JACKRABBITS POWER PAST ROOS

Saturday, January 17

Brookings, S.D.

4:15 p.m.

South Dakota State University

10-10,3-2Summit League

Kansas City

4-16,1-5Summit League

Kansas City

South Dakota St.

Alec Squires

Photo by: Sydney Jorgenson

1/17/2026 8:33:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Andrew Pedersen

BROOKINGS, S.D. – South Dakota State outscored Kansas City by 24 points over the final eight minutes of their Summit League men's basketball matchup on Saturday, Jan. 17, to close out a 90-62 victory inside First Bank & Trust Arena.

The Jackrabbits led for a majority of the contest, but couldn't push their advantage to double digits for the first 32 minutes of the matchup. The first half featured seven lead changes, and four tie scores, before SDSU eventually took a 36-32 edge into the halftime break.

Kansas City recorded the second half's first field goal to make it a one-possession game. SDSU followed with a seven-point scoring run, however the Roos hung with the Jacks late into the proceedings.

It was a 58-54 score when SDSU's Joe Sayler made a free throw with 7 minutes, 59 seconds remaining. That began a 15-point scoring run for the Jackrabbits that was capped by a Sayler 3-pointer at the 5:37 mark to push the South Dakota State lead to 19.

Another 13-0 scoring stretch for SDSU gave the Jacks their largest advantage of 30 as the clock dipped under a minute to play.

The Jackrabbits matched their season-best field goal percentage by shooting 61.7%. The Roos were held to 39.3% from the field while both teams connected on seven 3-pointers.

SDSU outrebounded the Roos 36-28. The Jacks' 21 assists were their third most in a game this season.

South Dakota State was led by Sayler's 22 points, 19 of which came in the second half. Alec Squires scored a career-high 14 points by going 6 of 6 from the field. He also had a career-high three steals. Matthew Mors notched his first career double-double as he scored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. He also dished out a career-best four assists.

Kansas City was led by Kasheem Grady II who scored 14 points. Joining him in double digits were Karmello Branch (12) and Jerome Palm (11). CJ Evans had a game-high seven assists.

The Jackrabbits improved to 10-10 overall and 3-2 in Summit League action. Kansas City fell to 4-16 (1-5). The meeting was played in front of a season-high attendance of 4,451 spectators.

NOTES

South Dakota State improved to 25-7 all-time against the Roos. The Jackrabbits have won 19 of the last 21 matchups against Kansas City, including 13 straight in Brookings.
Six Jackrabbits scored in double digits which included Kalen Garry (12), Damon Wilkinson (11) and Jaden Jackson (10). It's the first time SDSU has achieved that feat in a single game in nearly three years, doing so previously in a game against North Dakota in February of 2023.
Jackson and Garry had five assists and three steals apiece. Jackson's assist output matched his season high.
The Jackrabbits had 19 points off 11 Kansas City turnovers. That total is SDSU's most against a Division I opponent this season. The Jacks also had 56 points in the paint which was their highest output this year.

UP NEXT
South Dakota State goes on the road for its next matchup. The Jackrabbits travel to St. Paul, Minn., to take on St. Thomas on Thursday. The Jacks and Tommies square off in Lee & Penny Anderson Arena at 8 p.m.

-GoJacks.com-