SDSU CRUISES TO ROAD VICTORY OVER USD

Saturday, January 20

Vermillion, S.D.

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

11-9,4-1Summit League

South Dakota

9-11,2-3Summit League

South Dakota St.

South Dakota

Photo by: Joclyn Haven

1/20/2024 4:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Andrew Pedersen

VERMILLION, S.D. — South Dakota State used a strong effort on both ends of the floor and never trailed en route to a 73-55 win on Saturday, Jan. 20, over South Dakota in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.

The Jackrabbits jumped out to a 12-2 lead five minutes into the contest before back-to-back possessions saw the Yotes cut into the deficit and make it a 12-8 score. An eight-point scoring run, behind two field goals apiece by Luke Appel and William Kyle III, saw the Jacks jump ahead 20-10 at the 11:44 mark of the first half.

South Dakota State extended its lead to as many as 13, and never saw its advantage dip below six, as the Jackrabbits took a 37-26 edge into halftime. The Jacks led by double digits after 20 minutes by out-shooting USD 48.5%-30.3% from the floor and out-rebounding the home side, 23-16.

The Coyotes put two separate runs together to cut into the SDSU advantage.

South Dakota's Kaleb Stewart hit a 3-pointer to cap an eight-point spree and make it a 45-42 score with 13:01 left, but a dunk by Kyle III and a Zeke Mayo 3-pointer pushed the margin back to eight for the Jackrabbits at 50-42. The Yotes followed with the next five points thanks to an Isaac Bruns jumper and 3-pointer by Max Burchill to cut it to 50-47 with 10:43 remaining.

The Jackrabbits finished off any comeback opportunity by going on a 9-0 run. Mayo connected on a jumper, Charlie Easley drained a 3-pointer, Appel made a layup – and following a technical foul given to the USD bench – Mayo converted on two free throws to put the game out of reach at 59-47 with 7:08 to play.

South Dakota hit a 3-pointer to cut it to 59-50, but another eight-point stretch boosted by six Easley points essentially closed the contest out.

The victory for South Dakota State is the men's program's seventh straight over South Dakota. The Jackrabbits matched an 18-point victory over the Yotes in Vermillion a season ago and SDSU has now won 21 of the two sides' last 27 matchups.

SDSU improved to 11-9 overall and sits atop The Summit League standings with a 4-1 record. South Dakota dropped to 9-11 and 2-3 in conference play.

Notes

Mayo scored a team-high 20 points for the Jackrabbits. He also had six rebounds and a game-high five assists. Easley recorded 19 points on 9-for-12 from the field while collecting three steals.
Joining them in double digits scoring were Appel (12) and Kyle III (11). Kyle III snagged a team-high eight rebounds and matched his career high of three blocks.
South Dakota State finished the contest 47.8% from the field while holding USD to a 34.5% clip. The Jackrabbits out-rebounded the Coyotes 41-31 and committed 10 turnovers to USD's 15.
South Dakota was paced in scoring by Jevon Hill's 15 points. Stewart, the Coyotes' leading scorer coming into the contest, recorded 10 on 4 of 14 from the floor.

Up Next
South Dakota State returns to Frost Arena on Thursday, Jan. 25, when the Jackrabbits host Kansas City. The Jacks and Roos tip-off at 6 p.m. with the game televised on CBS Sports Network.

-GoJacks.com-