OGDEN, Utah — South Dakota State plays its final two non-conference games of the 2023-24 season this week as the Jackrabbits take part in the Big Sky-Summit Challenge. The Jackrabbits begin the conference competition on Wednesday when they face the Big Sky preseason favorites, Weber State, in Ogden at 8 p.m. CT in the Dee Events Center.Â
Â
The Jacks and Wildcats have met three times previously. Weber State won the teams' first ever meeting in 1978, 80-50, in Ogden. The two foes then played a home-and-home during the 2015-16 season which SDSU and Weber State split.Â
Â
The Jackrabbits hosted the first matchup on Nov. 16 of that season which they won, 85-68. Both teams shot 50% in the contest, but SDSU forced 22 turnovers, while committing 12 and had five players score in double figures in the win.Â
Â
The Wildcats earned a victory in the second matchup on Dec. 22 of that season, 99-95. Weber State held a nine-point lead with under a minute to play and had to hold off a late SDSU rally. Jeremy Senglin and Joel Bolomboy scored 22 points apiece for the Wildcats in the game, while Deondre Parks recorded 23 points and Reed Tellinghuisen scored a career-high 22 points.
Â
SDSU got off to a strong start in conference play this past Sunday by earning an 81-60 New Year's Eve victory over North Dakota. UND was held to 31% shooting. The Jackrabbits shot a season-high 54% from the floor and were led by double digit scorers in
Zeke Mayo (25),
William Kyle III (20),
Luke Appel (17) and
Kalen Garry (10).Â
Â
Kyle III matched his career best point total in the game. Mayo paced SDSU in rebounds (7) and assists (4) in the contest, something he has now done on average the last two seasons. Appel had his highest point total in his last 10 games. SDSU improved to 10-7 all-time in conference openers as a member of The Summit League, while the Jackrabbits are 171-82 all-time in Summit League play.
Â
The Jacks, the preseason favorites for The Summit League regular season title, enter Wednesday's contest at 7-7 overall. The Wildcats are 9-4 overall, 2-0 in Big Sky play, and have won four straight games. Weber State ranks eighth in the nation in scoring defense (59.8). Dillon Jones leads the team and Big Sky individually in scoring (18.5), rebounding (10.6) and assists (4.4).
Â
How to Keep up
The matchup between the Jackrabbits and Wildcats will be streamed on ESPN+. Every SDSU men's basketball game can be heard on theÂ
Jackrabbit Sports Network, atÂ
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
Â
-GoJacks.com-
Â