Kendall Cutler

Des Moines, Iowa – The South Dakota men’s basketball team shot 62 percent from the field in the second half to earn an 89-77 win over Binghamton in the final game of the Drake Invitational on Sunday morning at the Knapp Center in Des Moines, Iowa. USD improved to 6-4 on the year, while Binghamton, a team that qualified for the NCAA tournament last year, dropped to 3-8.

Five Coyotes scored in double figures, including freshman guard Jake Thomas (Racine, Wisc.) who notched a team-leading 18 points by hitting five treys. Junior guard Kendall Cutler (Brooklyn, N.Y.) barely missed a double-double with 16 points and nine assists. Junior guard Mitchell Bouie (Chicago, Ill.) and senior forward Tyler Cain (Rochester, Minn.) each had 14 points and were both named to the all-tournament team. Senior guard Roman Gentry (Sioux City, Iowa) added 10. USD hit 30-of-61 (49 percent) from the field, including 8-of-25 (32 percent) threes, while holding Binghamton to 30-of-72 (41 percent).

Both teams started cold with turnovers and missed shots. Sophomore guard Louie Krogman (White River, S.D.) made a running layup at the 17:30 mark, but it was the only shot USD made in its first seven attempts. The Bearcats built a five-point advantage with a three, before South Dakota found its groove with the penetrating pressure of Cutler. Cain knocked down two free throws and a bucket courtesy of assists from Cutler, while a Bouie layup at the 11:00 mark also originated from a Cutler assist and gave USD its first lead of the game at 12-11.

Binghamton retook the lead as the two squads exchanged the lead five times down the stretch in the first half. Senior center Steve Smith (Sioux Falls, S.D.) knocked down a three and Cutler added two free throws before Thomas hit back-to-back treys to put USD up 23-19 at the 6:45 mark. Two baskets gave the Bearcats the lead again, but Bouie collected an offensive rebound and found Gentry under the basket for an easy bucket.

South Dakota ended the first half on an 8-2 run thank to Bouie, who made the next two baskets to finish the first half 4-for-4 from the field for a team-leading eight points. Cutler had three assists, including two on the final two baskets of the half by Gentry and Cain to put the Coyotes up 33-26 at the break.

Both squads started the second half much better offensively. Krogman made a layup, Cain hit two buckets and Thomas made a three in the first four minutes and Binghamton kept pace with eight points of its own. The Bearcats couldn’t keep the pace though as the Coyotes stretched their lead with an 18-3 run midway through the second half with continued execution on the offensive side of the ball and an improved defensive effort. Cutler and Bouie chipped in buckets, before Boots hit a trey. Cain added back-to-back buckets, including an alley-oop from Cutler at the 10:10 mark to put USD up 62-41. South Dakota shot 62 percent (18-of-29) in the second half, while defensively holding Binghamton to 44 percent (19-of-43).

The Bearcats fought back several times to cut the lead to eight with under five minutes to play, but threes from Thomas and free throws down the stretch by Bouie, Thomas and Cutler sealed the 89-77 win for the Coyotes.

South Dakota travels to Wyoming next to face the Cowboys on Sunday, Dec. 20 at 6:30 p.m. CT in Laramie.