Akins shines as Denver tops South Dakota State, 78-62

DENVER — In a stunning turn of events, Denver toppled South Dakota State 78-62 in their final Summit League game on Saturday, spearheaded by a standout performance from Sebastian Akins. Akins contributed significantly to the Pioneers’ victory by scoring 17 points, hitting 6 of 13 shots from the field, and making all of his five free throw attempts.
DeAndre Craig also played a crucial role for Denver (11-20, 5-11 Summit League), adding 16 points as he made 6 out of 8 shots, including a flawless performance from the charity stripe by sinking all four of his free throws. Meanwhile, Isaiah Addo-Ankrah was efficient from beyond the arc, scoring 12 points by hitting 4 of 8 from the field, with a 4 for 7 success rate from the three-point line.
South Dakota State, with a record of 20-11 and 11-5 in the league, had high hopes entering this game as they were tied for second place. However, they couldn’t overcome Denver’s momentum. Kalen Garry emerged as the top scorer for the Jackrabbits by securing 18 points. Furthermore, Oscar Cluff provided a notable contribution by adding 13 points to South Dakota State’s score.
The result sets the stage for the upcoming league tournament, which is set to begin on Wednesday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where teams will battle for summit league supremacy.