A couple of days before St. Patrick's Day, fabled South Dakota sportswriter Matt Zimmer received a stroke of good luck. The Sioux Falls Live sports editor saw South Dakota State's name pop up under a pod of teams headed to Fort Worth, Texas, for the NCAA women's basketball tournament's opening weekend. For Zim, this was fortunate news because he gets to avoid flying, an activity he avoids like the plague. Yes, he's choosing a 12-hour solo drive instead of a nonstop flight. Far more noteworthy things surround the 11th-seeded Jackrabbits' draw against No. 6 Washington in a game that likely will decide who meets the No. 3 seed TCU, which is hosting this particular "Sacramento 4" pod. For one, does this feel like a potential repeat of SDSU's win over similarly seeded Oklahoma State in last year's NCAA first round? Zim taps into that storyline and into the brilliance of Aaron Johnston in his matchups against major conference teams in the Big Dance. This is also an opportunity to bring up stories from past SDSU teams that played in "March Madness" on the national stage. What is his favorite Jacks NCAA win? And that leads Zim and the Happy Hour host down a rabbit hole of Matt describing some of his favorite sporting events he has ever covered — which leads to a story about the presence (and scent) of Alex Rodriguez. Also covered in this epsiode: * Kyler Murry to the Vikings — good thing? * Zim's new "Jacks Chats" series of 1-on-1 conversations with football players * Biggest takeaways from SDSU spring practice so far * A preview of the boys state AA basketball tourney, which is seeping with storylines * A pair of Mick Garry stories from Rapid City state basketball tourneys of the past

The State AA boys basketball tournament is just about to get underway in Rapid City. This is where our host, John Gaskins, is, so we bring in Trent Singer and Patrick Lalley to have a quick chat to kick off the week.

They chatted about the teams set to face off this weekend, the Augustana Hockey team, and more. Make sure to tune into Midwest Sports Plus for our coverage of the state tournament.

He was 6-foot-4 in seventh grade and the first ever player that age to play on the Yankton High School varsity team. He had to wait for the school board to approve that. As a freshman, he broke the school's all-time single season scoring record and hit the game winning shot in the state championship game, securing Yankton's first title in 40 years. By his junior year, some of the country's best college basketball teams were courting him. After a redshirt year at Wisconsin, he stunned some by choosing to come home and play for South Dakota State. Matthew Mors' 10-year journey through prep and college hoops ended last Friday when the Jackrabbits suffered a season-ending loss in the Summit League Tournament. Six days later, he joined Happy Hour to walk through it all: the exceptional, the heartbreaking, and the end. How does he process the exhilaration of being the "Hoosiers" hero as a ninth grader but never winning the state title again? How does he look back on giving up the opportunity to play in the Big Ten? And how does he process going from an immortal on the high school hardwood to a solid role player in the Summit League? The modest and mild-mannered Mors was more than willing to share. He also answered the question, "Now what?" Thirsty Thursday with Trent Singer Oh, sure, it is the most wonderful time of the year in both high school and college basketball, offering plenty of compelling topics to discuss, such as USD deciding to give Carrie Eighmey a new deal after het second season and the decision to "ride it out" for Eric Peterson's fifth and final contract year instead of working on a new deal. There's the Augustana hockey team's first-ever postseason series win and the upcoming CCHA semifinal game at St. Thomas. What are the Vikings' odds of earning an at-large bid? And, the Class AA Girls State Basketball tournament is coming up this weekend, featuring a possible (as in, likely) third consecutive championship game showdown between Brandon Valley and O'Gorman. The Happy Hour Host and Sioux Falls Live sportswriter Trent Singer had plenty to say about those events on their weekly Thirsty Thursday show from Orion Pub in downtown Sioux Falls. But before all of that, a word or 300 about Kyler Murray's visit to Minnesota and possible signing with the Vikings. (Possible, as of 3 p.m. on Thursday).

Oh, sure, it is the most wonderful time of the year in both high school and college basketball, offering plenty of compelling topics to discuss, such as USD deciding to give Carrie Eighmey a new deal after het second season and the decision to "ride it out" for Eric Peterson's fifth and final contract year instead of working on a new deal. There's the Augustana hockey team's first-ever postseason series win and the upcoming CCHA semifinal game at St. Thomas. What are the Vikings' odds of earning an at-large bid? And, the Class AA Girls State Basketball tournament is coming up this weekend, featuring a possible (as in, likely) third consecutive championship game showdown between Brandon Valley and O'Gorman. The Happy Hour Host and Sioux Falls Live sportswriter Trent Singer had plenty to say about those events on their weekly Thirsty Thursday show from Orion Pub in downtown Sioux Falls. But before all of that, a word or 300 about Kyler Murray's visit to Minnesota and possible signing with the Vikings. (Possible, as of 3 p.m. on Thursday). Oh, sure, it is the most wonderful time of the year in both high school and college basketball, offering plenty of compelling topics to discuss, such as USD deciding to give Carrie Eighmey a new deal after het second season and the decision to "ride it out" for Eric Peterson's fifth and final contract year instead of working on a new deal. There's the Augustana hockey team's first-ever postseason series win and the upcoming CCHA semifinal game at St. Thomas. What are the Vikings' odds of earning an at-large bid? And, the Class AA Girls State Basketball tournament is coming up this weekend, featuring a possible (as in, likely) third consecutive championship game showdown between Brandon Valley and O'Gorman. The Happy Hour Host and Sioux Falls Live sportswriter Trent Singer had plenty to say about those events on their weekly Thirsty Thursday show from Orion Pub in downtown Sioux Falls. But before all of that, a word or 300 about Kyler Murray's visit to Minnesota and possible signing with the Vikings. (Possible, as of 3 p.m. on Thursday). Oh, sure, it is the most wonderful time of the year in both high school and college basketball, offering plenty of compelling topics to discuss, such as USD deciding to give Carrie Eighmey a new deal after het second season and the decision to "ride it out" for Eric Peterson's fifth and final contract year instead of working on a new deal. There's the Augustana hockey team's first-ever postseason series win and the upcoming CCHA semifinal game at St. Thomas. What are the Vikings' odds of earning an at-large bid? And, the Class AA Girls State Basketball tournament is coming up this weekend, featuring a possible (as in, likely) third consecutive championship game showdown between Brandon Valley and O'Gorman. The Happy Hour Host and Sioux Falls Live sportswriter Trent Singer had plenty to say about those events on their weekly Thirsty Thursday show from Orion Pub in downtown Sioux Falls. But before all of that, a word or 300 about Kyler Murray's visit to Minnesota and possible signing with the Vikings. (Possible, as of 3 p.m. on Thursday). Oh, sure, it is the most wonderful time of the year in both high school and college basketball, offering plenty of compelling topics to discuss, such as USD deciding to give Carrie Eighmey a new deal after het second season and the decision to "ride it out" for Eric Peterson's fifth and final contract year instead of working on a new deal. There's the Augustana hockey team's first-ever postseason series win and the upcoming CCHA semifinal game at St. Thomas. What are the Vikings' odds of earning an at-large bid? And, the Class AA Girls State Basketball tournament is coming up this weekend, featuring a possible (as in, likely) third consecutive championship game showdown between Brandon Valley and O'Gorman. The Happy Hour Host and Sioux Falls Live sportswriter Trent Singer had plenty to say about those events on their weekly Thirsty Thursday show from Orion Pub in downtown Sioux Falls. But before all of that, a word or 300 about Kyler Murray's visit to Minnesota and possible signing with the Vikings. (Possible, as of 3 p.m. on Thursday).

In his weekly appearance on Happy Hour, the Sioux Falls Live sports editor shares his views on the news of USD basketball coaches' deals (Eighmey getting a new one, Peterson not), plus:

* The reality of USD and other mid-majors losing their best football and basketball players to the transfer portal and NIL money the school cannot compete with

* The Summit League Tournament's viability in Sioux Falls and how far any discussion has gone among conference membership leaders of ever moving the event

* The powerful presence of Jackrabbit fans making the SLT an annual home court advantage for SDSU teams... but also the increasing number of Coyote fans during USD games

* The stability of the Summit League moving forward, considering Denver's upcoming departure will leave the conference with eight teams — the minimum needed to ensure an automatic bid in the NCAA basketball tournaments — and talk of schools like Omaha and St. Thomas looking to move to other conferences

* The perception there is a "Dakota Schools vs. Non-Dakota Schools" division among league leadership and a notion that the Dakota schools "run the league."

* South Dakota State's first football practice and the massive change in vibe (mainly, familiarity) from Dan Jackson's first season to his second

* Why North Dakota State should be the favorite in its first season in the Mountain West Conference, plus how South Dakota State would perform immediately there

* The annual state basketball tournament venue quandary and Sioux Falls not hosting a state tourney for the first time in 60 years

North Dakota State isn't ready to play in the FBS. It's ready to win the Mountain West Conference. Right now. That is at least the conclusion you could make if you go by Collin Wilson of Action Network HQ — a sports media company featuring news and analysis focused on sports betting — a who pegs North Dakota State as one of the six FBS teams out of 139 projected to be favored in each of its 12 regular season games in 2026. Yes, the Bison are projected to be favored in every game in their first year at "the next level." The Happy Host starts Wednesday's show not only breaking down why NDSU is an immediate MWC contender, but also breaks down NDSU's schedule, which was unveiled on Tuesday. Hear Bison coach Tim Polasek's remarks on the reality of living in the FBS coaching world and what it will mean for the beefing up of his staff and types of players he recruits. Then, hear from NDSU athletic director Matt Larsen, who remarked recently on the stability of the Summit League. There are some who wonder if the conference is on shaky ground, with Denver's departure after this school year leaving the Summit with just eight teams for men's and women's basketball. With the inside ropes on the President's Council meetings, does Larsen believe there should be concern about other teams leaving and the conference not being "one big happy family?" Craig Mattick, SDPB state championships broadcaster The original co-host and producer of the first daily sports talk show in South Dakota history, Mattick teamed with the Happy Hour host for seven of the 19 years the show was on the air until its cancellation two months into the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. "Sports Talk with Craig & John" reunited for 50 minutes on Tuesday at Gibs Sports Bar, mainly to talk about the big picture of state tournament hoops in South Dakota. It is an annual rite of passage — the discussion of state tourney venues, specifically if South Dakota would be better off to have all of its state tourneys in one city, like Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, and most others. There's a sticking point: Would the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center ever want to host all-class state championships? This year marks the first time Sioux Falls won't host a state basketball tournament in over 60 years. Also, there's the format and the process at the AA level to qualify for state. Mattick digs into how the "rank and file" who decides these matters operates. Mattick looked back at how the Sioux Falls and South Dakota sporting landscape changed in 2002 when SDSU decided to join NDSU in Division I. I — a move Mattick constantly derided as the wrong one when it was happening — and when the Summit League Tournament came in 2009. But how bright is that event's future?

North Dakota State isn't ready to play in the FBS. It's ready to win the Mountain West Conference. Right now. That is at least the conclusion you could make if you go by Collin Wilson of Action Network HQ — a sports media company featuring news and analysis focused on sports betting — a who pegs North Dakota State as one of the six FBS teams out of 139 projected to be favored in each of its 12 regular season games in 2026. Yes, the Bison are projected to be favored in every game in their first year at "the next level." The Happy Host starts Wednesday's show not only breaking down why NDSU is an immediate MWC contender, but also breaks down NDSU's schedule, which was unveiled on Tuesday. Hear Bison coach Tim Polasek's remarks on the reality of living in the FBS coaching world and what it will mean for the beefing up of his staff and types of players he recruits. Then, hear from NDSU athletic director Matt Larsen, who remarked recently on the stability of the Summit League. There are some who wonder if the conference is on shaky ground, with Denver's departure after this school year leaving the Summit with just eight teams for men's and women's basketball. With the inside ropes on the President's Council meetings, does Larsen believe there should be concern about other teams leaving and the conference not being "one big happy family?"

The original co-host and producer of the first daily sports talk show in South Dakota history, Mattick teamed with the Happy Hour host for seven of the 19 years the show was on the air until its cancellation two months into the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. "Sports Talk with Craig & John" reunited for 50 minutes on Tuesday at Gibs Sports Bar, mainly to talk about the big picture of state tournament hoops in South Dakota. It is an annual rite of passage — the discussion of state tourney venues, specifically if South Dakota would be better off to have all of its state tourneys in one city, like Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, and most others. There's a sticking point: Would the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center ever want to host all-class state championships? This year marks the first time Sioux Falls won't host a state basketball tournament in over 60 years. Also, there's the format and the process at the AA level to qualify for state. Mattick digs into how the "rank and file" who decides these matters operates. Mattick looked back at how the Sioux Falls and South Dakota sporting landscape changed in 2002 when SDSU decided to join NDSU in Division I. I — a move Mattick constantly derided as the wrong one when it was happening — and when the Summit League Tournament came in 2009. But how bright is that event's future?