NCAA Basketball: Biggest takeaways from 2020 Crossover Classic Tournament

South Dakota State Jackrabbits (6th place)

Maybe the least talented team in the field, the Jackrabbits did well overall. They pushed West Virginia to the limit in the opening-round, before dominating Utah State next. South Dakota State did struggle with Saint Mary’s defense, shutting down Summit League Player of the Year Douglas Wilson (9 points on 3/12 shooting).

The good news for South Dakota State is that they still look like the heavy favorite to win the Summit League once again, seeing potential breakout stars Baylor Scheierman and Noah Freidel have very good performances in this event.

Saint Mary’s Gaels (5th place)

The Gaels have historically struggled with any kind of athletic opposition, making their deflating loss to Memphis. Good news for them is that they rebounded to beat both Northern Iowa and South Dakota State, two solid wins for their resume. The biggest question was going to be how they replace the massive amount of scoring production from last season, with both Jordan Ford and Malik Fitts gone.

Big man Matthias Tass looks good after missing most of last season, while point guard Tommy Kuhse now has a scholarship and a leading role on the offense. Sophomore wing Alex Ducas had a career-high 25 points to beat the Jackrabbits, showing the Saint Mary’s may have a new trio to once again contend in the WCC.