South Dakota

Duquesne MBB’s 2 Keys Against South Dakota State

Published

1 year ago

November 24, 2024

Duquesne MBB’s 2 Keys Against South Dakota State

The wait for a press conference following Tuesday’s 80-74 loss to Milwaukee was the longest since the six-win 2021-22 Duquesne Men’s Basketball Team, but during that time, words had to be said, and head coach Dru Joyce III had some points to get across.

His team, now 0-4 needed to hear him speak and needed to understand what it takes to be winners.

Duquesne men’s and women’s basketball on PSN is sponsored by Moon Golf Club.

Duquesne has been in this position before, in fact earlier this year, when it started 0-5 in Atlantic 10 play. While this can be used as a reference and rallying point, there are countless different pieces in this group and their understanding of what it takes to win could be crucial in determining the outcome of its season.

With that in mind, Duquesne has three games in the Cayman Island Classic, the first of which tips off Sunday at 1:30 p.m. against South Dakota State.

Here are two keys to prepare for that contest.

1. Determine what being a winner looks like–

“(We’re) going through different challenges. New group of guys trying to learn and gel from each other. No talent issue, we need to develop an attitude of buying in and being completely unselfish especially on the defensive end.” – Jake DiMichele

As mentioned earlier in a three keys piece, there is a simple recipe that makes Duquesne good, getting stops and moving the ball.

Duquesne’s runs on Tuesday game from getting defensive stops, it was what allowed the Dukes to experience success and clearly the same holds true if they desire victories.

Last year that entailed sacrifices from everyone on the team and the same holds true this season.

Ball movement is just as critical. Far too many times the ball stuck in an area for as much as five seconds, and Joyce had to shout at his team to move the ball.

This season’s high mark for assists is 15 and that is not going to win Duquesne many games. While the aforementioned six-win team would have killed for 15 assists a night, the talent on this Dukes team is far too much to settle for that mark.

“When we minimize the importance of a possession defensively and not be sound and make mistakes, we pay for them,” Joyce explained. “We haven’t been able to get past any mistake that we make. It’s like we owe somebody money. When we don’t move the ball, we struggle. The ball moves we develop good shots. When we lack those things, that’s where the struggle in play comes. We continue to hurt ourselves. It’s not necessarily the other team; it’s us because we are capable of defending.”

2. Determine a starting five– Under normal circumstances a starting five is not finite and can be ceremonial, but what made Duquesne succeed last year was players understanding his respective role. It is no coincidence that once those were fleshed out, it was off to the races.

Having a steady starting lineup in game five may seem like an overreaction on paper, but it would go a long way in establishing those roles. Of course, those roles can change but the lineup should reward those who have brought it most and can find ways to gel on the court.

Of course, this season is new for everyone, and Duquesne is still recovering from injuries, so there is a period of determining what works, but as far as the win column is concerned, not enough has and when it goes south, it gets exposed.

There also needs to be a willingness to ride the hot hand. In the first half of the Milwaukee game that was Matus Hronsky, he had the most juice of any Duquesne player, but in a coach’s decision, he spent much of the second half on the bench and when he did come in, he had lost his juice. Not only does riding the hot hand reward that player, but it sends a clear message to those on the court that this is the standard if you want to stay on the court.

Personally, my starting five right now would be as follows: Jake DiMichele, Tre Dinkins III, Jakub Necas, Jahsean Corbett, David Dixon, and yes this accounts for all four games.

DiMichele posted a career high Tuesday and stepped up vocally. He makes the right plays, is a winner and most importantly, is finally coming around in health.

There have been calls for DiMichele to start earlier, but that was not wise. Even he admits he missed an extended period of time and had 2-3 practices before the season opener against Lipscomb, where he got back cut on multiple occasions.

DiMichele can find his shot, can move the ball and most importantly sacrifices and sells out defensively. He can set an example in that regard that his teammates can follow.

Dinkins showed a lot in the second half of Milwaukee and took a couple of big shots a la Dae Dae Grant. While they did not go in, it was the first true showing of point-blank rise and fire. His rally and heart were very noticeable, and it frankly might have been the most heart any Dukes player has displayed thus far. That was absolutely noticed on the court.

Necas was slowed by an injury during workouts, but is a player who puts in the work, can guard practically any position on the court and when right, is a mismatch that can expose an opponent’s weaknesses. He will get going and this is not just based on last year, but the quiet confidence he possesses. The three spot in basketball today is adaptable and has to be a counter puncher based on what the game calls for, and it makes the most sense.

Corbett has been Duquesne’s most consistent player thus far. He has made the jump from Chicago State and applied himself very well. He had his below par game against Milwaukee, largely due to foul trouble, but he has been the best post thus far, shoots 42.1% from the field, leads the team at 5.8 rebounds per game and finishes plays. He should be rewarded for all of this.

Dixon was injured the summer, but based on what he has shown, especially defensively, deserves the first shot to get right and put it together. He will get stronger as the season progresses and while at 16.7 minutes per game, provided he can avoid the fouls, he can change the game with one block and offensively can give the most versatility from any post on the roster. Dixon’s confidence in himself preseason was the highest it has been in his now three years and giving him the chance to prove that is important for both sides.

There are several knocking on the door, but you also want to have a punch off the bench where the quality can maintain or increase, something just as important that Keith Dambrot was great at finding.

Four games in, Duquesne has 81 fouls, meaning it is getting whistles blown just a tick over 20 times a game, which is also far too much, as is the 50.2% opposing field goal percentage.

The Dukes need to remember what butters their bread so to speak and come together to once again change the story.

Ultimately, no matter who starts, it is imperative to find combinations that work, there has been nearly a month to find that and with that achieve trust, belief and execution on the court.

By no means is it time to press a panic button yet. It is four games into the season and there is far too much belief to do that.

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South Dakota

Poll: Johnson, Jackley and Rounds lead in SD GOP primary

Published

12 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

Poll: Johnson, Jackley and Rounds lead in SD GOP primary

Alexander Rifaat

Politics and Statehouse Reporter
605-736-4396
alexander.rifaat@sdnewswatch.org

Editor’s note: If you cite the results of this poll, credit South Dakota News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy, per copyright law and our republishing policy.

PIERRE, S.D. – With seven weeks until the June 2 primary, U.S. House Rep. Dusty Johnson is close to avoiding a runoff in the race to secure the GOP nomination for governor, according to a new poll sponsored by South Dakota News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota.

In the contests for U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, state Attorney General Marty Jackley and U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds have solid leads over their challengers.

The scientific survey of 500 registered Republicans, conducted April 7-11 by Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy, found Johnson leading the four-way contest for governor with 34% of likely GOP primary voters supporting his candidacy.

The other three candidates are effectively tied for second due to the margin of error being plus-or-minus 4.5%. State House Speaker Jon Hansen, of Dell Rapids, has 18% support from GOP voters, and Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden and Gov. Larry Rhoden both have 17%. Roughly 14% of those surveyed were undecided.

If no candidate receives at least 35% of the vote on the June 2 ballot, a runoff between the top two finishers will take place July 28. The winner of the contest will meet Democrat Dan Ahlers in the Nov. 3 general election.

Rhoden’s support drops; Hansen surges

While Johnson, who grew up in Pierre and lives in Mitchell, saw a 6-point increase from the News Watch/Chiesman poll conducted last October, Rhoden’s support fell 10 points.

Julia Hellwege, director of the Chiesman Center and USD associate professor in political science, said Rhoden’s association with his predecessor, former Gov. Kristi Noem, could be behind the drop in poll numbers.

“He has aligned himself closely with Noem. They worked closely together, and he continues to champion her and stand by her,” she said. “There’s a potential that has been a side effect.”

Rhoden served as lieutenant governor under Noem and became governor in January 2025 when President Donald Trump made her secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. He fired her last month after severe criticism.

Hellwege pointed out the poll found that Johnson even leads in West River, a stronghold for Rhoden, who is from Union Center east of Sturgis.

She said one candidate more than any other has been the main beneficiary of the declining support for the sitting governor.

“Anyone shifting from Rhoden is more likely to shift towards Hansen,” Hellwege said, noting that Hansen is a state lawmaker, like Rhoden was, who plays up his conservative Christian credentials.

Hellwege said in comparing the new poll results with those from last year, a certain pattern can be seen. That includes the surge in support for Hansen and Johnson, a decline in support for Rhoden, a stable level of support for Doeden and a lower number of undecided voters.

“My interpretation is many Rhoden voters in the last poll shifted to Hansen voters and the undecideds went to Johnson,” Hellwege said.

SD governor: Johnson in driver’s seat

Hellwege highlighted the extent to which the math favors Johnson.

“Even if all the undecided voters go to one of those second-place candidates, plus if you factor in the margin of error, they still would barely reach where Johnson is sitting right now,” Hellwege said.

Brad Coker, founder of Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy, ranked as one of the least-biased and most-factual pollsters, also believes Johnson is in a comfortable position.

“Johnson is moving into the clear front-runner status,” he said.

“People know him. People like him, and that’s probably why he’s ahead right now. Whether he can hold on to that will depend on what the other campaigns – particularly Hansen’s – are able to do in the coming weeks,” Coker told News Watch, pointing to the poll results that found Johnson has a 47% favorability rating, the highest of any of the candidates.

South Dakota News Watch invests in scientific polls to let elected leaders know how constituents think they’re doing and also survey people’s opinions on important issues. But a good poll isn’t cheap, so if you value these stories, please consider helping cover the cost. Thank you!

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Coker said Hansen has the best chance to challenge Johnson not only because his candidacy has seen the biggest increase in support but also due to not many people knowing him – yet.

“Hansen’s name recognition is only 73%. He’s still got 27% of the voters who don’t know who he is, which I think gives him a much higher ceiling than Doeden and Rhoden,” Coker said. “That tells me Hansen is getting some traction.”

On the flip side, Doeden’s 35% unfavorable rating and high name recognition indicate his support has mostly peaked, Coker said.

“He has a higher negative rating than positive rating, which tells me he’s got a core group behind him, but his growth potential is far more limited, especially since he has 89% name recognition,” Coker said.

The poll was conducted after the four candidates met in the March 31 KELO-TV debate but before the April 13 SDPB and South Dakota News Watch forum.

US House: Jackley has comfortable lead

Since Johnson ran for governor, that opened up South Dakota’s only seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In that contest, Jackley – who is from Sturgis and previously served as U.S. attorney for the District of South Dakota – has a comfortable lead toward securing the GOP nomination.

According to the poll, he has 68% support from South Dakota Republican voters surveyed, well ahead of challenger James Bialota Jr., who has 12%, with 20% of respondents undecided.

“This primary is definitely in Jackley’s favor, even if all the undecideds move to Bialota,” Hellwege said.

The winner will face Democrat Nicole “Nikki” Gronli in the November general election.

US Senate: Incumbent Rounds ahead by large margin

Rounds – who’s from Pierre and was South Dakota’s governor from 2003 to 2011 – also enjoys a sizable lead over his challenger.

He received 66% support from GOP voters surveyed, compared to 18% for challenger Justin McNeal, with 16% of respondents undecided.

“The fact that McNeal, who is vastly outspent by Rounds, is able to get up to 18% is commendable. But at the same time, I don’t think there’s any expectation that Rounds will not be able to hold on to that seat,” Hellwege said.

The winner will take on Democrat Julian Beaudion in November.

Favorability poll results for all governor, House and Senate candidates

The News Watch/Chiesman poll also asked Republicans their opinions of the candidates. To see results for each person, click the arrow below and the tab for each section: overall, by gender, age and region where they’re from.

Coming Tuesday

Tuesday’s story will focus on South Dakota News Watch/Chiesman Center for Democracy poll results on the job performance rating South Dakotans give Gov. Larry Rhoden, Sen. John Thune and other elected officials. The story also includes voter thoughts on Noem’s time as DHS secretary and President Trump’s decision to fire her.

South Dakota News Watch is an independent nonprofit. Read, donate and subscribe for free at sdnewswatch.org. Contact politics and statehouse reporter Alexander Rifaat: 605-736-4396/alexander.rifaat@sdnewswatch.org.

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South Dakota

FCS Football Recruiting Roundup: South Dakota, Montana State Target 2027 Defensive Standouts

Published

24 hours ago

April 19, 2026

Press Room

FCS Football Recruiting Roundup: South Dakota, Montana State Target 2027 Defensive Standouts

Welcome to another edition of the FCS Football Central Recruiting Roundup.

As spring practice winds down, recruits are still continuing to get on campus to visit schools and meet with their coaching staff. I caught up with some of the latest prospects who received an offer from an FCS program after their visit.

Amarie King | 2027 | DB | 5’7″ 140 lbs | Case High School | Racine, WI

King received his latest offer from South Dakota on April 17 after speaking with defensive coordinator Billy Kirch.

“Coach Kirch told me bout the offer, and that conversation went well. He told me a lot about the school, and asked me what my family and parents do. He said that my film was amazing and that he wanted to offer me,” King said.

“My recruitment is going well, although it is a little stressful here and there, but I am really just being patient and trusting the process, and keep working.”

He has visits to South Dakota and Drake coming up. Last season, he finished with 44 tackles, eight pass breakups, and six interceptions for the Eagles.

After a great conversation with coach kirch I’m blessed to I’ve received my first division 1 offer from @SDCoyotesFB @AntonGraham_ @MJ_NFLDraft @CoachBKirch @joshmanchigiah pic.twitter.com/jaxIYac67A
— Amarie King (@Amarieking27) April 17, 2026

Jayden Harris | 2027 | ATH | 6’2″ 170 lbs | Manteca High School | Manteca, CA

Harris picked up his latest offer from Montana State on Friday when he was in Bozeman for the Bobcats’ Junior Day, and meeting with cornerbacks coach Jordan Lee, defensive coordinator Bobby Daly, and head coach Brent Vigen.

“First, it was Coach Lee, then I had meetings with Coach Daly and Coach Vigen, who broke the news while we were talking. They want me to come in and play early. They like my versatility as a defensive back, and that’s why they offered me,” Harris said.

“The visit was cool! The snow was coming down, and the coaches still showed love. Recruiting is going well right now. Most schools that are in touch with me see something in me for sure, especially since I’m a zero-star athlete, so that’s love. I feel like I’m the best DB in California, and my measurements and production speak for themselves.”

He also has offers from Idaho, Washington State, and Sacramento State. He has upcoming visits to Arizona State and New Mexico.

Last season, he finished with 63 tackles, 11 pass breakups, nine interceptions, six tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and two pick-sixes for the Buffaloes.

Blessed to receive an offer from Montana State University 🐾 @ballcoachLee @CoachBobbyDaly @CoachSauve @CoachSmith59 @bvigen @BrandonHuffman @Rivals_Recruits @GregBiggins pic.twitter.com/ofYdjJKcmK
— Jay Harris (@JaydenOHarris) April 18, 2026
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Maurice “MJ” Harrell | 2026 | DB | 6’1″ 170 lbs | Hutchinson CC | Hutchinson, KS

Harrell picked up his first Division I offer from Houston Christian on April 17 after he spoke with cornerbacks coach DeMarcus Coleman.

“Coach Coleman called and told me he liked what we saw from the videos I sent him, and that he wanted me to be a part of his program,” Harrell said.

Last season, he finished with 20 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and a fumble recovery for the Blue Dragons. Mercyhurst, Division II UTPB, and Missouri Southern are some other schools he has been in contact with.

Blessed To Receive my first d1 offer from Houstan Christian University pic.twitter.com/OBD9ITQZHS
— MauriceHarrell (@M_Harrell19) April 18, 2026

Jadhari Young | 2026 | WR | 6’1″ 200 lbs | De Anza College | Cupertino, CA

Young received his latest offer from Eastern Illinois on April 15 after speaking with wide receivers coach Tino Smith.

“Coach Smith called me, and we had a long and great conversation. He told me he believes in me and that he thinks I can be great under his coaching,” Young said. “My recruitment has been going great since I graduated two weeks ago. A lot of coaches have expressed a lot of interest in me.”

Young also has offers from Sacramento State, Prairie View A&M, and Chicago State. Last season, he hauled in receptions for 559 yards and seven touchdowns for the Mountain Lions. He was named a Golden Coast Conference First Team selection.

He will be taking his official visit to Eastern Illinois on April 24. Gardner-Webb, West Florida, Monmouth, Stony Brook, and UMass are some other schools he is hearing from.

Blessed to receive my 5th D1 offer from Eastern Illinois University
Thank you Coach @coachtinosmith for believing in me💯 pic.twitter.com/yMZjnsfRvK
— Dhari Young “DEBO” (@dharigogetit) April 15, 2026

AJ Moore | 2027 | RB | 5’9″ 200 lbs | College of Dupage | Glen Ellyn, IL

Moore received his first Division I offer from Lindenwood on April 17 after speaking with running backs coach Lane Lawson.

“Coach Lawson called and offered me. He just told me he’d be really excited to have me over and thinks I could be a part of something special with the program they got going over there,” Moore said.

Last season, he finished with 81 carries for 518 yards and five touchdowns, while adding nine receptions for 73 yards and two touchdowns for the Chaparrals, who won their fifth consecutive NJCAA Division III national championship. Moore is working on scheduling his official visit to Lindenwood.

#AGTG After a great conversation with @CoachLawsonLU I am blessed to have my first division 1 offer from Lindenwood University @LindenwoodFB @Dupage_Football @JUCOFFrenzy @AllenTrieu @JordanWesty1 pic.twitter.com/DGLjZC4gIA
— AJ Moore (@ajmoore6_) April 17, 2026

Leshem Nyante | 2027 | OT | 6’5″ 265 lbs | Anna High School | Anna, TX

Nyante picked up his latest offer from Texas Rio Grande Valley on April 17 after he spoke with offensive line coach Jeff Bowen.

“Coach Bowen reached out this morning to officially extend the offer. It was a great talk, and he mentioned they really liked my film and how I would fit their system. So we are focused on building that relationship now,” Nyante said.

“I’m really grateful for how my recruiting process is unfolding so far. Things are definitely moving fast with spring ball right around the corner, and it’s been great seeing the increase in interest every week.”

He also has offers from Arkansas State, Division II Midwestern State, and East Central University. Old Dominion, Texas State, UTEP, and New Mexico are some other schools he is hearing from. Nyante will be taking an official visit to Arkansas State in June.

#AGTG After a great conversation with @CoachJeffBowen , I am blessed to receive a D1 offer from @UTRGVFootball !!@8_parr @Coach_Rigg @tylerdedwards33 @Sevier5 @jessedstew @AnnaCoyotesFB @CoachTBush @Perroni247 @SWiltfong_ @CKennedy247 pic.twitter.com/6o9H13baAb
— Leshem (Shem) Nyantee (@leshemnyantee10) April 17, 2026

Matthew Lashley | 2027 | DB | 6’1″ 198 lbs | Riverside City College | Riverside, CA

Lashley received his latest offer from East Texas A&M on April 15 after speaking with safeties coach Luke Jaicks.

“Coach Jaicks called and offered me. He’s a great coach, and I would love to play for him,” Lashley said. “My recruitment is going well; it’s starting to heat up after spring ball.”

He also has an offer from Southern Utah. Last season, he finished with 14 tackles and two interceptions for the Tigers.

Blessed to receive another D1 offer to @Lions_FB! @JacksonSimon25 @nilsonsports pic.twitter.com/X4iLU8VRID
— Matthew Lashley (@MatthewLashley_) April 15, 2026

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