South Dakota State to face St. Bonaventure in men’s basketball at Sanford Pentagon
07/12/2022 | By Sanford Media Relations
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – South Dakota State will face St. Bonaventure in a non-conference men’s basketball game at the Sanford Pentagon on Nov. 15 that will highlight Coaches vs. Cancer.
“We continue to add quality and intriguing Division I matchups to our schedule at the Sanford Pentagon that give fans a chance to experience a combination of new teams and local favorites,” said Jesse Smith, vice president of Sanford Sports. “Both St. Bonaventure and South Dakota State are coming off incredibly successful seasons, and we’re looking forward to them competing against each other on Heritage Court.”
This is the 18th time South Dakota State will play at the Sanford Pentagon. Last season, the Jackrabbits participated in the Crossover Classic for a second straight year, finishing the three-day event with a 2-1 record. A member of the Summit League, SDSU is coming off an historic 30-5 season that featured an undefeated conference regular season (18-0), a Summit League tournament championship and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time.
“To be able to partner with Sanford and play in the Pentagon, which is one of the premier facilities in the country, is another great opportunity,” said Eric Henderson, South Dakota State head coach. “To have our opponent be St. Bonaventure with the history and the tradition that they have, it really suits up well for us. We like to challenge ourselves in the non-conference in order to prepare us for conference play, and that’s exactly what this does.”
This is the first trip to Heritage Court for St. Bonaventure, members of the Atlantic 10 Conference. The Bears finished the 2021-22 season with a 21-10 record and reached the semifinals of the NIT Tournament before falling to eventual champion Xavier.
“We look forward to the opportunity of playing South Dakota State at the Sanford Pentagon,” said Mark Schmidt, St. Bonaventure head coach. “It is a venue which hosts prestigious college basketball events every year, and we’re excited about making our first trip there. We’ll be presented with a great challenge in facing one of the top mid-major programs in the country for another marquee date on our non-conference schedule.”
This will be the first meeting between South Dakota State and St. Bonaventure.
Since opening in 2013, the Sanford Pentagon has hosted 63 Division I men’s college basketball games. The Pentagon has also hosted 16 NCAA Division I women's college basketball games including a double header last season featuring eventual national champion South Carolina, Final Four participant Louisville, Sweet 16 participant South Dakota and NCAA Tournament qualifier Arizona.
This season Baylor will play Gonzaga in a rematch of the 2021 men’s national championship game and South Carolina, the defending women’s national champions, will face South Dakota State, the defending WNIT champions.
About Coaches vs. Cancer
Coaches vs. Cancer is a collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) that empowers coaches, their teams, and communities to join in saving more lives. The program leverages the personal experiences, community leadership, and professional excellence of basketball coaches nationwide to increase cancer awareness and promote healthy living through year-round awareness efforts, fundraising activities, and advocacy programs. For more information go to www.CoachesVsCancer.org.
About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is a leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. For more than 100 years, we have been improving the lives of people with cancer and their families as the only organization combating cancer through advocacy, research, and patient support. We are committed to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. To learn more, visit cancer.org or call our 24/7 helpline at 1-800-227-2345. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.