South Dakota State to face Green Bay in men’s basketball at Sanford Pentagon
Posted: August 13, 2026
South Dakota State University and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay will square off in a men’s college basketball matchup at the Sanford Pentagon on Monday, Dec. 21. Game time and ticket information will be announced at a later date.
“South Dakota State and Green Bay are two outstanding programs with tremendous fan support in the upper Midwest,” said Jesse Smith, vice president of Sanford Sports. “This matchup is an excellent addition to our entire slate of games at the Sanford Pentagon and will provide a great start to the holiday season.”
Green Bay took a tremendous leap during the 2025-26 campaign, improving its win total by 14 games under then 2nd-year head coach Doug Gottlieb. The Phoenix went 18-15, reaching the 2nd round of the Horizon League Tournament. This will be Green Bay’s first appearance in Sioux Falls.
"I've played, coached, and broadcast from just about every arena in the country, but I have not experienced the Pentagon,” Coach Gottlieb said. “We have great respect for the Jackrabbits and know we are walking into a snake pit, but we want to challenge ourselves – South Dakota State and the Pentagon are just that."
South Dakota State will be playing a game at the Sanford Pentagon for the 7th straight season. The Jackrabbits are 10-6 on Heritage Court since 2020 and are led by 2nd-year head coach Bryan Petersen.
“We are very excited for our game versus Green Bay in the Sanford Pentagon,” Coach Petersen said. “We always enjoy playing in the great city of Sioux Falls in front of our Jackrabbit fans. Green Bay is coming off a strong season under Coach Gottlieb. They’ve got their program going in the right direction and it’s one that is a quality, Midwest opponent. We’re really looking forward to the challenge and seeing all the SDSU blue in the Pentagon.”
This will be the fourth matchup between the Phoenix and Jackrabbits and the first since 2007. Green Bay is 3-0 all-time vs. South Dakota State.
The showdown between South Dakota State and Green Bay is the 10th Division I basketball matchup the Sanford Pentagon is set to host in the 2026-27 season. The Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon returns Nov. 2 featuring Murray State vs. Tennessee State and UTEP vs. Northern Kentucky in men’s basketball. Later that night, Iowa State and Memphis will square off in prime time. Nov. 11 features Creighton vs. South Dakota women, while Nov. 14 showcases two women’s matchups for the MarketBeat Invitational: Nebraska vs. Kansas and Minnesota vs. Kansas State.
The festivities continue later that weekend on Nov. 15 as Nebraska faces Boise State in men’s hoops. One week later, South Dakota takes on Utah Tech in a men’s matchup on Nov. 22, while the Thanksgiving holiday weekend features Minnesota vs. California in a men’s showdown on Nov. 28.
