SDSU Stunned in Summit Tournament Opener

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Top-seeded South Dakota State saw its comeback efforts fall just short Saturday at the Summit League Championships, falling 79-76 to No. 8 seed Western Illinois at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center. David Jenkins Jr. scored 29 to leqd the Jackrabbit scoring while Teven King added 19 and Mike Daum had 16 and pulled down 11 boards for his 53rd career double-double. SDSU never led in the game and was down 17 midway thru the second half before cutting the lead to 1 in the closing seconds but it was as close as they get. SDSU had beaten Western Illinois twice during the regular season by 42 and 20 points. the latter was last Saturday in Brookings. The Jackrabbits’ Summit League Championships run comes to an end, but as the regular season league champions SDSU earned an automatic bid to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).