SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A media network that bills itself as “all college hoops, all the time” has made its way to South Dakota to help kick off the men’s basketball season.
Three games featuring some of the top mid-major programs in college basketball are happening Monday in Sioux Falls as part of the Opening Day Showcase.
“I’d be surprised if we don’t have four NCAA Tournament teams here today out of the six, and we could have five,” Field of 68 co-founder Jeff Goodman said.
The Opening Day Showcase is a partnership between the Sanford Pentagon and the digital media network, Field of 68.
“What we do is we have shows every night called After Dark, we have podcasts, we have events, little bit of everything, and this is our first like big event that we’ve forayed into but we feel like we cover college basketball better than anybody else nationally,” Goodman said.
Field of 68 co-founder Jeff Goodman says the Pentagon was the ideal spot to tip off the season.
“Coaches rave about it. It’s the perfect place, I mean you look around, it’s beautiful, it’s the right size,” Goodman said.
“We were more than willing to partner with them on it and it was just a perfect match,” Sanford Sports Vice President Jesse Smith said.
SDSU is among the six teams in the showcase, which also includes Southern Illinois, led by former Jackrabbits head coach Scott Nagy.
“This is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time is to get him to come back and play a game in South Dakota. He didn’t want to play South Dakota State, but that’s OK,” Smith said.
Jesse Smith is the vice president of Sanford Sports and hopes it’s an event that’s here to stay.
“I think there’s a pathway forward. I think this is something we can really grow into, and it’s a way for Sioux Falls to really start the college basketball season,” Smith said.
And Goodman hopes to add what he calls “a big boy matchup” next year. He had this message for Iowa State head coach, and former USD coach, T.J. Otzelberger.
“No more cupcakes to start the season, let’s come back here, come back and play somebody real,” Goodman said.
SDSU plays McNeese State in the final game of the day. Tip-off is set for 5:00 at the Pentagon.
