SDSU BEATS DENVER TO EARN SEVENTH SUMMIT TITLE

Tuesday, March 12

Sioux Falls, S.D. (Denny Sanford PREMIER Center)

8:30 p.m.

South Dakota State University

22-12,12-4Summit League

Denver

17-17,6-10Summit League

Denver

South Dakota St.

Photo by: Joclyn Haven

3/13/2024 12:15:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Andrew Pedersen

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – South Dakota State jumped out to a double-digit lead just over seven minutes into The Summit League championship game and never trailed as the Jackrabbits defeated Denver, 76-68, en route to their seventh Summit League tournament title on Tuesday, March 12, at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center.

South Dakota State recorded the first two field goals of the contest before a Denver 3-pointer by Touko Tainamo made it 4-3. SDSU followed with a 13-2 run to push the score to 17-5 with 12:55 on the clock.

The margin wouldn't get into single digits again until less than two minutes remaining in the matchup.

The Jackrabbits had a 27-7 edge as SDSU scored 23 of the game's 28 points during a stretch leading into it. The Pioneers cut the deficit to 12 on a Tommy Bruner 3-pointer with 5:46 remaining in the opening half, but a corresponding six-point scoring spree extended the SDSU advantage again. The Jackrabbits went into halftime up 37-23 by outshooting the Pioneers by a 50-36% clip from the field.

SDSU extended its lead to as many as 23 in the second half. A Luke Appel layup with 8:33 remaining pushed the Jackrabbits ahead 63-40.

The Pioneers used a late run to get the score down to a 10-point margin at 65-55 with 3:24 to go. After a pair of Kalen Garry free throws for the Jackrabbits, Denver's Jaxon Brenchley hit a 3-pointer with 1:55 remaining to cut the deficit to single digits for the Pioneers.

The Jackrabbit edge got to as low as five after another Brenchley trey made it 67-62 as the clock dipped under a minute. SDSU eventually had Garry and Matt Mims combine to make nine free throws over the last 52 seconds to close the contest out.

South Dakota won its seventh all-time Summit League Championship. The Jackrabbits earned their second Summit League title in the previous three seasons. SDSU will be making their seventh NCAA Tournament appearance at the Division I level.

The Jackrabbits improved to 22-12 overall this season with the win, while Denver's slate ended with a 17-17 record.

Five different Jackrabbits scored in double digits. Appel and Zeke Mayo led SDSU with 16 points apiece. Appel had eight rebounds and four assists while Mayo had six rebounds and three assists. William Kyle III recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Mims and Garry each scored 11 points with the latter dishing our four assists. Charlie Easley had six rebounds for the Jacks.

Notes

The Jackrabbits are now 28-9 all-time at The Summit League tournament. SDSU is now 7-1 all-time in the conference title game. The Jackrabbits have won the Summit crown previously in 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022.
Named to the conference's All-Tournament Team were Appel, Kyle III and Mayo. Kyle III was honored as the Tournament MVP.

Up Next
The Jackrabbits await to hear their name called on the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Selection Show. The men's tournament will be revealed at 5 p.m. CT on CBS. Watch party location details will be announced when finalized.

-GoJacks.com-