2026-27 Outlook
LangIndex projects South Dakota at #300 nationally for the 2026-27 college basketball season with a projected efficiency margin of -3.2 points per 100 possessions. The model projects a step back from last season's #283 finish. This projects as a development year.
Only 31% of last season's minutes return, so this roster will look very different. Expect some early-season volatility while new pieces settle in. The program adds 1 incoming recruit to the mix.
Last Season (2025-26)
South Dakota finished 2025-26 at 13-16, ranked #283 in the final LangIndex ratings with adjusted offense of 100.3 and adjusted defense of 118.7 points per 100 possessions.
How LangIndex Rates South Dakota
South Dakota's power rating of -3.2 is an adjusted efficiency margin: the points per 100 possessions the model expects them to outscore an average Division I team by, once you strip out schedule strength. It combines adjusted offensive efficiency, adjusted defensive efficiency, and pace into one number, so a rating of -3.2 means South Dakota projects to lose to a neutral-court average team by about 2 points on a typical night. The full live version updates every morning during the season.
South Dakota Rating History
Season-by-season LangIndex power rating and national rank. South Dakota's rating has slipped compared to a few seasons ago. Their best finish in this window was #123 in 2020-21.
| Season | Power Rating | Nat. Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | -7.5 | #275 |
| 2024-25 | -4.3 | #240 |
| 2023-24 | -12.7 | #324 |
| 2022-23 | -9.9 | #300 |
| 2021-22 | +0.4 | #161 |
| 2020-21 | +2.2 | #123 |