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

8. Tony Fiegen – South Dakota State

A native of Madison, Fiegen didn’t stray far from his hometown. This 6’7 forward played his entire four-year career at South Dakota State, becoming an important piece for the first real run of success at the D1 level for the Jackrabbits. He was never the focal piece on the roster, but his contributions were certainly important for coach Scott Nagy and this program.

Fiegen’s role was small early in his career, but his game developed and he became an important piece as an upperclassman. As a junior, he helped South Dakota State to the Summit League Tournament title and their first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament. The following season, his second as a full-time starter, he averaged 10.2 points and 5.4 rebounds a game, helping lead the Jackrabbits back to the NCAA Tournament again. He had a career-high 24 points in a win that season over Oakland and had 12 points in their Tourney loss to Michigan, the eventual national runners-up.

All-Summit League honorable mention as a senior, Fiegen developed into an important player for the Jackrabbit, starting every game as an upperclassman and playing considerable minutes, including that entire Tourney game against Michigan. He wasn’t flashy or shiny and his statistics don’t jump off the page, but he was necessary for South Dakota State’s first breakthrough success at the D1 level.