VERMILLION, S.D. (Interstat) — In a tense, back-and-forth Summit League men’s basketball rivalry game decided at the free-throw line, South Dakota edged South Dakota State 75-70 on Saturday afternoon at the DakotaDome.

The Coyotes, playing before a crowd of 3,569, overcame a halftime deficit by capitalizing on a massive disparity in free-throw opportunities and holding off a late charge from the Jackrabbits’ Joe Sayler.

South Dakota State built a 42-38 lead by the break, fueled by Sayler’s hot hand and early interior dominance from Damon Wilkinson. The Jackrabbits stretched their advantage to as many as seven points in the opening minutes of the second half. The Coyotes responded with a 14-2 run, anchored by Cameron Fens and Jordan Crawford, to seize a 54-49 lead with 12:19 remaining.

The game settled into a gritty, possession-by-possession struggle from there. Sayler, a 6-foot-3 guard from White River, South Dakota, willed the Jackrabbits back, scoring 12 of his game-high 24 points in the final 10 minutes. His driving layup with 2:01 left tied the score at 70.

The decisive sequence unfolded in the final minute. With the score still knotted at 70, South Dakota State’s Damon Wilkinson had a layup blocked by Fens with 14 seconds left. On the ensuing scramble, South Dakota’s Vince Buzelis secured the defensive rebound and was fouled.

Buzelis missed the front end of a one-and-one, but South Dakota’s Cameron Fens grabbed a critical offensive board and was fouled with 9 seconds remaining. The 6-foot-10 center from Dubuque, Iowa, calmly sank both free throws to put the Coyotes ahead 72-70.

South Dakota State called a timeout to advance the ball, but Sayler’s contested three-point attempt from the wing missed. Fens again secured the defensive rebound and was fouled, making one of two free throws for a 73-70 lead with 3 seconds left.

After another timeout, South Dakota State’s inbounds pass went to Kalen Garry, who was fouled on a desperate three-point heave with one-tenth of a second on the clock. Garry made the first free throw but intentionally missed the second, and South Dakota’s Jordan Crawford grabbed the rebound and was fouled. Crawford sank both free throws to seal the five-point victory.

The most important part of the game was South Dakota’s relentless ability to draw fouls and convert at the stripe, which ultimately compensated for their shooting struggles. The Coyotes attempted 31 free throws, making 25, while the Jackrabbits went just 9 for 13 from the line. South Dakota also won the turnover battle, committing only seven compared to South Dakota State’s 12, leading to a 15-6 advantage in points off turnovers.

Sayler’s 24-point effort came with six assists for South Dakota State. Wilkinson added 15 points. For South Dakota, Fens was a force with 17 points, two assists and two blocks, consistently answering South Dakota State runs in the paint. Crawford also scored 17 points and dished out five assists, while Buzelis and Uzziah Buntyn each contributed 11 points.

South Dakota State finished the regular season 14-17 overall. South Dakota improved to 16-15. The game was the regular-season finale for both teams ahead of the Summit League tournament.