In a wide-open field, South Dakota State was as good of a bet as any to win the Summit League Tournament and go to its 8th NCAA tourney.

But that was a couple weeks ago, before point guard Owen Larson's torn ACL injury. How can the Jackrabbits still contend without him? 

Voice of the Jackrabbits Tyler Merriam has his answer to that, plus: 

What makes big man Oscar Cluff as unique and hard-to-stop of a player SDSU has had besides (and certainly since) Mike Daum? And, how can we project what will happen on Friday night against a North Dakota club the Jacks blew out 109-73 in early January, then lost to 80-75 in February?

But first — while SDSU will have a thunderous crowd behind it, why might this be as much of an obstacle as it is an advantage, particularly for such a young team?

A hounding, dizzying full-court press. A topsy-turvy season full of shootouts, blowouts, euphoria and heartbreak.

South Dakota's men appear to be the most fascinating, exciting team in the Summit League men's basketball tournament — a talented and impressively conditioned crew with wild style of play that could make them a wonderful wild card pick to win it all and go to the school's first Div. I NCAA Tournament.

But Craig Smith disciple Eric Peterson's third team (by far his best) could as easily bow out in a Friday night quarterfinal against a North Dakota State squad that beat USD in both regular season showdowns, including nine days ago in Fargo, 82-78.

The radio Voice of the Coyotes John Thayer walks us through the seismic shift of Peterson's basketball ideology, the players he found to fit into it, and how USD eventually made it work well enough to be a contender. 

But how can things change against the Bison, and what kind of steam could propel them to beat regular season champion Omaha in Saturday's semifinals should the Yotes come out on top on Friday?

 

In a reflection of their seasons, No. 25 South Dakota State's women, the top seed in the Summit League Tournament, won their 55th consecutive game against conference teams (48 regular season, 7 tourney) by clamping down Omaha by 20 points (87-67), while South Dakota lost by 20 to No. 2 seed Oral Roberts (70-50).   John Gaskins, Matt Zimmer, and Marcus Traxler break down the back-to-back games, starting with the keys to the Jackrabbits' expected romp, followed by coach Aaron Johnston's postgame remarks.    The trio then pivots to thoughts on the final game and spectacular career of USD's Grace Larkins — the Summit League Player of the Year — who bowed out with 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists as her last team finished 11-20 under first-year head coach Carrie Eighmey.    What do we make of Larkins staying in Vermillion despite (likely) chances to play at a higher level elsewhere, and what are her final words about that decision? Hear from Larkins and Eighmey in their postgame press conference about that, plus Eighmey's ruminations about what it will take to bring the Coyotes back to the elite mid-major status they held just three years ago under Dawn Plitzuweit.   Finally, a look ahead to both the USD and SDSU men's quarterfinal games on tap for Friday night.

In an hour-long conversation covering a wide variety of hot topics in SDSU, Summit League, and big-picture college athletics, 17th-year athletics director Justin Sell informs and opines about where things sit.

As the Summit League men's and women's basketball tournaments tip off in Sioux Falls, Sell discusses how the SDSU women have ascended status a consistent Top 50 national Div. I program (out of over 350), and how the conference tournament is somewhat of a Jackrabbit Jamboree — both in the high percentage SDSU fans that make up the crowds (and therefore revenue for the conference) and in SDSU's performance. The Jackrabbit women have won 11 of the 16 tourneys there, while the Jacks men have captured seven of 16 titles.

How much of that success is the virtual home court advantage, how can it sometimes actually work against the Jacks, and how does Sell respond to some of the league's leaders (presidents and A.D.'s at other schools) who (privately) take issue that advantage — a topic that coincides with the conference's recent announcement that it might start re-distributing long-time all-session ticket holders (many of whom are SDSU fans) to make way for fans from other schools? 

Meanwhile, why is SDSU deciding to not "opt-in" on sharing revenue with student athletes should the "House vs NCAA" settlement be approved, which is expected? (Would SDSU decide to opt-in, that revenue sharing would begin on July 1. Per the settlement, the pool of revenue to be shared per school is expected to be at least $20 million).

Is SDSU considering an eventual move from the FCS to the FBS, and what would it take for that to happen? How might the college football landscape shift dramatically in the next five years to where it might not even matter what move they would make? 

What is the latest on the NIL "collective" that can pay (and entice) student-athletes at SDSU? How does the athletic department its emphasis on making sure that is strong versus providing the "traditional" resources to bring and keep the highest-level-possible athletes to Jackrabbit teams? 

Finally, what are Sell's early observations of the Dan Jackson era for SDSU football, and what has Eric Henderson done to build and keep the SDSU men's basketball program among the best in the Summit League for the last six years?

 

 

 

 

 

Who will emerge from a stacked, up-for-grabs field as the men's Summit League Tournament champion and go dancing? Will a home court advantage be enough for the South Dakota State men to overcome the loss of their starting point guard?

Should SDSU's Oscar Cluff have been voted conference player of the year over Omaha's Marquel Sutton? Does USD's Grace Larkins deserve to be women's player of the year even though she played on a team that went 5-11 in league play?

What do we make of the league potentially sending a vague message that suggests it will move long-time all-sessions ticket holders — many of whom are Jackrabbit fans who have been re-ordering their tickets since the first SLT in Sioux Falls 16 years ago — out of their seats? Is this biting the hands that feed it? 

Answers to these questions and more in the latest edition of "Nobody's Listening Anyway" with Sioux Falls Live sports editor Matt Zimmer and Happy Hour host John Gaskins. Plus:

• Zimmer's biggest takeaways from the very first SDSU football practice of the Dan Jackson era
• Reaction to the Minnesota Vikings not franchise-tagging Sam Darnold
• Jimmy Johnson's retirement from FOX NFL
• Gene Hackman's legacy — particularly in Hoosiers

The brackets are set for the Summit League men's and women's basketball tournaments! John Gaskins has his first pre-tourney opinions and predictions — a predictable women's event (SDSU looks as invincible as ever) while the only prediction for the men is unpredictability.

But John does have one men's prediction — a USD men's win over North Dakota State. All of a sudden, the Coyotes look like gangbusters after a Senior Day surge against UND, while the No. 3 seed Jackrabbits have their tails between their legs after a 16-point loss at No. 7 seed Denver on Saturday. How much could any of this carry over against UND on Friday night?

Also, thoughts on the USD women's trend and first-round draw, plus Pierre native and NDSU lineman Gray Zabel's weekend at the NFL Combine.

Today's guest is South Dakota men's guard Chase Forte. 

There's an old adage that says "defense travels." South Dakota's leading scorer is also one of the Summit League's best defenders — potentially the Defensive Player of the Year — in his only season in Vermillion, leading the hounding full-court press the Coyotes hope will wear down opponents in Sioux Falls at the league tourney this week.

Vermillion is the latest stop on the Raleigh, NC, native's college basketball journey that started in junior college near the beaches of Panama City, Florida, and continued at Northwestern State in Louisiana. Forte takes us through all that, plus the Yotes' trip to Italy over the summer that forged the chemistry of a team capable of beating any team in the Summit League.

Where does his defensive prowess come from? And, what about working for a behaviorial health agency one summer in Las Vegas, Nevada, shaped the down-to-earth Forte's attitude on life?

There's an old adage that says "defense travels." South Dakota's leading scorer is also one of the Summit League's best defenders — potentially the Defensive Player of the Year — in his only season in Vermillion, leading the hounding full-court press the Coyotes hope will wear down opponents in Sioux Falls at the league tourney this week.

Vermillion is the latest stop on the Raleigh, NC, native's college basketball journey that started in junior college near the beaches of Panama City, Florida, and continued at Northwestern State in Louisiana. Forte takes us through all that, plus the Yotes' trip to Italy over the summer that forged the chemistry of a team capable of beating any team in the Summit League.

Where does his defensive prowess come from? And, what about working for a behaviorial health agency one summer in Las Vegas, Nevada, shaped the down-to-earth Forte's attitude on life?

Eric Henderson just won a 20th game for the fifth time in his six seasons at SDSU, and still has a shot at a fifth regular season Summit League title, as well. With a Jackrabbit squad that will have a decent shot at winning his third Summit League Tournament title next week — and therefore potentially garner interest of schools that could offer him a lot more money than SDSU — perhaps today should be Eric Henderson Appreciation Day.

John Gaskins dives into the coaching job "Hendo" has done this year with a fresh five starting lineup, and how SDSD won a tough road game without injured starting point guard Owen Larson last night in Tulsa.

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The first domino just fell in the Sam Darnold and Minnesota Vikings' melodrama — The Los Angeles Rams restructured their deal with Matthew Stafford to bring the veteran former Super Bowl winner Matthew Stafford back. What does this mean for the Minnesota Vikings as they decide on franchise tagging, or even tagging and trading Sam Darnold?  Matthew Coller of PurpleInsider.com has reported on the Vikings for a decade and was in Indianapolis for the early week of the NFL Combine to gather insight and interviews, and joins John Gaskins to discuss the future of the quarterback and other spots of need for the Vikings during the offseason. What did Kevin O'Connell's latest remarks about Stafford and J.J. McCarthy reveal about where Minnesota is leaning for its quarterback in 2025 and beyond? What about Daniel Jones? And how will defensive coordinator Brian Flores navigate free agency for proven defensive backs like Cam Bynum and Byron Murphy, Jr.?  Oh, and how much sense does Mel Kiper's mock draft placement of Pierre native and NDSU product Gray Zabel with the Vikings and the No. 24 overall pick make?

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Before the Summit League men's and women's basketball tournaments tip off in Sioux Falls next Thursday, the NSIC ("best conference in the country in Div. II") displays its tourney at the Pentagon starting on Saturday, with the Augustana men and University of Sioux Falls women playing a part.

David Brown, who has been calling NSIC and Summit League games for 13 years for Midco Sports Network, offers a preview of the high-level hoops to come, which players we may be seeing at the next level next year (as transfers to Div. I), and just how deep and competitive the league is.

 

The first domino just fell in the Sam Darnold and Minnesota Vikings' melodrama — The Los Angeles Rams restructured their deal with Matthew Stafford to bring the veteran former Super Bowl winner Matthew Stafford back.

What does this mean for the Minnesota Vikings as they decide on franchise tagging, or even tagging and trading Sam Darnold? 

Matthew Coller of PurpleInsider.com has reported on the Vikings for a decade and was in Indianapolis for the early week of the NFL Combine to gather insight and interviews, and joins John Gaskins to discuss the future of the quarterback and other spots of need for the Vikings during the offseason.

What did Kevin O'Connell's latest remarks about Stafford and J.J. McCarthy reveal about where Minnesota is leaning for its quarterback in 2025 and beyond? What about Daniel Jones? And how will defensive coordinator Brian Flores navigate free agency for proven defensive backs like Cam Bynum and Byron Murphy, Jr.? 

Oh, and how much sense does Mel Kiper's mock draft placement of Pierre native and NDSU product Gray Zabel with the Vikings and the No. 24 overall pick make?

The Summit League tournament and North Dakota State's chances of winning it may have taken a major turn with the injury (reportedly, a hand injury) to Bison star guard Jackson Moni, who was a scratch in last night's win over South Dakota. How screwed is NDSU if it is season-ending? And, what does it say about USD's chances of winning the SLT — or even beating the Bison in the first round next Friday — if the Coyotes couldn't beat NDSU without Moni? 

Meanwhile, Fargo sports talker Dom Izzo's plea to NDSU fans to travel to Sioux Falls for that game featured what USD fans could take as a dig and inspire them to show up. NDSU also received big football news: Offensive line coach Dan Larson takes over as offensive coordinator just one day after the announcement of Jake Landry's departure to be the new Iowa State running backs coach.

In Sioux Falls, Eric Struck's 24-year wait to be a head high school coach is finally over as he takes over for Vince Benedetto at Jefferson. Hear why now was his time, and what both Kurtiss Riggs and Peyton Riggs say were Struck's strengths as an offensive coordinator at back-to-back state champion Lincoln High.

Aaron Johnston conversation No, he doesn't just roll out of bed and coach South Dakota State to dominating wins and titles. With 621 wins, 22 total Summit League regular season and tournament championships (11 each), a WNIT title, five NCAA tournament wins, and a Sweet 16 appearance, you think leading the Jackrabbits' juggernaut would be easy for Aaron Johnston.

But it isn't. After 25 years of constant success at both the Div. II level — where he led the Jacks to a national championship at age 29 — and at Div. I, Aaron Johnston describes the challenges of his job and his keys to maintaining that succcess.

Johnston describes how growing up in Pine Island, Minnesota — population 2,000 at the time — shaped his mild-mannered personality and coaching prowess. He goes down memory lane of starting his coaching career at the men's college level, including some time under SDSU legend Scott Nagy, before working under and taking over for Nancy Neiber with the women's squad. 

He also re-lives his decision to come back to SDSU just days after he had taken the Wisconsin-Green Bay head coaching job in 2007. And, he describes what turning over the Summit League mantle to Dawn Plitzuweit's USD program for a few years did to shape the Jacks' re-seizing control of the league since Plitzuweit left three years ago.