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
Monday, November 6
Brookings, S.D.
8:15 p.m.
South Dakota State University
vs
Akron
Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia
PRESEASON FAVORITES TO OPEN SEASON IN FROST
11/3/2023 12:25:00 PM | Men's Basketball
| Game 1: South Dakota State vs. Akron | |
| Date and Time | Monday, Nov. 6 - 1 p.m. CST |
| Location | Brookings, South Dakota |
| Site | Frost Arena |
| Stream | The Summit League Network Powered by Midco Sports |
| Audio | GoJacks.com |
| Live Stats | GoJacksLive.com |
| Tickets | JackrabbitTickets.com |
| Digital Program | GoJacks.com |
| South Dakota State | Game Notes | Home Page |
| Akron | Home Page |
BROOKINGS, S.D. — A new basketball season officially begins on Monday as the South Dakota State men host Akron inside Frost Arena. The Jackrabbits and Zips tipoff at approximately 8:15 p.m. as part of a doubleheader which begins with SDSU women's basketball taking on Arkansas State.
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It's the second consecutive year the two sides have faced off in the season opener. Last season's meeting was a dramatic one that featured seven tied scores and nine lead changes. A missed Akron layup following a turnover led to overtime where the Zips, thanks to a late free throw, outlasted the Jackrabbits 81-80.Â
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Both teams enter the 2023-24 season with high expectations. SDSU was selected in The Summit League Preseason Poll as the favorite to win the conference's regular season title. Akron enters the season as the preseason favorite to win the Mid-American Conference title. Both squads are two years removed from NCAA Tournament appearances.Â
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The Zips return one of the oldest teams in the nation this season following a 22-11 slate that ended in the MAC Tournament semifinals. Enrique Freeman paces Akron's front court after a MAC Defensive Player of the Year campaign. He also is one of 20 members on the Karl Malone Award Watch List, an award given to the best power forward in college basketball. Ali Ali, who was previously at Akron before a season last year at Butler, returned to a program he was a Second Team All-MAC performer in 2022. Akron did graduate the MAC's leading scorer and First Team selection in Xavier Castaneda.Â
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SDSU will be led by a core of players with multiple years of collegiate experience in Luke Appel, Charlie Easley, Zeke Mayo and Matt Mims. Mayo heads into the year as The Summit League Preseason MVP, while Appel joined him on the conference's Preseason All-League First Team. Sophomore Will Kyle was chosen to the Preseason All-League Second Team.
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The Jackrabbits look to continue their program's most recent success at the Division I level during the 2023-24 season. SDSU has won 226 games over the past decade. That total ranks 28th among all men's squads in the nation. The Jacks' overall win percentage of 69.3% during that span ranks 23rd in the country while SDSU has the ninth best mark among 'mid-major' programs.
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How to Keep up
Tickets for the game are available prior to the contest at JackrabbitTickets.com. The matchup between the Jackrabbits and Zips will be streamed on The Summit League Network Powered by Midco Sports. Fans can watch on summitleaguenetwork.tv or on The Midco Sports Plus app with a subscription. Every SDSU men's basketball game can be heard on the Jackrabbit Sports Network, at GoJacks.com.watch or on the Varsity App. To keep up with the Jackrabbits, follow along with the program on their social media accounts @GoJacksMBB or visit GoJacks.com.Â
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Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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