North Dakota Faces South Dakota State in Summit League Matchup

BROOKINGS, SD – The North Dakota Fighting Hawks (16-14, 10-4 Summit League) travel to Brookings, South Dakota, on Saturday to face the South Dakota State Jackrabbits (12-16, 5-8 Summit League) at 3 p.m. EST. North Dakota comes into the contest following a decisive 85-70 victory over UMKC, fueled by a 23-point performance from Greyson Uelmen.

Recent Form

South Dakota State has struggled at home, posting an 8-4 record at Frost Arena this season. The Jackrabbits average 10.8 turnovers per game and have a 6-6 record when winning the turnover battle. North Dakota has been strong in conference play, holding a 10-4 record against Summit League opponents, and boasts a 7-1 record in games decided by less than four points.

Previous Matchup

North Dakota secured a 90-87 overtime victory against South Dakota State on January 3rd. Greyson Uelmen led the Fighting Hawks with 17 points, while Joe Sayler paced the Jackrabbits with 27 points. ESPN provides a detailed game recap of that contest.

Key Players

Damon Wilkinson leads the Jackrabbits in scoring, averaging 13.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Joe Sayler has been particularly strong recently, averaging 15.8 points over his last ten games. For North Dakota, Greyson Uelmen is the leading scorer with 15.4 points per game, alongside 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Eli King contributes 12 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.4 steals over his last ten games.

Statistical Overview

South Dakota State averages 75.4 points per game, 1.8 fewer than the 77.2 points North Dakota concedes. North Dakota shoots 43.6% from the field, slightly higher than the 42.9% shooting percentage allowed by South Dakota State opponents.

Team Statistics

Over their last ten games, the Jackrabbits have a 3-7 record, averaging 73.3 points, 31.8 rebounds, 13.9 assists, 6.2 steals, and 2.5 blocks while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents average 73.1 points per game. The Fighting Hawks are 7-3 in their last ten, averaging 80.7 points, 29.7 rebounds, 10.2 assists, 7.8 steals, and 2.7 blocks, shooting 45.5% from the field, while opponents score 79.4 points per game.