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South Dakota may not be known as a basketball hotbed but the Jackrabbits have made the postseason during each of the past 4 years. Jake Bittle will try to keep the streak alive this year as 1 of 4 returning starters under Coach Scott Nagy. He has already faced Michigan in the NCAA tourney and Vanderbilt in the NIT and was the best shooter on his team last year, so high-major teams will not strike fear in his heart. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Jake about being a great shooter and his team’s upcoming trip south of the border.
You grew up in Oklahoma: how did you choose South Dakota State? They were the 1st school to offer me a scholarship and I wanted to go to a D-1 school where I could be successful.
You play for Coach Scott Nagy, who is the winningest coach in school history: what makes him such a great coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? He is a true competitor and believes that we can win every single game that we play. His beliefs/values trickle down to the rest of the team and he has helped me grow as a young man.
You played 24 games as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? We had a lot of upperclassmen on that team including Nate Wolters, who is 1 of the greatest players in school history. I just tried to play good defense and not make mistakes.
1 of the games you played in that year was a loss to Michigan in the NCAA tourney: how much of a home-court advantage did the Wolverines have while playing in Auburn Hills? They had probably 30,000 fans compared to 500 of our own fans, so they had a big advantage.
Last year you led the team by shooting 53.4 FG%: what is your secret for being a good shooter? I just try to get in the gym and take some extra shots. My teammates do a good job of getting the ball to me in good situations, and you also have to be confident in your shot.
In the 2015 Summit League tourney title game you scored 6 PTS in a 1-PT loss to North Dakota State: how big is the rivalry, and where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career? The rivalry is huge: I found that out during my freshman year. The title game was 1 of the toughest losses I have ever had. We clawed our way back and had a chance to win it at the end before it fell apart.
In the 2015 NIT you scored 14 PTS in a loss to Vanderbilt: what did you learn from that game that you think can help you this year? We did have the silver lining of getting to the NIT and beating Colorado State, which was a huge victory for our team. On an individual level I felt more confident and aggressive, which I think is what the team will look for from me this year. It also gave our young guys some good experience.
Your team will be playing in the Cancun Challenge in November: how excited are you to check out Mexico? I am really excited to get out of the negative-30 degree weather during the wintertime!
You return 4 starters from last year: how crucial will all of that experience be to your team’s success? Last year was the 1st season for a couple of our guys, and even that 1 year of experience will help everyone’s confidence.
What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Expectation are high every year but we want to win the Summit League title and make it to the NCAA tourney. I have not felt that since my freshman year so I am just chasing that feeling.