SIOUX FALLS (March 8, 2017) – Covenanter Michael Orris is going to the Big Dance after the South Dakota State Jackrabbits earned a spot by winning the Summit Conference championship with a 79-77 victory over Omaha on Tuesday night. The tournament begins Tuesday, March 14.
Orris had been key to the fourth-seeded Jackrabbits’ semifinal 73-71 victory over top-seeded South Dakota the night before when he scored 20 points and knocked in a go-ahead jumper with two seconds left to play.
He is the son of Covenant pastors Bill and Lisa Orris.
Orris transferred to South Dakota State this year after playing at Northern Illinois University in 2016 and leading that team to its first winning season in a decade. He plays to honor his brother, Billy, who died in a motorcycle accident in 2015.
Comcast Sportsnet Chicago produced an inspiring video last year that told of the family’s heartbreaking journey and the relationship between the two brothers.
