College men’s basketball: Jackrabbits pulls away from Mount Marty

BROOKINGS It took awhile, but the South Dakota State men eventually pulled away from Mount Marty on Monday night at Frost Arena. The score was 41-41 at halftime but the Jackrabbits then outscored the Lancers 51-29 in the second half and came away with a 92-70 victory.

SDSU (3-4) led 22-13 just over nine and a half minutes into the game. The Lancers (0-3) then went on an 11-0 run to take their first lead of the game with just under eight minutes left in the first half. The two teams then traded baskets and a Zeke Mayo lay up with 34 seconds left in the half made it 41-41 as the two teams headed to the locker room.

The Jacks led 55-51 four minutes into the second half and went on a 10-0 run to go up 65-51 with 12 minutes to play. SDSU then extended its lead 84-63 with 3:50 left in the game and was able to cruise to a victory. The Jacks largest lead of the game came with 57 seconds left as they led 92-65.

The Jacks were without two of their starters in Matt Mims and Charlie Easley. Mims has yet to play this season due to a foot injury and Easleys injury was undisclosed.

SDSU shot 53.6% from the field and was 10-of-29 from beyond the arc. Luke Appel led the Jacks with 16 points and four rebounds. Freshman Bubz Alaverez started his first collegiate game in place of Easley and scored 14 points and had three rebounds and two assists.

William Kyle III had 13 points and seven rebounds for SDSU. Zeke Mayo had 12 points and five rebounds. Kalen Garry had 10 points and Nate Barnhart and Matthew Mors each had nine points.

The Lancers shot 43.6% from the field and were 13-of-28 from three. Cole Bowen led Mount Marty with 22 points and he was 4-of-5 from three. Flandreau native Tash Lunday had 17 points and eight rebounds. He made five threes as well. Nine other Lancers scored.

SDSU won the rebound battle 35-31. The Jacks had just four turnovers and the Lancers had 15. SDSU scored 18 points off of those turnovers.

The Jacks will stay in South Dakota for their next two games. SDSU plays Towson at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls on Friday at 7 p.m. and hosts Kent State in Brookings on Dec. 5 at 8:15 p.m.