THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21:
Women’s Basketball: Nebraska-Omaha @ South Dakota State (Live on Ranch AM910 @ 6:30)

Boys’ Basketball: Sioux Falls O’Gorman @ Brandon Valley
   Sisseton vs. Deubrook @ Toronto

Girls Basketball: District 1A Aberdeen Roncalli @ Britton-Hecla
   District 2A Milbank vs. Webster @ Sisseton
   District 3A Florence/Henry @ Clark/Willow Lake
   District 5A Madison vs. Flandreau @ Elkton, 6:30pm
   District 6A Sioux Falls Christian vs. Baltic @ Tea, 6:30pm
   District 7A Lennox @ Harrisburg
   District 8A Elk Point-Jefferson @ Beresford
   District 9A West Central vs. Tri-Valley @ Salem
   District 10A Parkston @ Wagner
   District 11A McLaughlin vs. Cheyenne-Eagle Butte @ Mobridge
   District 12A Crow Creek vs. Chamberlain @ Miller
   District 13A Winner vs. Todd County
   District 14A Bennett County vs. Pine Ridge @ Rapid City Central
   District 15A Hill City vs. Red Cloud @ Rapid City Central
   District 16A St. Thomas More vs. Spearfish @ Rapid City Central  

   District 1B: Waverly-South Shore vs. Summit
                    Rosholt vs. Wilmot (@ Milbank)
   District 2B: Hitchock-Tulare vs. Warner 
                    Northwestern vs. Langford (@ Aberdeen)
   District 3B  Great Plains Lutheran @ DeSmet, 6:00pm
                    Estelline @ Castlewood, 6:00pm
   District 4B Howard @ Oldham-Ramona/Rutland
                    Dells St. Mary’s @ Chester
   District 5B Sully Buttes vs. Highmore-Harrold @ Gettysburg
   District 6B Eureka/Bowdle vs. Herried/Selby
                   Potter Co. vs. Ipswich (@ Eureka)
   District 9B James Valley Christian vs. Sanborn Central/Woonsocket @ Huron
   District 10B Corsica/Stickney vs. Mitchell Christian @ Mitchell
   District 13B Lyman @ Kadoka
   District 14B Rapid City Christian vs. Wall @ South Dakota Mines
   District 15B Dupree vs. Timber Lake
                     Wakpala vs. McIntosh (@ Mobridge)
   District 16B Lermmon vs. Newell @ Faith

Swimming:  South Dakota State @ Summit League Championships

SDSU MBB…With his team down one with 0.5 seconds to play in double overtime, Stephon Carter stepped to the free-throw line and calmly hit a pair of free throws to give Cal State-Bakersfield a 79-78 win over South Dakota State on Wednesday night.
Carter finished with 22 points, was 9 of 12 from the free-throw line and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Roadrunners (11-16).
   Adam Young hit a pair of free throws for the Roadrunners to tie it at 55 with 1:49 to go at the end of regulation and Javante Maynor had a chance with 17 seconds left to win it but missed his mark from 3-point range and the two teams went to overtime.
Young finished with 16 points and Maynor finished with 15. Brandon Barnes had 19 points and 10 rebounds.
   Nate Wolters didn't step off the floor for South Dakota State (21-8), playing all 50 minutes and scoring 32 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and nine assists.

SDSU WBB…South Dakota State can nail down top-seed for the upcoming Summit League women’s basketball tournament with a win Thursday night at Frost Arena against Nebraska-Omaha.
   Head coach Aaron Johnston says the Jacks have worked on fundamentals, but the focus has been on the players’ mental approach.  97634   :24   “emphasize in practice”.
   The Jacks plan on honoring seniors Ashley Eide and Katie Lingle, and recognize Eide for going over the one-thousand career point mark.  

BOBCAT TOSS…By virtue of a coin toss, Watertown is the number three seed in the upcoming District 1AA girls basketball tournament.
   The Arrows will visit Sioux Falls O’Gorman Monday, while the Bobcats head to Sioux Falls Roosevelt.
   Watertown and Brookings finished with identical 5-15 records – the state association’s list of tiebreaking criteria failed to break the deadlock. 

STATE HS MASCOTS…The Mitchell Kernels and Sioux Valley Cossacks have been nominated as contenders for the best high school mascot in the nation, a search conducted by USA Today.
   Mitchell and Sioux Valley were among five schools chosen from South Dakota in the first round of the contest. The other mascots include: Sturgis Scoopers, Rapid City Central Cobblers and Newell Irrigators.
   In order for a mascot to win the state round, they must receive the top number of votes from fans.  The top six mascots, one from each region, have the chance to be named the best high school mascot in America. Prize money will be awarded to the top six schools’ athletic departments.
  The state contest voting begins at 11 a.m. Monday and ends at 3 p.m. on March 25.

UND ANNOUNCER BENCHED… North Dakota has suspended men's basketball play-by-play radio announcer Paul Ralston for two games after he used the phrase "choke job" following an overtime loss to Northern Arizona.
   Ralston used the phrase during his interview with coach Brian Jones after the team's 74-72 home loss Saturday. North Dakota led in the final minute of regulation, but Northern Arizona rallied to force overtime and win.
   Athletic director Brian Faison says Ralston will not call the game at Northern Colorado on Wednesday or Saturday's game at Nebraska-Omaha. Associate athletic director Kyle Doperalski will handle the play-by-play duties for those games.

MILES-NEBRASKA…Tim Miles had just wrapped up his postgame radio interview when a bunch of pep band members, cheerleaders and other students started chanting, "Coach Miles, Coach Miles, Coach Miles."
   The kids were imploring him to join them in shooting a video of the latest dance craze, the "Harlem Shake."
   Miles was in good spirits because Nebraska had just beaten Penn State, so he gladly obliged. It took all of 45 seconds. The YouTube video has almost 140,000 views in less than two weeks.
   Miles isn't winning many games. No one expected him to, at least not yet.  He is, however, winning over fans and boosters and students, too. That's a good place to start for a coach at a school with a dearth of basketball tradition and where interest in the program has been lukewarm for decades.

BOBCAT BACKER… The Bobcat Backers are hosting a social Thursday starting at 7:00. With this being an unusual night for a social, the venue has also changed. This social is being held in The Summit at The Ram.
   The public is encouraged to attend this social as a rally for all Bobcat fans young and old. Please plan on attending, bring some friends, maybe make a night of it!
   If you still haven't purchased your 2012-2013 membership it's never too late. Memberships are $25.00 for an entire family and $150.00 to have your business as a supporter of the Bobcats. All funds go back towards Bobcat athletes in the form of equipment, scholarships, and various other items.