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NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of South Dakota of last decade

Mar 10, 2015; Sioux Falls, SD, USA; South Dakota State Jackrabbits forward Cody Larson (34) dunks in the second half against the North Dakota State Bison forward Dexter Werner (40) during the championship game of the Summit League Conference at Denny Sanford Premier Center. The North Dakota State Bison beat the South Dakota State Jackrabbits 57-56. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 10, 2015; Sioux Falls, SD, USA; South Dakota State Jackrabbits forward Cody Larson (34) dunks in the second half against the North Dakota State Bison forward Dexter Werner (40) during the championship game of the Summit League Conference at Denny Sanford Premier Center. The North Dakota State Bison beat the South Dakota State Jackrabbits 57-56. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /
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South Dakota’s A.J. Plitzuweit Sdsu Usd Men T2 016
South Dakota’s A.J. Plitzuweit Sdsu Usd Men T2 016 /

2. A. J. Plitzuweit – South Dakota

The fans and coaches at South Dakota will sure be happy to have Plitzuweit on court next season. The 6’2 guard from Vermillion has had quite the wild ride to this point in his career. Four years ago he was the best high school player in the state, but settled for Augustana, starring in the junior college for one season. Plitzuweit sat a year while transferring before becoming a star at South Dakota, though injuries have limited his career to this point.

After that year at Augustana and the year as a transfer, Plitzuweit was a vital piece for the Coyotes. He started right away for the Coyotes, averaging 19.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists as an impact player. He had 37-point performances in wins over Omaha and Oral Roberts, but suffered a leg injury and missed the end of the season. Unfortunately, injury forced him into a medical redshirt for this most recent season, meaning he’s still played just two college basketball seasons the last four years.

Plitzuweit was named First Team All-Summit League and was the conference’s Newcomer of the Year. His impact with the Coyotes was certainly apparent, becoming an offensive force while leading the conference in free throw percentage. Plitzuweit will return this upcoming season and likely has a few more seasons of eligibility. Pairing with a few other people on today’s list, he might just make South Dakota a potent program in the coming seasons, especially in a winnable Summit League.