on ice with an 8-of-9 effort at the stripe in the final two minutes.
Opponent Last Time Out
VERMILLION, S.D.—Vinnie Shahid scored a game-high 27 points and Rocky Kreuser hit a dagger 3 in the closing minutes to lift North Dakota State to a 77-74 win against South Dakota Wednesday inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
The Bison (20-7, 11-2 Summit) extended their win streak to seven games while South Dakota (19-10, 9-5) lost at home for just the second time this season. North Dakota State, coupled with South Dakota State's win at North Dakota Wednesday, remains a half game back of the Jacks at the top of the Summit standings with less than two weeks to go.
The result means South Dakota will play in the evening session of the Summit League Tournament on Sunday, March 8, at the Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls. The Coyotes can be seeded no higher than three and no lower than six.
Tyler Peterson tied his season-high with 18 points on 9-of-12 shooting to lead South Dakota. He also had six rebounds a block and two steals. Triston Simpson, who made a half-court shot at the final horn, finished with 17 points. Stanley Umude had nine points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
Much like the first meeting in Fargo, the Bison made their move just before halftime. Tyler Hagedorn hit USD's first 3-pointer to give the Coyotes a 24-21 lead with 4:16 to go, but Umude picked up his second foul shortly thereafter and the Bison closed the half on a 14-4 run to take a 35-28 advantage into the break.
Shahid had 15 points in the first half, while Peterson had 10.
North Dakota State threatened to pull away in the second half when Cody Kelley scored eight consecutive points for the Coyotes to turn a 48-38 deficit into a two-point game with 11:58 to go. Umude converted a three-point play to complete the run to put USD back in front 49-48.
Kelley made back-to-back 3-pointers and then a left-handed layup on three straight offensive possessions. In addition to his eight points, he had three assists, two boards and a steal.
NDSU regrouped and took a 59-52 lead on a Kreuser jumper with 6:49 left. The teams jockeyed back and forth over the next five minutes before Kreuser delivered his third and final 3-pointer of the game. It came with 1:58 to go and put NDSU in front 68-61. Kreuser finished with 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting (3-7 3FG) and had five rebounds.
A Hagedorn triple made it 71-69 with 22 seconds left, but the Bison converted from the line to seal the deal. Shahid, an 88-percent foul shooter, made four free throws in the closing seconds while Tyson Ward added two more at the end before Simpson's score at the buzzer.
Last Matchup: SDSU at USD (1/19/20)
VERMILLION -- South Dakota State men's basketball dropped a 99-84 contest at South Dakota Sunday afternoon despite a career-high 26 points from Matt Dentlinger.
The Jackrabbits (14-8, 5-2 Summit League) saw their five-game winning streak come to an end, but still shot 53.3 percent with a 13-of-24 effort from deep.
Dentlinger buried 13-of-18 from the field to lead the Jackrabbit attack, adding a career-best seven assists alongside a team-leading six rebounds.
Alex Arians added 16 points with five rebounds and four 3-pointers, while David Wingett hit a trio of 3s and had 13 points.
Noah Freidel buried all five of his free throw attempts and finished with eight points.
South Dakota State took a 9-5 lead at the first media timeout, but moments later saw the Coyotes rally to tie it at 12. The teams settled into back-and-forth play over the next 10 minutes. The Jackrabbits went in front on a Dentlinger fast-break layup at 6:17 (27-26), but a hot-shooting Coyote squad gained separation in the final five minutes of the half.
Trailing 52-38 at halftime, Dentlinger opened the second with a putback layup, but USD soon grew its lead to a game-high 19 (59-40). State did not quit, though, and chipped away at the deficit until pulling within single digits on an Arians 3-pointer (73-65) at 10:52. That was as close as the Jacks would come, however, as the Coyotes recovered to defend home court.
-GoJacks.com-
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