Summit League Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)
By Joey Loose
24. Zeke Mayo
Mayo is a 6’3 guard from Lawrence, Kansas who recently made his way to South Dakota State. He’s played and starred for the Jackrabbits for the last two seasons, really developing into a massive weapon during his sophomore year. Obviously, his story is still being told, but he’s already done enough as an underclassman to make this list.
As a freshman, he worked his way into the starting lineup in late December and helped lead the Jackrabbits to a Summit League regular season and tournament titles. He’d average just under 10 points a game, including an 11-point performance against Providence in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, capping off a 30-win season. He took a major step forward as a sophomore, now averaging 18.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. Though the Jackrabbits fell short of replicating that success, Mayo did have a 41-point outburst against rival North Dakota State in early February.
For a remarkable second year at South Dakota State, Mayo was named First Team All-Summit and really fit well in an expanded role in this offense. He was among the top of the league in points, defensive rebounds, and a number of other categories, playing his role well for the Jackrabbits. Mayo will be back as a junior this upcoming season and is expected to be a star scorer once again, with hopes of getting back to the Big Dance.