Summit League Preview: South Dakota State Men at Denver, Omaha

South Dakota State will get two chances this week to do something they have yet to do in the 2017 Summit League schedule - win on the road.

The Jackrabbits, winless in three away games so far, open week five of conference action, tonight (January 25) at Denver.

The Pioneers (12-8/4-3) enter the week as one of two teams (South Dakota) in second place, two games back of North Dakota State. They feature a young team with no seniors in the starting lineup for new head coach Rodney Billups.

Guard Joe Rosga (16 points per game), center Daniel Amigo (15 points per game), and forward C.J. Bobbitt (10 points per game) all average in double figures.  Rosga is the the top ten in the league in assists and fewest turnovers. Amigo is fifth in field goal percentage and sixth in rebounding.

As a team, Denver is the most accurate shooting team (50.4%) in the Summit League. They also league the conference in assists and are second in rebounding.

Tipoff is 8:00 PM (CT) in Denver.

Saturday (January 28), South Dakota State starts the second half of Summit League play when they travel to Omaha.

The Mavericks (11-10/4-4) average five players in doubled figures. Four (Marcus Tyus, Tre' Shawn Thurman, Tra-Deon Hollins, and Zach Jackson) are starters. Mitch Hahn averages 11 points off the bench.

Tyus is third in the league in steals. Thurman is third in rebounding. Hollins is the NCAA career leader in steals and also is tops in the Summit in assists and fewest turnovers this season.

As a team, UNO is second in points per game and opponents' three-point percentage.

Tipoff is 7:00 PM in Omaha.

The Mavericks won the first meeting (January 7 in Brookings), 101-93, as they jumped out to a 21-point halftime lead and held off a late SDSU charge.

Tyus led the way with 34 points, including eight of Omaha's 16 three-pointers. Mike Daum (28 points/10 rebounds) led SDSU.

Last week, the Jackrabbits split a pair of games.

Wednesday (January 18), the fell 85-83, in overtime, at IUPUI.

The Jaguars got the game-winner from Darrell Combs with 1.8 seconds left.

South Dakota State shot better than 55 percent from the floor in Indianapolis, but were outscored 33-12 from the three-point line.

The Jackrabbits bounced back Saturday (January 21) with a 77-67 win at home over pre-season favorite Fort Wayne.

SDSU rode a career night from Daum for the victory. The pre-season player of the year hit a school-record 10 three-pointers, while going 14-of-23 from the field, to finish with 42 poiojts. His 10 rebounds carried him towards his sixth double-double of the season and paced the team on the boards as well.

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