Box Score

Brookings, SD --- James Daniel scored a game-high 27 points and Prince Okoroh added 12, but it was not enough to offset the balance scoring and deft free throw shooting of South Dakota State as Howard University lost 77-65 in the Progressive Legends Classic at Frost Arena.  The Bison (2-5) face Texas Southern at 6:30 pm on Tuesday.  The Jackrabbits (2-4) take on Lehigh at 9 pm.

Howard fell behind early and had to play catchup through most of the first half.  South Dakota State opened the game with a 12-0 run and threatened to put the game away early, but the young Bison fought and scrapped their way back in the game, twice cutting double digit deficits to six, before trailing 37-28 at the half.  Daniel led the way with 12 points.

The Bison did not shoot the ball well, but their defense limited the Jackrabbits to 28 percent shooting from the field.  Howard held its own in most of the statistical categories, except one:  The Bison were whistled for 14 fouls in the first half and it put the hosts into the bonus early. 

"This was definitely a tough atmosphere for our young team to play in," said Howard Coach Kevin Nickelberry.  "Even with all the foul trouble and physical play, the team kept fighting until the end against a very good veteran team."
It proved to be a double whammy for the young Bison.  Their most experienced post player, red-shirt sophomore Oliver Ellison, got into foul trouble and South Dakota State was able to use its excellent free throw shooting to keep the young Bison at bay, hitting on 19 of 22 for a sizzling 86 percent.

In the second half, it was more of the same as the Jackrabbits would bolt out to a 12- to 14-point lead, only to have Howard fight its way back.  The Bison twice cut the margin to a workable 10-point deficit, but each time South Dakota State would answer at the charity stripe as it hit on 13 of 16 after intermission.

Daniel led all scorers with 27, including 9 of 10 from the free throw line.  Okoroh added 7 rebounds to his stat sheet while freshman center Marcel Boyd came off the bench to score five points and grab a team-high 8 rebounds.  Red-shirt freshman guard Keon Hill contributed six off the bench.

"We need someone else to step up and help Daniel until we get until we get Miller (James) and Carlton (James) in the fold," said Nickelberry. 

South Dakota State got a team-high 24 from Cody Larson, 16 from Anders Broman off the bench and 14 and 10 from Jordan Dykstra and Chad White, respectively.