February 13, 2025 by SDSU Collegian

OF THE WEEK

This week in Collegian Media RETURN OF THE SNOW

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THE COLLEGIAN REPORT

This week, we get a legislative update, a recap of International Night and other events on campus. Scan the QR code to view this week’s episode.

THURSDAY & SATURDAY

JACKRABBIT BASKETBALL

The SDSU men’s basketball team hosts the League leading Omaha Mavericks on Thursday while the women’s team welcomes in-state rival USD into First Bank & Trust Arena on Saturday.

JACKRABBIT TRACK & FIELD

For coverage of SDSU’s performance at the Mount Marty Last Chance on Friday and ISU Classic on Saturday, visit SDSUCollegian.com.

CORRECTION

Correction: A vote from SA Sen. Blake Gibney was incorrectly identiﬁed in this story published in the Feb. 6, 2025, Collegian. Sen. Blake Gibney voted no to the resolution which would allow open carry of self-defense weapons on-campus.

Collegian photo by DANIELLE NOWELL

PHOTO

STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Simple Servings to be included in Yeager Hall food service

EMILY DECOCK & RYANN DAVIS Collegian Staff

Simple Servings will be one of the food options in the food service coming to Yeager Hall in fall 2025, and it will get its own kitchen to keep food from being contaminated with allergens.

Simple servings is a food service by Sodexo that aims to provide food options without common allergens, according to the SDSU website. Simple Servings caters first to those with allergies, but also features real, wholesome entrees and sides that are appealing to all health-conscious eaters.

There is currently a Simple Servings in Larson Commons and in The Market in the Student Union. In the Larsons’ renovations and in the new Yeager Hall food service, Simple Servings will get its own kitchen to keep allergens and cross-contamination to a minimum, according to SA Sen. Mason Pulse.

“In the remodel they are adding a separate area for the allergy free kitchen, so that there is absolutely no cross contamination, because right now it's in a separate area, but it's still the same room,” Pulse said. “They're trying to make it as safe as they can, so they're having a whole separate kitchen and that's the way it's going to be, both in Yeager and the new remodeled Larsons.”

In addition, Shorty’s Hot Box will be replaced by Weary Wills next academic year, according to Pulse. Weary Wills formerly occupied the space on the northwest side of the Student Union, before being replaced by Shorty’s Hot Box in 2020.

The SDSU Students’ Association voted to oppose South Dakota House Bill 1193, which if passed, will prohibit the Board of Regents from requiring second year students to live on-campus and purchase

meal plans. SA voted 23-1 at Monday night’s meeting to approve the resolution that op-

“Living on campus has multiple benefits, from increasing graduation rates, retention rates, all things like that. Students who live on campus typically have higher GPAs,” Koenecke said.

Sen. Blake Gibney voted no to opposing the bill.

“The community can't support the mass of students that would be there, so regardless, if this passes or fails, it'll just be an extra administrative burden slash additional freedom for students to have,” Gibney said.

Koenecke not only cited student benefits, but also Brookings’ limited infrastructure as reasons why she opposes the bill.

“Brookings is in a floodplain, which prevents some places from getting insurance on what they build. You can’t really build out of Brookings, it’s pretty much hitting capacity at what we are in square footage, which means we need to build up,” Koenecke said. “There's definitely momentum coming from the city and business partners on that, but we are not there yet.”

In other news, two new club constitutions were approved at Monday’s meeting.

The waterski club aims to teach members how to ski, bring people who enjoy the activity together and in the future get into the competitive water skiing scene, according to club president James Bruns, a freshman construction management major.

Ashley Hollingsworth, a sophomore criminal justice major, is the president of the newly-approved criminal justice club. Hollingsworth hopes that establishing the club will strengthen the criminology and criminal justice programs and minors usually associated with those majors.

posed the state bill. Government Affairs chair Claire Koenecke was a sponsor of the resolution.

Collegian photos by EMILY DECOCK

The former print lab in the bottom floor of Yeager Hall. The print lab closed in November of last year.

Equipment that was recently moved into the former print lab.

South Dakota artists highlighted in Governor’s 11th Biennial Exhibition

LANCE SPRACKLIN Reporter

The South Dakota State Art Museum hosted the opening reception for the Governor’s 11th Biennial Art Exhibition featuring work from artists from all over the state last weekend.

The exhibit features 62 works from 57 artists, including local artists from Brookings. The exhibit is open to all visual media created in the last three years.

“I think the strength of the show is the diversity of materials, techniques and subject matter present in the selected works,” Taylor Mckeown, the exhibit curator and the art museums juror, said.

A juried show opened to artists currently living and working in South Dakota. Selections were made by a panel of representatives from each of the four exhibiting galleries and museums.

The four institutions were the South Dakota Art Museum, the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science, the John A. Gallery, and the Dahl Arts Center.

Artists could submit their works in October to be reviewed and potentially accepted by a panel of four jurors. Each of the four participating institutions had one juror.

The set-up for the reception was a two-week process that consisted of painting and arrangement in the South Dakota Art Museum to display all the art pieces.

There were 17 participating artists in attendance at the opening reception in Brookings. Artists travelled from as far away as Spearfish, SD.

“We often hear from the participating artists that the Biennial offers them a rare opportunity to connect with each other,” Mckeown said. “In our very wide state, such interactions are uncommon.”

Attendees and artists mixed together to talk at the reception. Museum staff and artists were happy with attendance at the event. The museum served wine and snack plates along with other beverages.

“Art is meant to be shared; I found that people are not very aware of art,” said Charlene Brown, an artist and art teacher from Pierre, when asked about the importance of this event.

Viewers can refer to the exhibit catalog on display

Collegian photos by LANCE SPRACKLIN Art exhibits are currently on display at South Dakota State University’s Art Museum. Each of these exhibits are being highlighted for the Governor’s 11th Biennial Exhibition.

to learn more about the artist’s pieces and the processes that went into creating them.

Contrary to the name of the exhibit, it has little to do with the current governor. The name was chosen at the exhibits’ founding in 2003 to signify the importance of the event. This year there wasn’t a chance for a statement due to the transition of power between Govs. Kristi Noem and Larry Rhoden during the event’s curation.

The Biennial launched in 2003 and historically has made its first stop at the South Dakota Art Museum before travelling around the state. The museum serves as the first stop since they are the major organizer of the exhibit.

In May, the museum will be hosting virtual chats with the featured artists to talk with the community about

their pieces. The exhibit will be on display at the art museum until June 1 before heading to The Washington Pavillion in Sioux Falls.

The exhibition will be on display at The Washington Pavillion from June 10 - Sept. 14, 2025. From there it will travel to the John A. Day Gallery at The University of South Dakota, Vermillion from Oct. 29-Nov. 14, 2025. The exhibition will conclude at the Dahl Arts Center in Rapid City from Dec. 13- March 29, 2026.

“It’s a pleasure to have art displayed from all around the state.” said Erin Wohletz, an assistant professor of printmaking from the University of South Dakota, “We are so spread out it’s nice to be reminded we have an art community.”

Collegian photo by LANCE SPRACKLIN

Native plants grow again

SDSU’s native plant initiative works to restore

biodiversity in the Northern Great Plains

DANIELLE NOWELL

Assistant News Editor

e Native Plant Initiative (NPI) is working to restore native plant biodiversity across the Northern Great Plains through research, education and outreach. is initiative is led by professor Lora Perkins, who founded the program in 2019.

“Previously I worked on invasive species. at got to be pretty heavy,” Perkins said. By reworking her research Perkins thought that “A better question might be, how do we get native plants established back?”

Native grasses and wild owers were once abundant in the region, but numbers have declined due to agricultural practices and invasive species. According to Robin Buterbaugh, an SDSU extension horticulture eld specialist, it’s believed that only 1% to 3% of original native grasslands remain.

“It’s a huge ecosystem that is rapidly diminishing or almost gone,” Buterbaugh said, “Here in the great plains and across the world, we are seeing a huge loss of biodiversity due to development.” Buterbaugh explained how this has led to a decline in birds and insects, including pollinators.

Amanda Bachmann, an SDSU extension pesticide education and urban entomology eld specialist, says the NPI program has research projects on campus and out in the eld. e NPI harvests native plant seeds and utilizes greenhouse production. Bachmann says greenhouse production can be tricky with native plants.

“ ey’ve got some really great resources,” Bachmann said, “It’s been really awesome having them as a partner in the native plant ecology world.”

e NPI is raising native plants to sell to people and businesses. Plant sales are sometimes held at McCrory Gardens and the NPI travels across the state to sell native plants to local garden centers.

“ ey are trying to encourage the market for native plants,” Bachmann said, “so we can have South Dakota raised plants for South Dakota projects.”

Bachmann says that her role with SDSU extension is to encourage people to plant more native perennials in their yard.

“ is is hard, though, when people don’t have access to

these plants,” Bachmann said. “ is is why this project is important.”

Buterbaugh says that the whole goal was to increase the education about native plants, help to provide more native plant material and provide native plants directly to people’s homes for landscaping.

Bachmann recommends, “Go to their plant sale and learn about native plants from them, because they are doing a lot of great work with those plants and can tell people how to take care of them.”

Bachmann says that anyone interested in attending these plant sales should follow their social media page. “ ey usually have a plant list of what plugs they have available each year,” Bachmann said. “ eir advertising is mostly done on social media. ey attend a lot of McCrory Garden events.”

Zane Barker, an undergraduate ecology major from Ames, IA said that “ ese plants are crucial for hunting, game species, and sheries,” and are important for “not only recreation, but livestock and rangeland.”

Right now, there are 10 graduate students and a handful of undergraduates involved with NPI. Perkins also says there are some external stakeholders. People from the community have reached out and want to contribute to this project.

For the third year in a row, the NPI has given out something called the pasque ower award. Perkins explained that, “ e pasque ower award that we give was funded by donors who wanted to contribute to and help the initiative.”

At the beginning of every school year, they ask for applicants and any undergraduate student can apply. e winner of the award has a mentor and they receive money to start their own research project.

Barker was the winner of this year’s Pasque ower award.

“I think NPI is important because… it advocates for something people don’t know about,” Barker said. “You don’t need to be a big rancher with many acres to restore land, you can do it right in your own backyard.”

Perkins says that SDSU is known for excellence in agriculture, but that SDSU has a lot of experts in native plants too.

“We want crop elds to be the best they can be, but we want the rest of the land to be the best it can too, and that requires the return of native plants,” Perkins said.

Photos Courtesy of DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (top) NPI plant sales (bottom) NPI seed collection

Photos Courtesy of DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Plants created in order to help support the NPI

SDSU unveils new website design

CORYN WOLFF Reporter

Jan. 21, 2025, marks the launch of South Dakota State University’s newly updated sdstate.edu website, unveiling its modern, user-friendly interface and enhanced functionality.

University Marketing and Communications at SDSU spent two years planning and developing the redesigned website to improve the online experience for students, faculty and numerous others who use the platform.

“It has been very, very positive,” said Mike Lockrem, director of UMC, when asked how the response has been after the launch. “I’ve heard a lot of really good comments about the look and feel and overall experience of it.”

Lockrem explained the next step and where the focus will be after the launch.

“Now comes a lot of the follow up work that takes place and what has to be done moving forward,” Lockrem said. “These are living, breathing entities that never stop being worked on.”

As with any major technological advance, there may be challenges that arise and require attention. Lockrem explained the steps users should take to resolve any issues they face.

“We ask them to send things to web support at sdstate.edu, because if they do that, then it goes right into a funnel for us to answer questions and take care

of problems,” Lockrem said. “Our web support people are getting to every question and every email. It might take them a little bit of time, but they will answer them.”

UMC staﬀ met with various departments and programs represented on the website to discuss their goals for the update.

“For several months our team met with both the web team in University Marketing and Communications, but we also met directly with the consultant group from Lullabot, the ﬁrm that was overseeing the redesign of our site,” said Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management, Shawn Helmbolt when asked about the process for the admissions department. “Our meetings were both focused on design, content, organization of the site, how our users utilize the site, what they use the site for, and many other aspects that were then con-

sidered as the site was redesigned.”

The Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center was another SDSU aﬃliate that saw improvements on their subsection.

“The rebuild allowed us to add more pages to our site and re-organize content in a way that will hopefully be more streamlined for our patrons,” said Marketing Coordinator Intern, Katrina Weber.

“From the facility’s perspective, I hope that this website update is another step in further establishing our reputation as a premier performing arts venue,” said Weber. “This, in turn, may attract more students to pursue the arts here.”

For many departments, the website serves as their main source of communication, making the update an opportunity to enhance and strengthen their outreach.

“We are hopeful that with a new design, new content, ampliﬁed images

and video content which are consumed at the highest levels of a form of media, improved search functionality, and improved landing pages for our various digital campaigns and recruitment communication, the website experience for individuals engaged in the college search process with SDSU will be an improved experience,” said Helmbolt.

Current students have already noticed the improvements made to the website and are pleased with the changes.

“The website is more functional after the update and it is easier to access information,” said freshman Whitney Payne. “I also like the variety of student highlights found throughout the website.”

The update overall provides valuable information to students and anyone looking to learn more about the university. The re-designed website reﬂects the university’s commitment to innovation and improving the online experience.

MIKE LOCKREM

SHAWN HELMBOLT

Screenshot from SDSTATE.EDU

Planning begins for summer concerts

TAYLOR TENNANT

Reporter

This year will be the 10th anniversary of the Downtown at Sundown music festival, so organizers are looking to celebrate in a big way.

“We’re working on some special additions to make this year’s series extra memorable for the Brookings community,” said Ainsley Bennett, Brookings Chamber of Commerce event coordinator.

Bennett and her team are currently in the early stages of planning for this year’s festival. Their focus right now is identifying areas for improvement to enhance the event’s logistics and overall experience. More of the intensive planning will take place in June.

Intern applications are open now and can be found on the Downtown at Sundown website and are open for students looking for hands-on, event-focused experience. The intern team typically consists of around five people, but the number may vary based on event needs. Resumes and cover letters can be sent to ainsley@brookingschamber.org.

Downtown at Sundown saw a slight decrease in attendance numbers last summer.

Theme nights saw around 2,000 attendees, but the attendance number decreased by 22% from last year. The chamber attributes this to two things: the subpar weather forecasts for a few of the nights as well as changes to the methods for counting attendance.

Organizers are exploring the use of artificial intelligence technology to further reduce human error and achieve consistent, reliable counts. They are also looking for ways to refine their processes and ensure the best possible event experience for everyone involved is in the works.

“Despite the slight decrease, we’re proud to have welcomed over 15,000 attendees last year,” Bennett said. “Our focus remains on creating an engaging and enjoyable experience for attendees while continuously improving our insight from

previous seasons.”

This was the ninth year the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce has done this event and this year with a new event coordinator. Ainsley Bennett, now the event coordinator for the Brookings Chamber of Commerce, first started with the chamber in March 2023 as their business operations intern.

“Last year was my first Downtown at Sundown as a member of the event day intern team, and this year I joined the Chamber full-time in May 2024 as the event coordinator and as the lead staff of this year’s series,” said Bennett.

Her and her team are currently in the early stages of planning for this year’s Downtown at Sundown.

SDSU and high school students as well as dedicated chamber staff and event day interns help make this all come together. They assist with the setup, teardown, and various operational tasks. On the coordinator side of it, Bennett handles most of the planning process that leads up to event days and includes coordinating with sponsors, vendors, and bands.

“I’m grateful to have SDSU and high

school students as part of our event day intern team, along with the support of my chamber colleagues,” said Bennett. Community involvement also plays a role at Downtown at Sundown. The event was originally created because the Brookings community recognized the need for a festival that would bring together residents and visitors alike, Bennett said. Now, local businesses and organizations participate as sponsors, vendors, and even volunteers.

Downtown at Sundown saw a slight decrease in attendance numbers last summer but the festival sold out of vendor space last year, where they welcomed 18 new vendors, as well as 20 returning ones. The vendor application for this year’s event will be available soon and they’re looking for another great lineup.

“We’ve seen strong interest in past years and hope to continue that momentum. Brookings has an amazing business community, and we always appreciate their involvement,” said Bennett.

Along with vendors, they are also working on lining up bands for this year’s event. They are in the process of review-

ing over 25 bands that have been recommended or expressed interest in being part of the series. The announcement of the bands will be on their social media platforms as they get closer to the series.

This was the second year the chamber introduced theme nights for Downtown at Sundown. The themes included: new resident welcome night, multicultural night, and SDSU night. Bobcat night was a new theme that was added in hopes of bringing in more community members. They are planning on the same theme nights as last year.

“We like to collaborate with different partners involved in each theme night to determine what theme attractions will be, and so far we’ve seen fantastic community engagement around these themed events,” said Bennett.

In regard to theme nights, SDSU night welcomed the most attendees, with 3,365. Involvement with the University and Marketing Communications office, President Barry Dunn’s office and SDSU athletics helped bring a variety of SDSU related booths and campus organizations, according to Bennett.

SDSU night featured SDSU ice cream, temporary tattoos and SDSU swag from athletics along with the SDSU Foundation and other student groups.

Continuing to expand partnerships with SDSU and the Brookings School District, along with building on current themes to reach even more corners of the community is a goal for the Brookings Chamber of Commerce as each level of participation helps make the event a true community-centered celebration, reflecting the spirit and inclusivity that Brookings stands for.

“We welcome community members and businesses to get involved, whether by attending, volunteering, sponsoring, or becoming a vendor,” Bennett said.

The dates for this year’s Downtown at Sundown are being finalized. People are encouraged to follow the Chamber’s social media pages for updates on vendors, bands, and special announcements leading up to the event.

Photo Courtesy of ETHAN WIESE PHOTOGRAPHY Downtown at Sundown, a staple in the Brookings community, attracts large crowds during the summer months.

Newman Night Volleyball expands oﬀering

KELSEY SCHUCHHARDT

Reporter

Newman Center missionaries decided this month to switch to twice-a-week Newman Night Volleyball games at St. Thomas More church because of the large number of people who wanted to play.

For several years, Newman Center missionaries have hosted volleyball matches in the gym of St. Thomas More Catholic Church located on the south side of Brookings. These matches take place every Monday night of the school year from 9 to 11 p.m.

Newman Night Volleyball’s main purpose is for SDSU students to come together, make friends, pray, take part in physical activity, and have fun with one another.

But in recent weeks, Newman Night Volleyball has faced a new challenge that hasn’t occurred in the past. There has

been a spike in attendees at the event, causing some people to lose out on playing time.

SDSU senior Johnny Pfeifer is one of the original participants of Newman Night Volleyball, as he has been attending since his freshman year and has seen its popularity increase throughout his time in college. He has been getting upset about his recent lack of playing time because of attendance.

“It’s annoying to have to wait so long, but it’s cool that so many people are starting to get involved,” Pfeifer said. “When I ﬁrst started going, there was only about 12 people on average and we only set up one net. Now, there are around 40 to 50 people showing up each week, so I’m sitting out half the time.”

Freshman Ashley Bondesen is a new member at Newman Volleyball this year. She heard about the event from friends ﬁve months ago and has been attending every week since then. Bondesen said

she thinks that the reason attendance has increased so much at Newman Volleyball is because attendees keep inviting their friends every week. Additionally, those friends invite people they know the following week, and a chain reaction of invites is created.

Bondesen does not enjoy the crowds and hopes that attendance will decrease soon.

“I do feel like there are too many people showing up… from the increase in attendance, I feel like you don’t get to play as much,” said Bondesen, “I personally would like a smaller group, half the size of what we have now.”

As the attendance at Newman Night Volleyball started getting out of hand, a solution was oﬀered by Newman Missionary and Bible study leader Dan Stara. He decided to start up volleyball matches on both Sunday and Monday nights.

Stara does not mind the increasing number of attendees because it gives him

an opportunity to chat with new people on the sidelines, but he understands why some are getting upset about the crowds and thought that adding another night of play would satisfy everyone.

“We’ve only done it a handful of times, but I think it’s been a positive change so far,” Stara said. “While some double-dip and attend both nights, it has reduced daily attendance to a manageable amount.”

The rise in attendance at Newman Night Volleyball has brought both excitement and challenges for its participants. While some enjoy the growing community, others ﬁnd the large crowds frustrating because of limited playing time. By introducing a second night of games, the Newman missionaries have taken a step toward balancing inclusivity with playability. As the event continues to evolve, only time will tell if this adjustment will fully address the concerns of both new and longtime attendees.

Mayor visits SDSU’s International Night

AMINA AIDARKHANOVA Reporter

The vibrant rhythms of traditional music filled the room, students dressed in colorful attire, danced across the stage and the aroma of spices filled the Volstorff Ballroom Sunday night during the annual International Night celebration.

More than 250 people attended the event and performers from places such as Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Nepal, Bangladesh, South Sudan and India participated.

Brookings Mayor Oepke “Ope” Niemeyer visited International Night and opened the event: “I am happy for you to be in Brookings. You make our home quite diverse.”

The organizers of the International Night were leaders of the International Relations Council (IRC) – the main voice of international students on campus. The president of IRC, Heran Habte, said more people attended this year’s event than last year. The organization is creating more events to help international students adapt to life in Brookings and encourage them to participate in such celebrations.

“The main goal of the International Night event is bringing all of our community of international students together and representing their cultures and countries, as well as bringing awareness for more diversity,” Habte said.

IRC organizers are thankful to organizations such as the Chinese Student Association, Nepalese Student Association, Bangladesh Student Association, associations of other nationalities and volunteers for their help during the event.

Two members of IRC, Eldana Teklehaymanot and Maria Fernanda MartinezMendoza, described how the planning of the event started. “We did not have any criteria (for) performers. It is open to everyone: students, faculty members, everyone. Even if you are not related to SDSU and interested in representing your country and want to show something that you are proud of, just let us know.”

Photo courtesy of LISA JOHANSEN AUST

music and food. The event was attended by over 250 and was attended by Brookings mayor Oepke “Ope” Niemeyer.

Organizing such a large event came with its challenges. Securing volunteers proved difficult. Additionally, IRC sought sponsorships and funding, receiving financial support from the Students’ Association and negotiating with Sodexo to lower catering costs. Despite these challenges, the team remained committed to providing an authentic cultural experience.

“We made sure to include vegan options and maintain traditional recipes so that each dish was served as it should be,” the organizers said.

Students from various countries shared their national dress, dances, poems, songs and cuisines. Even though most of them said that it was hard to prepare for the event because of academic responsibilities, their desire to introduce their culture and country helped them to arrange their time and get ready for the night. Members of the Chinese Student Association represented their culture through song.

“College life is busy, you never know what is coming right around the corner,” Cornelius Chung said. “It is hard to pick time out of the schedule to practice. That was the main obstacle. The other problem was picking a song which fully represents our culture, so we had a lot of discussions with our group.”

Performers also said that performing at SDSU and in their home country are not the same.

“American people are always happy and open to get to know something new and we are always delighted to introduce to them our culture,” Xue Sha said. “You feel [more free] here. You are mostly being in stage, and you enjoy every moment. But when you perform in your hometown, it is mostly about sheer perfection.”

Performers, as well, described what it means to them to represent their culture.

“It is about letting (people) know about my country, that we exist, break stereotypes,” Nguyen Trung said. “Not all people know about my country, culture, people. We wanted to empower. Cultures are coming together. People of different backgrounds could be so harmonizing together. Through this event, we show that we love and respect each other.”

Attendees enjoyed learning about the different cultures international students bring to Brookings.

“It is my second time attending International Night,” said attendee, Ariel Peterson.

“The atmosphere was so fun, enjoyable, everybody is so kind whenever I am here. Everybody is willing to talk. There is always a good atmosphere at such events.

All the performers and their actions on the stage inspired me. You do not see such unique things around here. When international students show us something that we have never seen, it is always interesting, and it kind of charges the atmosphere of the city.”

More than 800 international students attend SDSU, according to Office of International Affairs numbers. Members of that office visited International Night to support students and to get to know new cultures. Danielle Schulz, of OIA, said she was excited to be there and admired how everyone worked hard to present their country.

Photo courtesy of LISA JOHANSEN AUST

Here traditional food is being served to the attendees of International Night. In the backround is Brookings Mayor Oepke “Ope” Niemeyer being served food from the event.

Photo courtesy of LISA JOHANSEN AUST

There are more than 800 international students that attend SDSU. A lot of them stopped by International Night to show their support.

Students mark Valentine’s Day with Game Show

UPC hosts contest for couples

ALEXANDER OLSEN Reporter

Couples from all across SDSU competed against each other in a game show on Monday night at the University Student Union from 7 to 9 p.m.

The event was put on by the University Program Council (UPC) with an objective of, “creating an event that celebrates positive relationships and connection on campus,” said UPC Social Awareness Coordinator Cecilia Nightingale.

The roster for the game ﬁlled up quickly, with more couples than UPC was able to accommodate initially signing up via Google Forms.

The contestant couples faced a gauntlet of questions, each designed for one partner to answer about the other, such as:

“How many unread texts does the girl have,” or “What was his ﬁrst childhood Halloween costume?” Receiving points for answering these questions correctly, couples either advanced or were eliminated across multiple rounds based on how many points they could score as a collective.

Eventually, the top couples moved onto the ﬁnals where they went head to head with one other couple. The questions being asked in the ﬁnals broadened in scope, such as having the guys name three makeup brands while having the girls name three NFL players. A cupcake decorating station was also available for both contestants and

“It’s going to be a positive space around Valentine’s Day, surrounding dating and relationships. We’re looking for positivity, respectful conduct, and people to come and have fun.”

Cecilia Nightingale, UPC Social Awareness Coordinator

spectators. Some of the participants learned things about their relationships, with competitor Jack Stevens saying, “We need to watch more movies.”

Stevens and his partner Alexis Germain noted that the bracketing system could potentially be improved for future occurrences, as some couples didn’t get to go up on stage as many times as others.

Due to the overload of couples that signed up to compete, it’s not out of the question for this event to occur next year, according to Nightingale.

“It’s going to be a positive space around Valentine’s Day, surrounding dating and relationships,” Nightingale said. “We’re looking for positivity, respectful conduct, and people to come and have fun.”

Collegian photo by EAN WETZEL

The couples here are competing in the University Program Council sponsored gameshow. In the game, contestants were asked questions about their partner and the couples with the most points moved on to a head-to-head ﬁnal round.

OLYMPIAN’S LAST SEASON

Cyprianos looks back on his career as a swimmer

ISABELLA GNEWUCH Reporter

Olympian swimmer, Denilson Cyprianos, will be swimming in his final Summit League Swimming Championship Feb. 19-22 at the University of Iowa.

Cyprianos is currently No. 2 in the conference in the 200-yard backstroke behind Denver swimmer Dylan Wright, an event in which he previously competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Cyprianos holds the SDSU swimming records in the 400-yard and 800-yard freestyle relays and the 200-yard backstroke on the men’s swimming team.

The Zimbabwe native holds his nation’s national record in the 200-meter backstroke with a time of 2:01.91, set at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He also set the 50-meter and 100-meter backstroke, 400-meter and 800-meter freestyle relay and the 400-meter medley relay national records at the African Games last March of 2024.

The Collegian had the opportunity to sit down with Cyprianos before the Summer Olympics and he agreed to speak again before what could be his last meet as a Jackrabbit.

What was it like to go from the Olympics back to college swimming?

It is really fun and nice to get back into the environment of training with everyone. It gets challenging going to meets on my own.

What are you looking forward to the most with the end of the season approaching?

A little more time and getting over the hurdle of conference. I am excited to finish out my master’s degree in operations management in the next year and just enjoy the city of Brookings.

How are you feeling as you approach your final collegiate meet and what does it mean to you personally?

I am really blessed to be here and experience my last final meet my senior year. After some of the hurdles I have faced, it is nice to take a second and look back at how far I’ve come and give it one more big effort.

How do your national experiences at the World Championships and the Olympics influence your approach to college meets?

I would say it’s a little different just because the setup of the meets is so different. At Worlds, we will have a call room and all these other formal factors you follow before you get to the race, whereas college meets you just get to the block. I really enjoy that because I’m a little last minute sometimes and I like to just get to the block right before my race and I really enjoy that about college swimming.

Who has been your biggest influence during your collegiate career?

I would say my support system being my family, my fiancé, my swim team family collectively they have supported me through challenging times in my career. They have been there during the highest points and getting to share all of that with them as well has been the most special part of it all.

What has been the most significant lesson you have learned during your collegiate career?

To be thankful and to trust in yourself. Understand that these challenges can be overcome and everything you

are experiencing is new at this developmental age. Give yourself some grace as you go through it and respect yourself and everything you stand for.

What is one piece of advice you want to leave for the next generation of the team?

Trust in the process and keep on working hard every day. Have fun and make memories as you go through it all. When I leave, I lose the control of being here every day but I hope the roots we have set as this class and many of the classes before us allows the team to keep growing in the right direction and one day be on top of the Summit League.

What are your swimming plans post-collegiate career? Training? Competing? Recreational? For now, I am still deciding. I know that I will continue swimming the next couple months following conference to have one more shot at the World Championships and see how that goes before I decide whether to try for the next Olympic cycle.

Photo courtesy by Dave Eggen/Interia Sports Graduate student and Bulawayo, Zimbabwe native Cyprianos swims the backstroke for South Dakota State.

Hockey jumps to 3-1 on the season against rival

JACOB BRENDE

Assistant Sports Editor

SDSU swept NDSU last weekend to extend their win streak to seven games. The previous meeting between the two teams was in Fargo, North Dakota with the Jacks suffering one of their two losses on the season in the two game series, which motivated the hosting Jackrabbits.

“When we went up to NDSU, we went down in a hard fight 2-1 in the first game against NDSU, so the guys were all riled up to play them again,” said SDSU goalie Trent Nelson.

GAME ONE: 3-1

Friday saw Nelson save 38 shots en route to a 3-1 Jackrabbit win. SDSU’s Jack Meritt struck first off a Max Mohr pass to get the lead four minutes into the game. The duo struck again in the waning minutes of the first, with Meritt getting his second goal of the game and Mohr his second assist.

The second period saw both teams combine for 17 shots on goal as both teams got solid scoring opportunities. Nelson made numerous athletic saves in the period to keep the Bison off the board. Quintin Steindl broke a nearly 20-minute scoring drought as he extended the lead to three goals with David Brink and Mason Schramm on the assist.

In the third period, the Jacks were able to keep the Bison in check and closed out the game with a 3-1 victory. The only goal allowed came with 21 seconds left in the game.

GAME TWO: 4-3 OT

Saturday saw both teams trade blows as SDSU emerged victorious in a tough 4-3 shootout win. Ashton Witte started the scoring with a power-play goal following passes from Meritt and Owen Schneider. The Jackrabbits extended the lead with a Max Kjelden goal in the second period. NDSU’s Jacob Pierson and Cameron Coe were able to tie the game with goals of their own, and the second period ended with a 2-2 score. Mohr was able to weave his way through traffic to get the lead six minutes into the third, but Davis Gohman responded three minutes later to tie up the game.

With the third period ending tied, both teams entered a five-minute sudden-death overtime period. The 3-on-3 saw neither team able to find a goal, forcing a final three-round shootout period. Nelson credited first-year coach Justin Kirchheval with keeping the team poised with the shootout nearing.

“You could see the guys tense up a little bit, especially because NDSU had a lot of hits and they were all fired up. I think ultimately, our coach Justin Kirchheval did a great job of keeping us composed.” Said Nelson

ing a potential post-season berth.

SDSU started the shootout by sending in Schneider, whose savvy stick handling led to a wide-open net and the first goal of the shootout.

SDSU goalie Addison Ronning was able to put the pressure back on the Bison as he blocked their first attempt.

Kjelden went next for the Jacks and was able to put the puck between Bison goalie Ryan O’toole’s pads to get the two-goal lead.

NDSU had one last chance to mount a comeback and it weighed on Pierson’s stick. Pierson started from the blue line and advanced towards Ronning, faking a shot to the right before trying to elevate the puck above Ronning’s outstretched leg.

Ronning’s disciplined movement blocked the shot attempt and ended the shootout, giving the Jacks the win.

“Addison Ronning had a great game, especially in that shootout, he was lock down. I talked to Addison after the game and he told me he was locked in for that shootout, you could tell,” said Nelson.

With the season beginning to wind down and regionals looming, the team is in high spirits and is anticipat-

“The moods good you know, we are all looking forward to seeing if we make regionals, so the moods high, the energies high, I think practice this week is gonna be really good because everyone is in high spirits because we just took down our rivals,” Nelson said.

The Jacks head up to face off against UND this weekend before playing their final home series against St. Olaf next week on Feb. 22 and 23.

SEASON GOAL LEADERS

1.) Max Kjelden: 19 goals (32 pts)

2.) Zach Struck: 15 goals (22 pts)

3.) Ashton Witte: 13 goals (24 pts)

T-4.) Owen Schneider: 10 goals (29 pts)

T-4.) Quintin Steindl: 10 goals (21 pts)

6.) Garett Everson: 8 goals (19 pts)

Collegian photo by EMMA WAAGE

Senior forward Max Kjelden attempts to score against North Dakota State goaltender Ryan O’Toole. Kjelden leads the team in goals with 19 on the year, and has averaged more than 1.7 points per game.

Softball comes out swinging

Jackrabbits start 4-0 in first of two Texas tournaments

JORDAN RADDATZ Sports Reporter

South Dakota State softball starts their season 4-0 after sweeping the East Texas A&M Leadoff in Commerce, Texas.

Game 1 – Stephen F. Austin

The first game on Friday started strong for the Jackrabbits with three home runs through four innings. The Lumberjacks got on the board in the fifth inning with a pair of runs.

SDSU struck back with an Emma Vike three-run homer, keeping the game out of reach despite a Lumberjack home run late, and winning 9-4.

Mia Jarecki scored three runs and also picked up a pair of singles and two stolen bases. Akayla Barnard pitched for five innings and struck out seven batters while former USD pitcher Madi Mangulis made her first career start for South Dakota State, finishing with two strikeouts of her own.

Game 2 – East Texas A&M

The second game started cold, taking five innings before SDSU got on the board on a Brooke Dumont homer. Another six runs soon followed, then three more in the next inning. SDSU defeated the Lions in a 9-0 shutout after the game was called on the run-ahead rule.

Tayler Baker handled pitching duties for five innings, striking out nine batters. Seven Jackrabbits earned a hit during the game, including Emma Christensen who had a pair of singles and a run.

For the Jacks, Jarecki tallied three hits with five at bats for the game while in the field, Madi Conklin finished with 12 putouts.

Game 3 – Stephen F. Austin

SDSU fell to a 2-0 deficit in the second inning, but stormed back in the third with two RBIs. A pair of RBI singles capped off the Jacks scoring, and while the Lumberjacks attempted a comeback, they could only get an RBI single in the seventh inning, allowing the Jacks

Junior Jackrabbut outfeilder Emma Christensen puts a ball in play against Stephen F. Austin.In the first four games of the season Christensen has had nine at bats and has recorded six hits, which is second on the Jacks, along with one RBI and a on base percentage of 75.

to win 6-3.

Mia Jarecki had a productive morning, batting a .750 and hitting a 2 RBI single in the third and an RBI single in the fourth, while also scoring a run off an Abby Gentry double.

“[Jarecki] had just a stellar performance this weekend,” head coach Kristina McSweeney said.“Incredible performance, her on-base percentage, the balls she put in play, the RBIs.”

Game 4 – Texas Southern

SDSU took another victory by the run-ahead rule over the Tigers. After scoring four runs in the first inning, the Jacks led comfortably through the rest of the contest. Alivya Bollen hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning to cap off the scoring at 9-1.

Alli Boyle contributed to most of the scoring with a three RBI double, while three additional Jackrabbits had an RBI single each. Three Jackrabbits spilt pitching duties and allowed only five hits through the course of the game.

SDSU’s last two games of the tournament were canceled Sunday due to weather. They were scheduled to play Texas Southern and East Texas A&M.

“What really stood out to me with this group is how coachable they were,” McSweeney said.“When we were talking about strategy and what we needed to do better, they made adjustments very very quickly.”

The Jacks return to action tomorrow at the Whataburger Invitational in Stephenville, Texas to face off against Akron, Austin Peay, Houston Christian and Tarleton State.

Photo courtesy by MARIO TERRANA/SDSU ATHLETICS

Wrestling pulls off comeback victory over Northern Colorado; sets sights for ranked Iowa

MARSHALL MINIHAN Sports Editor

The Jackrabbit Wrestling team put on a show last week after a 30-10 comeback victory over Northern Colorado in SDSU’s second-to-last home meet of the season.

In this dual, The Jackrabbits fell short early on and lost the opening three matches. South Dakota State then went on to win the next seven (one by forfeit) to seal the victory and move to 13-3 on the year (5-1, Big 12).

Dominic Serrano of UNC started the dual by defeating SDSU’s Derrick Cardinal 9-2 while Andrew Alirez, the 2023 National Champion at 141 pounds beat Julian Tagg 11-3.

At 149 pounds, Benji Alanis and Avery Allen battled closely before Alanis added a third Northern Colorado victory with a win by decision 4-3.

The Jackrabbits would then sweep the remaining seven matches of the dual.

Transfer Cobe Siebrecht tallied SDSU’s first points of the night with an upset victory over No. 15 Vinny Zerban 4-1. Siebrecht started hot early on with a takedown in the first and a reversal in the second period.

“Cobe went out there and picked up a big win,” said Damion Hahn. “Two weekends in a row picking up big wins. Cobe [is] kind of coming into his zone confidence wise and he got the ball rolling for us and we kept the momentum… we ended up running the table.”

Drake Rhodes earned a victory at 165 pounds over Clayton Ulrey by major decision (12-1). Rhodes started the match strong with a takedown before scoring another with under a minute and a half remaining in the second period. The redshirt sophomore tallied a third takedown in the final period and racked up over third and a half minutes of ride time.

At 174 pounds, Cade DeVos earned SDSU’s first of two tech falls with his being against Aydin Rix-McElhinney 21-5. Heavyweight Luke Rasmussen brought in their second over Jose Valdez 15-0.

Bennett Berge won his match 4-2, Zach Glazier beat Andrew Donague 11-2 and Tanner Jordan earned a victory by forfeit.

Iowa State

For the last home dual of the season, the Jackrabbits will host No. 14 Iowa State tomorrow at First Bank & Trust Arena with the match scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

“It’s going to come down to the wire,” said Hahn.

NCAA TEAM RANKINGS

No. 1: Penn State (12-0)

No. 2: Oklahoma State (13-0)

No. 3: Iowa (11-1)

No. 4: Northern Iowa (12-1)

No. 5: Nebraska (9-3)

No.6: Minnesota (10-1)

No. 7: NC State (10-1)

No. 8: Ohio State (13-2)

No. 9: Cornell (9-1)

No. 10: Virnia Tech (7-2)

No. 11: South Dakota State (13-3)

“This is going to be a battle.”

The last time Iowa State and South Dakota State met on the met was in 2021 when the Cyclones won at a neutral site 19-2.

Historically, SDSU is 2-12 against ISU with their two

victories dating back to 2016 and 2018.

This season, The Cyclones boast a 10-4 record (4-1, Big 12) with losses over Stanford, Iowa, Ohio State and Oklahoma State. Three of their four losses have been against teams ranked inside the top eight.

ISU has tallied four of their ten wins this season to ranked opponents with notable victories over Pitt and North Carolina.

The Cyclones are strongest in the early to middle weights, with top-10 wrestlers at 133, 141, 149 and 157 pounds.

Evan and Jacob Frost, two twin sophomores from Louisiana have been stellar on the mat for Iowa Stat this season.

Evan Frost wrestles in the 133-pound weight class and is ranked No. 5 in the country and has a season record of 14-2 and 9-1 in duals while tallying two pins, three tech falls and three major decisions.

His brother Jacob is ninth in the country and has a 10-1 record in duals. Jacob Frost, Manny Rojas and Sawyer Bartelt each have seven tech falls this season.

Collegian photo by MIRANDA SAMPSON/SAMPON SNAPSHOTS

Jackrabbit heavyweight Luke Rasmussen defeats Jose Valdez 15-0 to help propel the Jackrabbits to a 30-10 win over Northern Colorado. The Jackrbits are now 13-3 on the season and 5-1 in conference matches. SDSU’s next match is Friday Feb. 14 at home against Iowa State.

Women slide through Summit League after victory over Oral Roberts; prepare for Interstate Series

MADISON GILLETTE

Sports Reporter

After a slow start to the game, South Dakota State rallied back to defeat Oral Roberts at First Bank & Trust Arena.

The game started hot for the Golden Eagles as Taleyah Jones drained it behind the arc just nine seconds into the game. Makyra Tramble added to their lead, making it 9-0 in the first minute of play.

“We were loose with the ball at times; they hit five 3s, and digging yourself out of a hole is a challenge, but our team stayed composed and made some shots to get us going,” head coach Aaron Johnston said postgame.

The Jacks were unable to find their groove in the first quarter as they shot 29% from the field and 22% from beyond the arc. The Jacks trailed by double digits after the first quarter.

They turned things around in the second quarter, claiming the lead for the first time two and a half minutes before halftime. The Jacks led by three going into the break.

In the 3rd quarter, Haleigh Timmer was on fire with back-to-back threes, advancing the Jacks lead to double digits. ORU was able to bring the game within eight at the end of the quarter.

SDSU maintained their momentum throughout the fourth quarter by shooting 8-of-14 inside the arc and 3-of-4 from three, taking an 89-71 victory over the Golden Eagles.

“I think there’s a certain level of composure with our team... to understand we can adjust, or we can regroup; we might have to change some things, but we can get this done,” Johnston said.

Paige Meyer led the Jacks with 23 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and two steals. She shot 50% for the night while going 2-of-3 for three.

“I think she’s playing at a really high level; the ability and talent is there and I think she’s also willing to do whatever it takes to be successful,” Johnston said of Paige Meyer. “She’s not worried about individual numbers, she’s not forcing shots. She’s in a really good place where she values success as a team and values her teammates.”

Brooklyn Meyer went 8-of-9 from the field, totaling 20 points, eight rebounds and one steal. Timmer contributed 18 points, five boards, one assist and one steal.

Mesa Byom led the Jackrabbits in rebounds as she tallied ten on the night. Byom also had nine points, four assists, and three blocks.

The win keeps the Jacks undefeated in conference play and 21-3 overall, having now won 11 straight this season and 58 consecutive Summit League regular season games, dating back to the 2021-22 season.

South Dakota

The Jacks will host in-state rival South Dakota this weekend. The Coyotes are sitting sixth in the Summit League conference with a record of 4-7 and an overall record of 10-15.

The last time the Jacks and Coyotes played was on Jan. 25 in Vermillion, where SDSU defeated USD 77-59. Shining bright for the Coyotes is senior Grace Larkins. On average, Larkins is scoring 24.8 points a game while shooting 51.2% from the court. The senior has 235 boards and 47 steals on the year with 134 assists.

In the SDSU game, Larkins led the Coyotes in every category on the stat sheet. She had 27 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and two steals.

Junior Carley Duffney averages almost 12 points

a game and shoots 42% from the field. Duffney has excelled at the charity stripe this season, shooting well over 80%.

Duffney contributed heavily against the Jacks as she scored 17 in their last meeting. She also had one assist and three rebounds in South Dakota’s loss.

This Interstate Series match will take place on Saturday at First Bank & Trust Arena. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m and the game will be streamed on the Summit League Network through Midco Sports Plus.

LEADING SCORERS (thru Feb. 8)

Brooklyn Meyer - 427 points

Haleigh Timmer - 311 points

Paige Meyer - 246 points

Katie Vasecka - 211 points

Madison Mathiowetz - 191 points

Mesa Byom - 167 points

Collegian photo by EAN WETZEL Mesa Byom (24) shoots for the basket against a defending Oral Roberts player. Byom finished the game with a team-high ten rebounds.

Men earn upset win over No. 2 Tommies; get ready to host No. 1 Mavericks of Omaha

JON AKRE

Sports Reporter

The South Dakota State men’s basketball team reached the century mark for the third time this season, knocking off the St. Thomas Tommies, 102-86.

The 16-point win marks the largest loss of the season for St. Thomas, all while avenging the Jacks prior loss to UST, a one-point win for the Tommies on Jan. 8.

SDSU improved to 7-3 in Summit League play with the win on a night where South Dakota State’s star center Oscar Cluff was quiet in the stat sheet, showing off the depth and versatility of the young group.

“We’re a ‘Next man up’ mentality type of squad,” said SDSU head coach Eric Henderson. “If Oscar doesn’t necessarily have his night or if he’s in foul trouble which was a big factor tonight, we’re not going to feel sorry for ourselves putting somebody else in, let’s go.”

But it wasn’t easy going for the Jacks in Thursday’s

SUMMIT LEAGUE STANDINGS

No. 1: Omaha Mavericks (16-10, 10-1)

No. 2: St. Thomas Tommies (19-7, 9-2)

No. 3: SDSU Jackrabbits (16-9, 7-3)

No. 4: USD Coyotes (15-10, 6-4)

No. 5: NDSU Bison (17-9, 6-5)

No. 6: Kansas City Roos (11-15, 3-8)

No. 7: North Dakota Fighting Hawks (9-17, 3-8)

No. 8: Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (6-17, 2-8)

No. 9: Denver Pioneers (8-18, 2-9)

statement win, SDSU trailed by nine points just over five minutes into the game. Henderson said postgame that the turnovers offensively were hurting the Jacks defensively as well.

“Most of it started with turning the basketball over in the first half and then they were able to get downhill and score on our defense that wasn’t set,” Henderson said. “They scored 26 points in the paint in the first half and a lot of them were uncontested layups.”

The Tommies shot nearly 57% from the floor in the first half, but after the Jacks’ halftime adjustments, that dropped to 40% from the field in the second half. On the other side, SDSU scored 61 points in the final 20 minutes, shooting over 66% from the floor and a season-high 52.6% from three-point range.

“We were a little disappointed with how we guarded the paint in the first half,” said Henderson. “We talked about trying to keep that ball out of there and we took care of the ball. We got a shot on all but four posses-

Collegian photo by EAN WETZEL

Joe Sayler scored 16 points in South Dakota State’s upset victory over the No. 2 St. Thomas Tommies. As of Feb. 12, the Jackrabbits are No. 3 in the Summit League with South Dakota trailing by one win in fourth.

February 13, 2025

sions.”

Owen Larson made his presence felt the most in the second half, exploding for 16 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the ﬁeld, adding ﬁve rebounds. Matthew Mors scored all 13 of his points in the second half as well.

“Late in the ﬁrst half, at about the eight minutes, I got downhill once and hit a layup and that kind of got me in the zone,” said Larson, who ﬁnished with 22 points on the night.

Joe Sayler dropped 16 points in the win, while Kalen Garry played over 36 minutes and netted 16 points. Wilkinson totaled 10 points, four rebounds and two assists while Cluﬀ had nine points and ﬁve rebounds.

Omaha

After last week’s victory over St. Thomas, the Jacks will have had seven days to prepare for its biggest game of the conference season, a home matchup with the Summit League-leading Omaha Mavericks.

UNO (16-10, 10-1 Summit) held the Jacks to just 32% from beyond the arc in their ﬁrst matchup, an 87-80 victory on Jan. 11. Since these teams last faced oﬀ, the Mavericks have won six of their last seven conference games with their only skid coming against the USD

Coyotes on Jan. 29.

The Mavericks will come into Brookings with lackluster numbers, hoisting the 6th best oﬀense in the Summit League (76.1 ppg) and just the fourth-best defense in the conference (74.6 ppg).

With a team like Omaha, it’s tough to pinpoint exactly what makes them so great to kickstart a 10-1 Summit League record, but SDSU head coach Henderson attributes their experience in college basketball to this success.

“The margin is not always that big, but they always seem to be coming out on the right side,” said Henderson. “To me, what comes to mind is certainly their experience, their physicality, just being older and a little more physical.”

The Jacks will have to ﬁnd ways to slow down Marquel Sutton and JJ White, as both players scored 24 points apiece on the Jacks in their ﬁrst meeting.

Sutton averages 17 points, 7.5 rebounds and an assist per game, while White, a more facilitating guard, nets 13 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest.

The Thursday matchup tips oﬀ at 7 p.m. inside First Bank & Trust Arena and can be watched on the Summit League Network through Midco Sports Plus.

South Dakota

After facing oﬀ with the league-leading Mavericks, the Jacks will take their annual trip down to Vermillion for Round 2 of the Interstate Series with the South Dakota Coyotes.

After dropping four of its ﬁrst six Summit League games, USD (15-10, 6-4 Summit) has rattled oﬀ four straight wins over North Dakota, Denver, Oral Roberts and Omaha, climbing up to the No. 4 seed in the Summit League.

The Jacks were able to breeze past the Coyotes in the ﬁrst matchup in Brookings, a 90-71 victory over USD on Jan. 25, and have now won each of the last nine meetings, looking for a 10th straight Sunday.

When it comes to both ends of the ﬂoor, USD couldn’t be the more polar opposite, garnering the top-scoring oﬀense in the conference (85.7 ppg) while sitting dead last defensively (83.2 ppg).

Chase Forte and Isaac Bruns are the players to watch for USD as Forte averages 16 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals per game while Bruns chips in 14 points and four rebounds as well.

Jacks at ‘Yotes tips oﬀ Sunday at 1 p.m. inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center in Vermillion and can be watched on CBS Sports Network.