SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Luke Appel and Zeke Mayo each scored 16 points and South Dakota State defeated Denver 76-68 to win the Summit League Tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time.
The Jackrabbits built a 22-5 lead within the first 10 minutes. South Dakota State led 37-23 at halftime and pushed it to 23 with eight minutes left in regulation.
Jaxon Brenchley and Pedro Lopez Sanvicente then hit 3-pointers for Denver and the Pioneers went on a 15-2 run to make it 65-53 with 3 1/2 minutes left.
Brenchley hit a 3-pointer, added one free throw on the next possession, then hit another 3 to get Denver within 67-62 with a minute left. The Jackrabbits made 7 of 8 free throws to win it.
Meanwhile,
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Paige Meyer had 18 points, Tori Nelson scored seven of her nine during a 14-0 fourth-quarter run and South Dakota State earned its 12th trip to the NCAA Tournament with a 67-54 win over North Dakota State in the Summit League Tournament championship.
The Jackrabbits defended their title when they forced the second-seeded Bison into six-straight misses while they turned a one-point lead with six minutes to go into a 61-46 lead with 1:43 left.
The Jackrabbits have won 20 straight since back-to-back losses to ranked Gonzaga and Creighton.
Meyer start the run with a layup, Mesa Byom had a three-point play and then Nelson scored seven straight, sandwiching a 3-pointer around two layups. Meyer capped it with two free throws.
Heaven Hamling had 16 points for North Dakota State.
