South Dakota State senior PF Mike Daum finished Saturday’s Summit League quarterfinal loss to Western Illinois with 16 points, 11 rebounds and two assists.
Daum (6'9/235) not finishing his standout career in the NCAA tournament is a stunner, as South Dakota State entered the Summit League tournament as the top-seed. “The Dauminator” was kept in check by a Western Illinois defense that he scored 20 points and grabbed ten rebounds against in a 20-point win just one week prior. The three-time Summit League POY, Daum will play at least one more game as the Jackrabbits have an automatic bid to the Postseason NIT. He tested the NBA draft process last spring before deciding to return to school, going on to win another conference Player of the Year award and surpassing the 3,000 career points mark. Daum’s raw athleticism doesn’t jump off the page, but he’s a skilled front court scorer who can put up points either with his back to the basket or as a pick-and-pop big with range out beyond the three-point line. He’s a second round to undrafted prospect at this point, but a player who at the very least should not have to wait too long for a
