South Dakota State Jackrabbits: 28-6, 13-1 in the Summit League
Head coach: T.J. Otzelberger (2nd season)
Players to watch: Mike Daum (23.8 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 42.1 3PT%); David Jenkins (16.1 PPG, 3.3 RPG)
Season recap: The Jackrabbits rode their high-powered offense to an 11-game winning streak entering their third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, beating South Dakota 97-87 March 6 to win the Summit League. South Dakota State outscored Ole Miss in a 99-97 overtime shootout in November for its only Power-5 win and has poured in at least 90 points more than 10 times this season.
Summit League Player of the Year Mike Daum—who scored 51 points in a game last season—averaged a double-double and is sixth in the nation in scoring, with range out to the 3-point line. The Jackrabbits shoot better than 40 percent from beyond the arc as a team and fire a large proportion of their shots from deep, making the sixth-most triples in the nation so far this season.
The numbers are not as impressive on the defensive end, but the Jackrabbits are a prototypical small conference champion that can score on anybody and make some noise in March.
How they make a run: Baum delivers a sensational effort to lead South Dakota State past Ohio State in this year's No. 12-seed upset, and South Dakota State stays hot in the second round to add another win for good measure.
How they falter: The Jackrabbits don't have the athletes to keep up with Big Ten Player of the Year Keita Bates-Diop, and the Buckeyes wear them down on their way to a comfortable win.
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