South Dakota State Basketball: 3 keys to upsetting Providence in Round of 64

Once the bracket is revealed, in the numerous breakdowns we see on multiple channels in the days that follow before the action tips off, there is a lot of talk about momentum. If you’re looking for a team on a hot streak and some serious momentum, look no further than the No. 13 seed in the Midwest Region, the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State who rolled through the Summit League regular season and tournament unblemished.

Eric Henderson’s squad enters the Big Dance at 30-4 and hasn’t been on the short end of the scoreboard since we were all composing our letters to Santa, December 15th when they fell to Missouri State.

Since then they have reeled off a cool 21 straight and are ready to do battle with the Big East regular-season champ Providence in the tournament’s second game on Thursday. The Friars unlike the Jackrabbits enter this contest devoid of any momentum, thanks to being dismantled by Creighton in the Big East Tournament.

With the two teams on opposite ends of the momentum spectrum, the team from the Summit League is a trendy pick to pull a first-round upset. But let’s not discount the Friars here, they are a No. 4 seed for a reason. Ed Cooley’s team did win the Big East, going 25-5 in the process, so while South Dakota State may be a trendy pick it is far from a foregone conclusion.

In order for the Jackrabbits to pull the upset and move on to the second round a lot has to go right for them, here are the three biggest keys to a first-round upset for South Dakota State.