South Dakota State's Anthony Cordova goes up for two of his 13 points over the defense of Southern Utah's Dallin Bachynski in the first half of the Jacks? 84-60 Summit League win over the T-Birds on Thursday at Frost Arena. The Jacks improved to 12-11 overall, 8-4 in The Summit, and host UMKC on Saturday night. Troy Maroney/Register

Just a week after the Jackrabbit men's basketball team picked up their first-ever Summit League season sweep, they did it again.

Against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds Thursday night, South Dakota State rode a second-half surge to an 84-60 win at Frost Arena in front of 1,312 fans.

"It is obviously nice to win, but we expect to (sweep teams in the regular season series)," Jackrabbit center Mark Engen said. "It just feels normal right now, in the past it has been where we get a win and celebrate . Right now we know we are an older team and expected to win."

It was a tale of two halves for the Jackrabbits (12-11 , 8-4 Summit League). Despite shooting 52 percent and out rebounding its opponent by six, SDSU found itself up by just three points at the half against Southern Utah (6-16 , 2-9 Summit League).

The second half was a completely different story.

While the Jacks shot 52 percent from the field, they also forced 11 second half turnovers while allowing the T-Birds to shoot just 31 percent from the field. There was also extra effort offensively and defensively, as SDSU out-rebounded the struggling Thunderbirds 39-22 in the game.

The Jacks also won the hustle plays; picking up seven of their 12 steals in the second half, which translated to a 10-2 second-half scoring advantage on fast-break plays.

"We just didn't have any energy and they had the pace of the game the way that they wanted it," said SDSU head coach Scott Nagy. "Then in the second half, we got some steals and some things going. They've struggled taking care of the ball.

"Their guards are so young, so we tried to pressure them more then we pressure other teams. We forced 20 turnovers tonight, so we did a good job there. We were out in passing lanes a little bit more than we normally are and got some things going in the second half."

But it was the post presence of the Jacks that left Nagy pleased and Southern Utah flustered .

Engen and Anthony Cordova combined for 21 points and nine rebounds. Both were key in sparking mini-runs of 6-0 , 7-0 and 8-0 for the Jacks throughout, while getting the Thunderbirds' post players in foul trouble.

"That's what we need; we need less three's and more inside play," a pleased Nagy said. "That's the way our really good teams have done it. That's the way we want to do it is go inside, out.

"Anthony looked like he had a much better pace to him tonight and I think that helped Mark also do better. Mark did a nice job tonight, too."

For Garrett Callahan and the Jackrabbits it is just another expected win for a team that has struggled mightily in recent history . The win also set a regularseason Summit League win total record for SDSU.

"We're just a year older, everyone knows that," said Callahan. "It was just games like this that used to go down to the wire. This year we just put them away and we know that we can. That's the big difference between the guys, we know what we're supposed to do."

Callahan's 17 points led the Jacks, as the Seneca, Ill., senior jumped into the Top-10 scorers in school history. Clint Sargent scored 14, Anthony Cordova 13 and Kai Williams 12 points in the win. Williams also pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds for his third double-double of the season all three of them in the last five games.

Engen added a career-high eight points in 10 minutes; going 3-for-3 from the floor and 2-for-2 from the foul line.

The Jacks return to action on Saturday, when they host UMKC in the 38th Annual Pork Classic at 7:30 p.m. The Kangaroos sit at 10-12 overall, 4-7 in league play, after a 58-56 win at North Dakota State on Thursday in Fargo.

"We are where we need to be in terms of being competitive in every game," Nagy said. "For the first time, I know going into every game, it feels like I used to feel where we are going to be competitive and play. It's been a long time since I have felt like that, but I feel that way now with our basketball team."

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 84,

SOUTHERN UTAH 60

Southern Utah (6-16 , 2-9 )

Davis Baker 6-13 2-4 17; Damon Heuir 3-6 1-1 9; Matt Massey 4-11 0-0 8; Dallin Bachynski 2-5 2-3 6; Jordan Weirick 1-4 2-2 5; Jake Nielson 1-3 3-4 5; Scott Friel 2-2 1-1 5; Drew Allen 1-4 0-0 3; Matt Hodsgon 0-1 2-2 2; Ryan Ryan Brimley 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-50 13-17 60.

South Dakota State (12-11 , 8-4 )

Garrett Callahan 7-12 0-0 17; Clint Sargent 4-6 4-5 14; Anthony Cordova 4-10 5-7 13; Kai Williams 4-7 4-4 12; Mark Engen 3-3 2-2 8; Nate Wolters 2-5 4-6 8; Michael Palarca 1-2 2-2 4; Tony Fiegen 0-0 4-4 4; James Rader 1-1 0-0 3; Griffan Callahan 0-2 1-2 1; Dwight Pederson 0-0 0-0 0; Josh Cassaday 0-0 0-0 0; Payton Tivis 0-0 0-0 0; Dale Moss 0-2 0-2 0. Totals 26-50 26-34 84.

Halftime South Dakota State 34-31 .

3-point goals SUU 7-15 (Baker 3-4 ; Heuir 2-3 ; Weirick 1-2 ; Allen 1-3 ; Brimley 0-1 ; Nielson 0-1 ; Massey 0-1 ), SDSU 6-17 (Ga. Callahan 3-7 ; Sargent 2-4 ; Rader 1-1 ; Wolters 0-2 ; Palarca 0-1 ; Gr. Callahan 0-1 ; Williams 0-1 ). Rebounds SUU 22 (Baker 5), SDSU 39 (Williams 12). Assists SUU 9 (Baker 4), SDSU 11 (Palarca 3).Total fouls SUU 22, SDSU 19. Fouled out Hodsgon. Technical fouls None. A-1,312.