VERMILLION South Dakota State held off a late rally from South Dakota on Sunday afternoon in the mens version of the Interstate Series and the Jackrabbits came away with a 94-91 victory.
SDSU looked as though it was going to win with ease as it led 88-73 with 3:39 to go. The lead was then 90-77 with 2:32 to go and Paul Bruns knocked down a 3-pointer and converted an and-one to make it 90-83 with 1:44 to go.
The Jacks turned it over on the ensuing inbound pass and Chase Forte made a layup to make it a five-point game with 1:33 to play. Owen Larson knocked down a pair of free throws to push the lead back to seven but then back-to-back tip ins from Isaac Bruns and Forte made it 92-89 with 25 seconds left.
The Jacks then turned it over again in the back court and that gave USD the ball with 19 seconds left. Isaac Bruns then took a tough 3-pointer with six seconds and it hit the front of the rim and landed in the hands of Joe Sayler. Sayler calmly knocked down two free throws to make it a five-point game again and Isaac Bruns made a lay up just before the buzzer to make the final 94-91.
USD started the game hot as the Coyotes led 15-6 six and a half minutes into the game. SDSU then used a 10-2 run to tie the game at 19-19 with 10:36 left in the first half. The Jacks took their first lead of the game at the 5:53 mark of the first half on an Oscar Cluff tip-in. However, the Coyotes took a 42-40 lead into halftime.
SDSUs Jaden Jackson hit three 3-pointers in the second half and the last one gave the Jacks a 66-56 with 10:35 left in the game. The Jacks then led 80-70 and used a 10-3 run to make it a 15-point game and that set up the final 3:39.
The Jacks shot 49.2% from the field. SDSU struggled from three in the first half but finished the day 8-of-20 from beyond the arc.
Cluff had his fourth 20-15 game of the season with 21 points and 16 rebounds. Jackson had a career-high 19 points. Mors had 15 points and Sayler had 10 points.
USD shot 47% from the field and was 10-of-30 from three. Isaac Bruns had 21 points to lead the Coyotes. Quandre Bullock had 20 points and Forte had 16 points. Mayuom Boum had 10 points and six rebounds.
The Jacks had a 44-30 advantage in rebounds. SDSU had 15 turnovers and USD had seven. The Jacks were 22-of-26 at the free throw line and the Coyotes were 19-of-26.
It was the 10th-straight win for the Jacks over the Coyotes. SDSU improved to 18-9 overall and 9-3 in conference play. The Jacks sit a game behind St. Thomas for first place in the Summit League and half a game back of Omaha for second place.
SDSU will return home for two games next week. The Jacks will host North Dakota State on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and then Kansas City on Sunday at 1 p.m.
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