South Dakota State held their winter/spring sports media day on Wednesday where each coach took the podium to recap last season and share their hopes for the year ahead.
The South Dakota State men’s basketball team finished their 2023-24 campaign with a 22-13 record and went 12-4 in the Summit League. The Jackrabbits won the Summit League Tournament and made their seventh NCAA Tournament appearance, but this year’s team will look a whole lot different than the one we saw last season. Nine of the 15 players on SDSU’s roster have yet to log minutes in a college basketball game.
The South Dakota State women’s team enters the new season in a very different spot. The Jackrabbits return everyone other than Tori Nelson from a team that went 27-6 overall, 16-0 in conference, won the Summit League and made another NCAA Tournament appearance last year.
South Dakota State men’s basketball gelling quickly in “exciting, competitive” environment
Everyone has been focused on what South Dakota State has lost since their successful run through the Summit League Tournament and NCAA Tournament appearance. The Jackrabbits were even voted to finish second in the Summit League in the conference preseason poll in large part because of the unknown of their roster.
But while losing five starters certainly brings questions as to what SDSU can accomplish this season, it’s also provided a unique environment for practices.
“They said it to us. ‘It’s like we got five starters who left, so that’s a bunch of minutes, a bunch of production, and those shoes will need to be filled.’ And so I think that’s kind of helped light a fire,” junior forward Matthew Mors said. “This is my third year here now, and this is the most competitive It’s been every day.”
The team came together over the summer and in addition to practicing they had a number of team functions – including bowling, paintballing, and golfing – to accelerate the gelling process. Junior forward Nate Barnhart pinpointed Bubz Alvarez, Mors, and transfers Isaac Lindsey and Oscar Cluff as players who have stood out in practices thus far.
Despite the unknowns of who will step in to fill the bigger roles on the team, the Jackrabbits enter the new season with a quiet sense of confidence and excitement.
“Just because we have a bunch of new guys, the expectations don’t change,” South Dakota State men’s basketball coach Eric Henderson said during his speech.
The Jackrabbits will play an exhibition against Black Hills State in the First Bank and Trust Arena on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 8:15 p.m.
Depth a good problem to have for South Dakota State women’s basketball
The South Dakota State women’s basketball program will return 83% of their minutes from last season, 87% of their points, 93% of their three-pointers, 85% of their rebounds, and 82% of their assists.
The only significant loss from the team that won the Summit League title a year ago is Tori Nelson. In addition to not losing significant production to graduation, the Jackrabbits also bring back Haleigh Timmer and Kallie Theisen who both missed all of last season due to injury.
Timmer won Summit League Tournament MVP in 2023 while Theisen was voted Sixth Woman of the Year that same season. SDSU women’s basketball coach Aaron Johnston said the Jackrabbits will have eight returning players who have some sort of starting experience. After a year chock full of injuries, having that much experience will be a welcomed sight.
“Last year some of our players had to log almost too many minutes and that can take a toll,” South Dakota State women’s basketball coach Aaron Johnston said.
Some players may have to adjust to smaller roles but Johnston doesn’t envision that becoming a problem. He’s had discussions with the team since the spring about how talented this team will be and the need to put the team first.
“We’re going to have to have a team that’s willing to give and think of others. If we have a team that just thinks of themselves, that’s going to be hard,” Johnston said. “We’ve been talking to everybody about it in recruiting, so I think everybody knows and knew coming into it, this is what this year was going to be.”
SDSU will play an exhibition against St. Cloud State in the First Bank and Trust Arena on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 6 p.m.
Jonathan Fernandez covers high school and college sports for the Argus Leader. Contact him atjfernandez1@argusleader.com. Follow him on Twitter at@JFERN31
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: SDSU basketball media day: Both programs excited for 24-25 season
