Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 RAPID CITY, S.D. – The South Dakota Mines men's basketball team continues their road stretch to start the season as they play in the conference challenge in Spearfish, hosted by Black Hills State.
On Friday, the Hardrockers take on Augustana at 5:30, before taking on the #4 MSU Moorhead Dragons on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.
GAME INFORMATION
Augustana
Date/Time: Nov. 15 / 5:30 p.m. MT
Site: Spearfish, S.D.
Arena: Donald E. Young Center
Series Overall: Augustana leads 16-7.
Streak: Augustana Won 3
Last Meeting: Augustana won in Rapid City, 83-74 (11/18/23).
Watch Live: RMAC Network
#4 Minnesota State Moorhead
Date/Time: Nov. 16 / 3:00 p.m. MT
Site: Spearfish, S.D.
Arena: Donald E. Young Center
Series Overall: MSU Moorhead leads 2-0.
Streak: MSU Moorhead Won 2
Last Meeting: MSU Moorhead won in Rapid City, 69-67 (11/17/23).
Watch Live: RMAC Network
GETTING THEIR FEET WET
South Dakota Mines is young and got experience with long, athletic teams last weekend at Texas A&M—Kingsville and Texas A&M International.
Despite the offense's struggles to score, the Hardrockers' defense played well, allowing a combined 120 points in the two contests.
SMITH SHINES
Keagen Smith averaged 18 points per game in the second half of 2023-24 and continued to lead the team in scoring in the opening weekend, scoring in double figures in both contests.
SCOUTING AUGUSTANA
Augustana is a traditionally proud program and they are coming off a year where they won 19 games.
They had some turnover, however, as alumni Cody Schilling took over the program as the new head coach. Last weekend, the new era started off with a pair of tough opponents: Northwest Missouri State and Missouri Western.
The Vikings knocked off #20 Northwest Missouri State before falling to Missouri Western.
They brought in several transfers, including a trio of DI transfers from South Dakota State, and all three have played roles thus far. Tanner Te Slaa is leading them in scoring with 13.5 per game thus far.
Sam Rensch is also in double figures, averaging 12.5 per game.
SCOUTING MSU MOORHEAD
MSU Moorhead has become a powerhouse program over the last couple of seasons. They have made the national tournament four years in a row and are 50-12 overall over the last two seasons.
Going into the season, MSU Moorhead was selected second in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll, behind only reigning national champion Minnesota State.
Jacob Beeninga returns for the Dragons as an All-NSIC First Team selection in 2023-24, while they also return the reigning NSIC Newcomer of the Year in JaMir Price.
They also bring in a ton of talent, with three Division I transfers, Sam Hastreiter, Jayden Doyle, and Levi Birkholz, from North Dakota State University, Monmouth, and The Citadel.
Three players are scoring double digits for the Dragons: Beeninga, Jacob Jennison, and Logan Kinsey, who are averaging 16, 13, and 13 points per game, respectively.
LOOKING AHEAD
Following the weekend of tough contests, the Hardrockers have a split week. They head to Kansas and take on Fort Hays State on the road on Tuesday, Nov. 19, before their home opener against MSU Billings on Saturday, Nov. 23.
Fans can find the latest on South Dakota Mines men's basketball all year long on X and Instagram (@hardrockermbb), while also following on Facebook at Hardrocker Men's Basketball. The latest on South Dakota Mines athletics can be found by following us on X at @GoHardrockers, hardrockerathletics on Instagram and Hardrocker Athletics on Facebook.
ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA MINES
South Dakota Mines is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and NCAA Division II offering 13 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic programs. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 members, as well as four associate members, located in the states of California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah.
