Editor's Note: Throughout the 2012-13 athletics season, Jackrabbit Athletics will spotlight 40 of the top moments in the 40-year history of Frost Arena. This week's segment focuses on the 1985 NCAA Division II national quarterfinal between South Dakota State and Cal State Hayward.
MEN'S BASKETBALL: SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 62, CAL STATE HAYWARD 58
A trip to the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Final Four was on the line as South Dakota State hosted Cal State Hayward before a packed house at Frost Arena on March 15, 1985.
Played before a then-record crowd of 9,339, the Jackrabbits rallied in the closing minutes for a 62-58 victory. Fans waited in line more than three hours to help seind the Jackabbits to their deepest postseason run since winning a national championship in 1963.
The game was closely contested throughout and was tied at 31-all at halftime. The Pioneers scored the first six points of the second half and held a 53-48 lead with 7:02 to play.
All-American Mark Tetzlaff scored five points in a 9-0 run that gave SDSU the lead for good. The Jackrabbits used Cal State Hayward's foul trouble to their advantage as they made 15-of-18 attempts at the line in the second half. That allowed the Jackrabbits to overcome cold shooting from the field in the second half.
Tetzlaff led the way with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Derrick Wordlaw added 12 points, while Mark Schultz and Tom McDonald each scored eight.
SDSU shot 19-of-46 from the field, 41.3 percent, and 24-of-32 at the line for the game, 75 percent.
Cal State Hayward, which received 14 points and seven rebounds from Ric Toyloy, ended the game 26-of-51 from the floor, 50.9 percent. The Pioneers, who were hampered by 23 turnovers, finished the night 6-of-10 at the free throw line.
The Jackrabbits, coached by Gene Zulk, went on to defeat Mount St. Mary's (Md.) in the national semifinals on March 22, before falling the next night to Jacksonville State (Ala.) in the national championship game.
