Tuesday Tidbits
Although I’ll probably sneak in some football stuff later this week, I’ve pretty much turned the page: It’s basketball season:
I’ll have live coverage of the South Dakota State men at No. 14 Minnesota tonight - a game that will air on ESPN3 - beginning at 6:30 p.m.
In a story previewing that contest, I wrote that the Jacks have played top-15 teams before. The results of this games, best I can tell:
2012 NCAA tournament: No. 10 Baylor 68, SDSU 60
2009 Paradise Jam: No. 7 Purdue 74, SDSU 63
2006-07 regular-season game: No. 12 Butler 62, SDSU 47
The Jacks may be without guard Taevaunn Prince, who suffered a toe injury Saturday. Coach Scott Nagy said the staff didn’t become aware of the issue until Sunday.
The SDSU women also play tonight, hosting Eastern Michigan. The Eagles are far more interesting than their 1-6 record.
They won 22 games or more in each of the last three seasons, going to the NCAA tournament last year thanks in part to star guard Tavelyn James, named the top player in the country under 5-foot-8.
However, coach AnneMarie Gilbert resigned in turmoil after the season for NCAA rules violations. The program received two years worth of penalties, including limits on campus visits and practice time.
New coach Tori Verdi spent the last two seasons as an assistant at Kansas after five at Nebraska. EMU has lost three games by seven points or less and is in the last of a three-game road trip over seven days.
Justin Wulf will be covering the game for the Argus.
The SDSU wrestling team has the first home dual of the coach Chris Bono era on Saturday against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. The Jacks beat SIUE on the road last season.
SDSU sophomore running back Zach Zenner did not break the single-season school record for rushing. His total of 2,044 was 11 shy of what Josh Ranek gained in 1999. A couple comparisons between those seasons:
Zenner’s total game in 13 games in the Football Championship Subdivision. He had 300 carries averaging out to 6.8 yards per attempt with 13 touchdowns.
Ranek put up his numbers in 11 games at the NCAA Division II level. He had 329 carries for 6.2 yards per carry with 25 TDs.
Terry Vandrovec also posts regular updates on his Twitter page.
