BROOKINGS, S.D. (AP) Kalen Garry had 21 points in South Dakota State Jackrabbits’s 81-69 win over Valparaiso Beacons on Wednesday.

Garry had six rebounds for the Jackrabbits (3-0). Joe Sayler scored 20 points while going 7 of 20 from the floor and 4 for 5 from the line. Jon Mekonnen shot 5 for 10, including 1 for 3 from beyond the arc to finish with 12 points.

Carter Hopoi finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and three blocks for the Beacons (2-1). J.T. Pettigrew added 15 points for Valparaiso. Rakim Chaney finished with 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals.

South Dakota State took the lead with 9:30 left in the first half and did not trail again. Sayler led the team in scoring with 16 points in the first half to go up 49-32 at the break. South Dakota State pulled away with a 12-2 run in the second half to extend a nine-point lead to 19 points.

Up next for South Dakota State is a matchup Saturday with Northern Colorado. Valparaiso hosts Calumet on Monday.

---

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Copyright 2026 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.