Jackrabbits, Eagles face off Wednesday

Wednesday, December 18

Brookings, S.D.

7 p.m.

South Dakota State University

Florida Gulf Coast

Tickets

Photo by: SDSU Sports Information

12/16/2019 10:43:00 AM | Men's Basketball

GAME 14: South Dakota State (7-6) vs. Florida Gulf Coast (2-10)

When	Wednesday, Dec. 18 \| 7 p.m.
Where	Frost Arena \| Brookings, S.D.
Live Audio / Radio	Jackrabbits All-Access \| Jackrabbit Sports Network I WNAX 570 AM \| Tyler Merriam
Television / Live Video	Midco Sports Network \| Jackrabbits All-Access \| Tom Nieman, Brad Newitt & Elaina Lanson
Live Stats	GoJacksLive.com
Game Notes	South Dakota State \| Florida Gulf Coast
Social Media	Twitter I Facebook

Previewing the Game
Jackrabbit basketball continues its three-game homestand Wednesday as Florida Gulf Coast comes to Frost Arena. Tipoff in Brookings is set for 7 p.m.

Wednesday's game sponsor is Century 21.

The Jackrabbits are 6-0 at home this season and are in the midst of a three-game stay at Frost Arena. SDSU has won 14 consecutive games in Brookings, currently the nation's sixth-longest active home winning streak. The Jacks defeated Nebraska-Kearney 66-53 last Saturday, bouncing back after a midweek loss to Colorado State.

Florida Gulf Coast (2-10), recognized for its "Dunk City" nickname from previous year's NCAA success, makes a trip to Brookings after the Jackrabbits battled the Eagles a year ago in Fort Myers, Florida as part of the Gulf Coast Showcase. FGCU has been off since Dec. 7 when the Eagles dropped a 64-59 contest to Robert Morris.

The Jackrabbits are 1-2 all-time against the Eagles. SDSU lost 84-75 last season on the road, but previously topped the Eages 56-52 in Fort Myers, Florida in 2015. The first matchup came in 2014 at the Sanford Pentagon.

About South Dakota State
The Jackrabbit men's basketball team enters the week one vcitory away from securing a winning record in the first half of the season. Growth and competition have been on display throughout the first 13 games, as new head coach Eric Henderson blends seven newcomers and nine underclassman into a roster with six returning letterwinners.

The fresh look has seen the Jackrabbits shoot 44.8 percent field with 84 3-pointers. SDSU has hit 186 of its 267 charity stripe attempts and is 7-1 in games where it shoots more free throws than its opponent.

Douglas Wilson has reached double figures in 11 of 13 contests this season with three double-doubles. The Des Moines, Iowa native leads the team with 16.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, ranking fourth in the Summit League in scoring average. The two-time NJCAA All-American and 2018-19 NJCAA Player of the Year is shooting 59.6 percent from the field and 66.2 percent at the line.

Brandon Key (10.1 points per game) has been electric at the point, posting six double-digit scoring performances on the season with 59 assists (4.5 per game). He has a 1.51 assist-to-turnover ratio and is back for the Jackrabbits after redshirting a year ago. The Milwaukee, Wisconsin native had 112 assists in 2017-18.

Matt Dentlinger has turned in a pair of double-doubles, most recently in a 17-point, 11-rebound performance against North Alabama. Dentlinger is third on the team with 9.3 points and second at 6.0 rebounds per game. He has sunk 47-of-85 (55.3 percent) from the field, including a run of 13 consecutive makes between the Arizona, Mississippi Valley State and Samford contests (going 8-for-8 against MVSU).

Alex Arians (24.8 minutes per game) and Noah Freidel (23.7 minutes per game) join the three Jackrabbits above as every-game starters.

Arians' 6.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game provide a steady-presence in the three-spot, tallying double figures in the last two games (16 versus Nebraska-Kearney and 10 against Colorado State).

Freidel, the 2019 Argus Leader Class A Player of the Year, currently sits fourth on the team in scoring (7.5 points per game) and tied for first in made 3-pointers (20). He has reached double figures in five games, burying five 3-pointers in a win over Samford with a 20-point effort.

David Wingett (7.4 ppg) has 20 3-pointers and 11 steals, second on the team in swipes behind Brandon Key's 14.

Tray Buchanan is sixth in scoring after two 15-point games in the last three weeks, tallying a 6.9 per game scoring average with a .540 field goal percentage.

Baylor Scheierman has played 19.4 minutes per game in his first collegiate season, dishing 20 assists with 85 points (6.5 per game). The Aurora, Nebraska native has also pulled down 4.2 rebounds per contest and hit eight 3-pointers.

About Florida Gulf Coast
Florida Gulf Coast has lost five straight games entering Wednesday's action, but has been idle for the last week and a half after a run of five games in eight days.

The Eagles are minus-10 in scoring margin averaging 59.7 points per game, shooting 36.5 percent from the field. The Eagles have hit 86 3-pointers (7.2 per game) at a clip of 28.6 percent, and are minus-3.3 on the boards at 36 rebounds per contest.

Zach Scott is the lone Eagle to average double figures (12.5 points per game), sinking a team-best 28 3-pointers with 24 steals and 54 rebounds (4.5 per game).

Caleb Catto (9.8 points per game) and Jalen Warren (9.1 ppg) round out the top offensive threats for FGCU. Catto is shooting 33.1 percent from the field with 10 steals and 18 3-pointers, while Warren's 39 assists lead the team.

Justin Rainwater (6.8 ppg) has 85 rebounds (7.1 per game) and 17 blocks on the year, just behind Dakota Rivers (20 blocks) for the team-lead in swats.

Michael Fly is in his second season as head coach of the Eagles and holds a 16-28 record at the helm. He previously spent seven seasons as an assistant at FGCU.

A South Dakota State Win Would ...
Make SDSU 8-6 on the year, 2-2 all-time against FGCU ... move SDSU to 7-0 at home with 15 consecutive wins at Frost Arena ... give State a 1,543-1,046-1 program mark.

A South Dakota State Loss Would ...
Deal the Jackrabbits their first home loss in 2019-20 and move the team to 7-7 on the year ... snap a 14-game home winning streak ... make SDSU 1-3 all-time against Florida Gulf Coast ... give the Jacks a 1,542-1,047-1 program mark.

SDSU Adjusts Dec. 21 Schedule
South Dakota State men's basketball has announced a time change for its Dec. 21 contest against Idaho. Originally scheduled for 7 p.m., both teams have agreed to shift tip time to noon at Frost Arena.

The move accommodates holiday travel for both programs and respective student-athletes.

Wilson Honored by Summit League
Douglas Wilson was selected as the Summit League's Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week, announced Nov. 11.

Wilson posted a monster debut week for the Jackrabbits, averaging 21 points and 8.7 rebounds per contest with a trio of double-figure scoring performances. Wilson helped SDSU to a 3-0 record to begin the year, scoring 24, 13 and 26 against UTRGV, Peru State and CSU Bakersfield, respectively. Wilson tallied his first-career double-double in the win over CSU Bakersfield with a game-high 13 rebounds.

Basketball Coaches Show Returns Dec. 30
The Jackrabbit Basketball Coaches Show returns to Cubby's Sports Bar and Grill in downtown Brookings on Dec. 30. The hour-long show covering the 2019-20 basketball season tips off every Monday at 6 p.m. through March 2.

Hosted by Tyler Merriam, the weekly look at the South Dakota State basketball teams features interviews with head men's coach Eric Henderson and head women's coach Aaron Johnston, as well as segments with Jackrabbit student-athletes and members of the coaching staff.

Fans can attend in person and will be eligible for weekly drawings.

The show also airs live on flagship radio station WNAX 570 AM and Jackrabbit Sports Network affiliates, and can be heard live or on-demand for free via Jackrabbits All-Access and the Jackrabbit App.

New Faces, New Roles
South Dakota State's lineup will feature new roles and new faces throughout the season, as the Jackrabbits return only 16.9 percent of their scoring from 2018-19, and 10.7 percent of their 3-point makes. SDSU's 15.8 points per game returning ranks sixth-lowest nationally, and the 16.9 percent back is the third-lowest margin (according to available records).

#FearFrost

The Jacks own a 109-6 record at Frost Arena over the last seven seasons dating back to 2011-12, which includes perfect home records in five of the last seven years. That span includes two home winning streaks of 30 or more games and three of 25 or more.
The Jackrabbits' current home winning streak of 14 games is sixth-longest in NCAA Division I.
Since 2011-12, South Dakota State has won 94.8 percent of its home games, a mark that top all Division I programs in that span. South Dakota State won 34 consecutive games from Jan. 30, 2014 to Dec. 28, 2016. It ended as the nation's second-longest active streak.
The Jackrabbits won 30 consecutive home games from Jan. 29, 2011 to Nov. 14, 2013.
SDSU won 26 consecutive home games from Dec. 31, 2016 to Dec. 22, 2018.
South Dakota State won 34 consecutive home nonconference games inside Frost Arena from Dec. 31, 2016 to Dec. 22, 2018. That mark was the fourth-longest active streak when it ended.
SDSU put together undefeated seasons inside Frost Arena the following years: 1984-85 (18-0), 2002-03 (17-0), 2011-12 (14-0), 2012-13 (13-0), 2014-15 (13-0), 2015-16 (12-0) and 2017-18 (15-0).

Quick Hits

SDSU is second nationally with 516 rebounds on the year.
The Jackrabbits sit ninth in free throw attempts and 12th in charity stripe makes through Dec. 15.
Douglas Wilson is ninth nationally with 84 field goals this season, ranking 34th in field goal percentage and 22nd in total points.
South Dakota State has played five games against opponents this year it had not previously met.
The Jackrabbits held Mississippi Valley State to 17 first-half points on Nov. 24, 2019. That is the fewest since South Dakota State held Chadron State to 12 first-half points on Nov. 24, 2014.
SDSU's 93-91 victory over CSU Bakersfield saw five Jackrabbits reach double figures for the first time in 2019-20. The feat last happened Jan. 31, 2019 against Oral Roberts.
State posted back-to-back 50-rebound games to open the season. The last time an SDSU program had 50-plus rebounds in consecutive games was Dec. 15 and 27, 2002 against Finlandia (60) and Fort Lewis (58). The Jacks also had three-straight games with 50-plus rebounds that season: Nov. 23, 29 and 30.
Douglas Wilson's 24 points on Nov. 5 are the most in a Jackrabbit debut dating back to 2000-01, when game-by-game statistics were readily available.
SDSU went 13-0 when holding opponents under 70 points last season (11-9 when not) and scored 70-plus points in 32 of 33 contests. The Jackrabbits were 12-0 when holding opponents under 70 points in 2017-18. The Jacks have accomplished the feat five times this year and are 4-1 in those contests, with the lone loss coming at Indiana.
At least one Jackrabbit has scored in double figures over the last 387 games dating back to Jan. 12, 2008 at IUPUI when Anthony Cordova had nine points to lead the Jacks.
State has made at least one 3-pointer in 417 consecutive games. The last time the Jackrabbits did not make a 3-point field goal was Jan. 25, 2007
SDSU is 94-18 all-time in home openers (where records available). Dating back to 2004-05, SDSU's first year of DI transition, SDSU is 12-4 in those games.
SDSU is 75-39 in season-openers all-time. The Jacks are 8-8 in season-opening games at the Division I level.

State Adds Two on National Signing Day
South Dakota State men's basketball announced a pair of signees on National Signing Day, with William Mfum and Noah King set to join the Jackrabbits in fall 2020.

William Mfum enters his senior campaign at Spring Creek Academy (Plano, Texas) on a high note, earning All-Texas Christian Athletic League and All-City First Team honors as a junior. Mfum averaged 19.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in 2018-19, burying 34 3-pointers and hitting 47 percent from the field. The 6-2 guard scored 20 or more points in nine games a year ago and had one double-double. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Mfum is the son of Stella Nyarko and Seth Adjei and plans to major in business management.

Noah King averaged 19 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.0 steals per game as a junior, helping his team reach the section 1AA semifinals. The 6-2 guard has scored over 1,900 points in his prep career and is closing in on the school's all-time scoring record. King also led Caledonia's football team to a state championship in 2018 and will compete in the 2019 Class 2A Minnesota State Football Semifinals next week. The younger brother of current Jackrabbit Owen King, Noah hails from Caledonia, Minnesota and is the son of Brad and Susan King. He is undecided on his major.

Jackrabbits in Two Scheduling Agreements
Summit League teams are in year two of scheduling agreements with the Western Athletic Conference and Big Sky.

The Jackrabbits took on Grand Canyon last year in the first year of the Summit League/WAC challenge, defeating the Lopes in the 2018-19 season opener. Year two of the challenge sent SDSU to face CSU Bakersfield Nov. 9, where the Jacks claimed a 93-91 double-overtime win.

The scheduling agreement with the Big Sky is a four-year contract. The Jackrabbits will play the following games as part of the deal:

2018-19: Montana (home; L, 74-85), Eastern Washington (away; W, 74-64)
2019-20: Idaho (home), Montana State (away; L, 70-77)
2020-21: Eastern Washington (home), Montana (away)
2021-22: Montana State (home), Idaho (away)

Tough Tests
South Dakota State played four Power Five (ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, PAC-12) opponents in the 2019-20 nonleague season, facing USC, Nebraska, Arizona and Indiana in November. Though the Jacks went winless in those games, they led for a majority of the contest at Arizona, and held Indiana (a top-10 scoring offense) to a season-low 64 points.

South Dakota State has seven wins over Power Five programs since joining The Summit League in 2007, picking up victories over Iowa State (2008), Iowa (2010 and 2017), Washington (2011), TCU (2015), Minnesota (2015) and Ole Miss (2017).

SDSU's wins over Iowa and Ole Miss in 2017-18 came in the shortest time frame of any Summit League team since 1998 (seven days). The Jackrabbits are the fifth league team to post a win over separate Power Five conferences in the same regular season, and the first to do it since 2009.

Jacks Picked Fifth in Preseason Poll
South Dakota State men's basketball earned two first-place votes and was tabbed fifth in the 2019-20 Summit League men's basketball preseason poll, released in October.

The poll is voted on by league coaches, sports information directors and select media.

Jackrabbits' Last Time Out
South Dakota State men's basketball took care of business Friday night at Frost Arena with a 66-53 win over Nebraska-Kearney.

SDSU spread the scoring around as Douglas Wilson and Alex Arians led the way with 16 points. Wilson added nine rebounds and was 4-of-6 at the charity stripe. Arians sank a pair of 3-pointers and grabbed four boards.

Brandon Key scored eight and dished out a team-leading six assists. David Wingett scored eight alongside five rebounds.

After a slow start from both teams, the Jackrabbits kicked it into gear with a 10-2 run, building towards a 12-5 lead midway through the first half. UNK made up ground to draw even at 16, but a 9-0 Jackrabbit run after the under-eight media break gave SDSU breathing room on its way to a 32-26 halftime lead.

The Jacks pushed the lead to double figures for the first time on a Wilson layup at the 13-minute mark amidst a 7-0 Jackrabbit rally. UNK drew back to within nine before SDSU tacked on another 10-2 run to seal the victory.

Opponent Last Time Out
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Early fouls came back to haunt the FGCU men's basketball team as it dropped a 64-59 result to Robert Morris on Saturday night at Alico Arena. In a game that saw nine lead changes and nine ties, it was ultimately the Colonials' trips to the charity stripe in the final minutes that made the difference.

"We're frustrated because I think we are a better team than our record shows. I thought tonight we saw us take some positive steps forward in certain areas, we're just a play or two away, unfortunately, from really having success. I still think we are going to mature into a good team, but the scoreboard just isn't indicating that right now. It's hard to win games when you are young and inexperienced. These are some growing pains that I know frustrate our fans, who have been so tremendously supportive of us, but I do see a bright future ahead for us."

Though FGCU (2-10) opened up the night with a 5-0 run, Robert Morris (3-8) eventually broke the seal around the 17-minute mark and proceeded to take its first lead of the game shortly after. Redshirt sophomore Malik Hardy (Miramar, Fla.) gave the home team a 21-20 edge with two minutes left in the first half, but the Colonials responded with an 8-0 run to take a 28-21 advantage into the break.

In the opening minutes of the second half, Robert Morris continued to find success on the offensive end of the floor and led by as much as 11 at one point. The Green and Blue slowly chipped away at the lead until a dunk from junior Justus Rainwater (Enumclaw, Wash.) and an ensuing free throw pulled the home team within two at the 11:36 mark.

FGCU eventually took its first lead since the opening half when senior Tracy Hector Jr. (Riverdale, Ga.) found sophomore Zach Scott (Miami, Fla.), who made a layup that put the team up 46-45 with just under seven minutes to go. The Colonials used being in the bonus to their advantage and tried to pull away with free throws until Scott tied things up once again at 49 points apiece with five minutes left in the game.

The teams kept things close in the final minutes of play. Sophomore Caleb Catto's (Cape Coral, Fla.) back-to-back treys regained the lead for the home team at 55-54 with four and a half minutes to go, but Robert Morris' trips to the charity stripe powered the visiting team past the Eagles.

A free throw by junior Jalen Warren (Milton, Ontario) cut the edge down to just three in the final seconds of play, but the home team could not find the momentum to overtake the Colonials.

Despite the loss, FGCU held a 28-20 advantage in points in the paint, which was boosted by a perfect 5-of-5 night from Rainwater. In addition to his 11-point contribution, both Scott (14) and Warren (12) finished with double-digit points. The Eagles also held a 38-36 advantage in second-half scoring, but it wasn't enough to overcome Robert Morris' first-half margin.

-GoJacks.com-