WAC/Summit Challenge: Grand Canyon vs. South Dakota State

College Basketball

WAC/Summit Challenge: Grand Canyon vs. South Dakota State

• Matchup: Grand Canyon Antelopes (0-0, 0-0) vs. South Dakota State Jackrabbits (0-0, 0-0)
• Date: Nov. 6, 2018
• Time: 8 p.m. (est)
• Network: ESPN3 (national) / MidcoSN (local)
• Location: Brookings, South Dakota, USA
• Venue: Frost Arena
• Seating Capacity: 6.5K

The new college basketball season tips off in just a few days, with many round-robin tournaments and a few big games taking place. Also kick-starting the brand new season is an early conference challenge in the Midwest. The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and the Summit League will go toe-to-toe with two matchups against one another.

The first of the two features WAC representative the Grand Canyon Antelopes visiting the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. The Jackrabbits hail out of the Summit League, a conference they have dominated over the past few years. Much of that is in large part to a certain power forward that has been the best player since stepping on the court his freshman year.

A Powerful Power Forward

South Dakota State will once again showcase their perennial big man in Mike Daum. Daum enters his senior season with the Jackrabbits, accomplishing much in his three-year career. Daum is a two-time All-American as well as a two-time Summit Player of the Year. He also took Summit Freshman Player of the Year honors after redshirting his first year.

Daum was the only player on South Dakota State to total over 800 points last season, which is concerning since Grand Canyon’s leading scorer tallied around 400 total points a year ago. Despite South Dakota State having the fourth best power forward in the nation, the Antelopes have a weapon of their own.

From Italy With Love

Italian sensation Alessandro Lever enters his second season with Grand Canyon, coming off a very impressive freshman campaign. Lever led his team in points last season, the only Antelope to record over 400 points. He is expected to take on a much bigger role his second season, as he was named the WAC’s Preseason Player of the Year.

The Antelopes have potential to beat South Dakota State on the glass as well. A year ago, the Antelopes ranked 37th in rebounds per game (38.6) and 21st in points allowed per game (65.1). The test for Grand Canyon will be whether they can withstand the same success on the boards and defensively.

Their rebound leader a year ago in Keonta Vernon is now gone due to graduation, the only Antelope with over 200 boards last season. However, the school revealed that this is their tallest team in quite some time, possibly ever. If that ends up being the case then they should see similar or even better results on the glass this year.

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Photo Credit: 1580 The Fanatic via Twitter