Preview: South Dakota State at Missouri-Kansas City KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Interstat) — The South Dakota State Jackrabbits will look to build on a recent offensive surge when they visit the struggling Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos in a Summit League men’s basketball matchup on Thursday afternoon at Municipal Auditorium. South Dakota State (13-16) is coming off a 91-83 home victory over North Dakota on Saturday, powered by a 23-point, eight-rebound performance from guard Joe Sayler. The Jackrabbits have shown volatility, however, alternating wins and losses over their past six games. Sayler has been a key barometer for the team. In South Dakota State’s three most recent wins, he averaged 20 points. In their three losses over that same stretch, his scoring average dipped to 9.3 points. Support from Matthew Mors (18 points vs. North Dakota) and Kalen Garry has been crucial. UMKC (4-24) enters on a 10-game losing streak, most recently a 95-59 defeat at North Dakota State. The Kangaroos have struggled defensively, allowing an average of 86.5 points during the skid. Guard Kasheem Grady led UMKC with 15 points in that loss, showing flashes of scoring ability, but consistent production has been elusive. The teams met just over a month ago in Brookings, with South Dakota State securing a dominant 90-62 victory. The Jackrabbits have won eight of the last ten meetings in the series. For UMKC, the game represents a chance to halt its lengthy slide and find momentum before the conference tournament. For South Dakota State, it is an opportunity to solidify its seeding and establish consistency away from home. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. EST Thursday.