SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) – South Dakota State got 37 points from Summit League Player of the Year, Mike Daum, and the Jackrabbits defeated Omaha 79-77 to win the Summit League championship, sending SDSU to its fourth NCAA tournament in school history. Daum scored 24 points in the second half as SDSU (18-16) held off a furious rally down the stretch.
SDSU used a 9-5 run in the final five minutes to pull away. The biggest lead for either team in the second half was five points.
Daum went 14-for-24 from the floor and continued his torrid scoring pace, averaging 29.3 points per game in SDSU’s three conference tournament wins. The Jackrabbits, who’ve now won six straight, also got 12 points from Chris Howell and 11 from Reed Tellinghuisen.
Omaha, in its first conference championship game in school history, had four players in double figures with Tre’Shawn Thurman leading the way with 21 points.
AP-WF-03-08-17 0431GMT