SDSU blows a 15-point lead but wins in OT
LOGAN, Utah – South Dakota State did two difficult things Saturday night: Blow a big lead and get over it.
After giving up a 15-0 run to end regulation, the Jackrabbits recovered to score the first seven points overtime then survived two tries to tie on the final possession to edge Utah State 68-65 before a crowd of 7,216.
It was yet another frantic finish for SDSU (9-3), winner of seven in a row. The margins of the past three games: two, three, four and three.
This one stood out because of the collapse, the recovery and the circumstances. The Aggies had been 51-1 as a tournament host. SDSU essentially had to beat them twice to hoist the silver trophy given to the champion of the World Vision Classic.
"The emotions of that – I thought it was going to be really hard for our kids to bounce back from that," said Coach Scott Nagy, whose club next heads to No. 14-ranked Utah for a Tuesday game. "But they did a great job. It started with the tip."
SDSU won the OT tip and scored on the ensuing possession, senior forward Cody Larson hitting two shots from the foul line. Those were hit last points before fouling out. Then, guard Deondre Parks scored on a drive and a 3-pointer, giving the Jacks a 68-61 edge with 2:31 remaining.
That was enough – just barely. SDSU missed two free throws with 15 seconds remaining, allowing Utah State (6-5) to have the final shots. It missed two decent looks from 3-point range to finish 1-for-14 from deep. The Aggies came into the game averaging more than seven 3s per game.
In regulation, the Jacks missed a free throw with 21 seconds remaining. That led to Darius Perkins hitting a runner to tie. SDSU got off two shots in the final 10 seconds, the second being a tip-in try by Jake Bittle that rolled all the way around the rim and out.
Some of the Jacks rose off the bench in anticipation of that being the game winner. The manner of the miss could have been devastating.
"(Bittle) just laughed it off in the huddle – he got us in the right mindset, just played it off," said Larson, who had 16 points and eight rebounds. "We came out and tried to win it in overtime."
And they did, earning their second overtime win of the three-game tourney.
The junior Parks led the attack with 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting. He scored 15 after halftime. That seemed counterintuitive considering he missed a morning shootaround because of dehydration, requiring an IV. Bittle finished with career-high 12 rebounds. Point guard George Marshall scored eight points with three assists and four rebounds and was named tourney MVP.
Meanwhile, freshman wing Lane Severyn scored eight points with three rebounds in eight minutes. He came into the game with seven points for the season on 1-for-12 shooting.
The Jacks again showed they have more depth than in recent years. That was necessary during this, the third game in as many nights. All of those went down to the final seconds.
This was a true road game. And the Aggies hadn't lost a home tournament game since 1971.
"We've played in so many overtimes," Parks said. "I don't want to say we're used to it, but we know how to get the 'W' in overtime."