Jacks beat North Dakota for 4th straight win

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (GoJacks.com) – Matt Dentlinger’s 21 points paced South Dakota State to its fourth straight victory, a 74-62 defeat of North Dakota Friday in the CU Mortgage Direct Dakota Showcase at the Sanford Pentagon.

A junior from Arcadia, Iowa, Dentlinger made 7-of-10 from the field, including the second 3-pointer of his career, and added seven rebounds and three steals for the Jackrabbits (5-2).

Not to be outdone, Baylor Scheierman racked up his fourth consecutive double-double. He scored 11 points, hauled in 10 rebounds and matched his career high with six assists.

North Dakota scored on the game’s first possession for what turned out to be its only lead, 2-0. The Jackrabbits rattled off the next eight points, and later used a 10-1 run to build up an 11-point advantage, 25-14, with 7:32 left in the period.

The Fighting Hawks responded with an 8-0 run, then the teams traded baskets the rest of the half. SDSU held a slim 32-31 halftime lead, but the second half was all Jackrabbits.

SDSU opened the latter stanza on a 14-4 run, scoring the first six points of the period, and maintained its distance from the Fighting Hawks until the final whistle.

The Jackrabbits shot 48.2 percent (27-of-56) from the field, while the Fighting Hawks were just 24-of-65 for 36.9 percent.

In addition to the efforts of Dentlinger and Scheierman, two other Jackrabbits scored in double figures. Noah Freidel contributed 15 points, five rebounds and three assists. Alex Arians chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds.

Filip Rebraca’s 18 points and seven rebounds paced North Dakota (1-4).

South Dakota State plays South Dakota (0-5) in the finale of the CU Mortgage Direct Dakota Showcase. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls.