Staff Reports

The Jackrabbits competed in the BCA Classic in Columbus, Ohio, in their opening tournament of the season. They lost all three of their games.

In the season opener, the Jacks fell to the Kent State Golden Flashes, 105-50.

Senior Andy Kleinjan led the Jacks with a 16-point effort, including four three-pointers. True freshman Kai Williams pitched in 14 points and six rebounds.

In the second game of the season, SDSU lost a back-and-forth battle with Alabama A&M. The two teams exchanged leads 12 times, but the Bulldogs earned a 70-66 win.

Kleinjan led all scorers with 21 points, including five three-pointers. He finished the game 8-of-13 from the floor, 5-of-10 from beyond the arc. He also pitched in seven rebounds.

Matt Cadwell finished with 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting, with one three-pointer in five tries. He came up just one assist shy of a double-double.

The Bulldogs opened the game on a 6-0 run, but the Jacks clawed their way back to take a 17-15 lead. Alabama regained the lead, and Kleinjan nailed a three-pointer at the buzzer to get SDSU within six at the half.

The lead changed hands 10 times in the second half, but the Jacks could never get up by more than two points.

SDSU converted 4-of-12 free throws, while A&M made 18-of-25.

In the tournament conclusion, the Jacks lost to Virginia Military Institute, 104-89.

Although the Jacks jumped out to a 5-0 lead, the Keydets entered halftime with three players in double-figures and a 58-42 lead.

South Dakota State shot 48 percent from the field, while VMI shot 42.9 percent.

Kleinjan led the Jacks in scoring for the third straight game, this time putting in a career high 23 points, on 9-for-22 shooting.

Jose Frias scored a career-high 20 points, and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench.