Friday, Feb. 6 – at St. Cloud State, 7:30 p.m., Halenback Hall, St. Cloud, Minn.
Saturday, Feb. 7 – at Minnesota, 7:30 p.m., Williams Arena, Minneapolis, Minn.
Parent's Weekend
Friday, Feb. 13 – vs. Southwest State (MN), 8 p.m., The DakotaDome
Saturday, Feb. 14 – vs. Nebraska, 6 p.m., The DakotaDome, Vermillion, S.D.
VERMILLION, S.D.—It doesn't get any easier for the University of South Dakota women's basketball team. After splitting a pair of games on the road last weekend, the Coyotes will again take to the road this weekend.
South Dakota, 11-4 on the year, will invade Halbeck Hall at 7:30 p.m. Friday (Feb. 6) facing the St. Cloud State Huskies, 11-9 prior to a Tuesday tilt with Winona State. Saturday the Coyotes square off against Minnesota's Golden Gophers at 8 p.m. in Williams Arena. Minnesota, ranked 18th in the nation, boasts an 18-4 record. The Gophers are riding a six-game winning streak and have yet to lose at home.
Saturday's contest takes on added significance as both clubs are battling for the championship of the North Section. Minnesota (4-1) owns a half-game lead over the Coyotes (3-1). Drake is also in the thick of things with just one loss.
USD received good news and bad news this week. The good news is that freshman guard
Rita Seymour has recovered from a sprained ankle and has rejoined the team in practice sessions after a two-week absence. The bad news is that sophomore
Deb Petersen, ranked sixth in the nation in field goal accuracy (61.4%) will not return this weekend. The 6-4 forward has been sidelined since the holiday break with an ailing knee.
Senior center
Mary Joneson enters this weekend's play tied for ninth in the nation's rebounding race (12.6 rpg). Additionally, the Coyotes are ranked 17th as a team in rebounding, averaging 47.5 per outing.
Minnesota is also among the national leaders, rating 17th in scoring (79.6 ppg) and 10th in rebounding (49.2 rpg). Guard Debbie Hunter ranks third in assists (7.1) and 11th in steals (3.7), while scoring 11.3 points per game in the Gophers' balanced attack.
St. Cloud is led by sophomore guard Diane Sherer, averaging 21.2 ppg and junior forward Jeanne Burnett (11.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg). Deanna Larson, a 6-2 freshman, provides 9.8 ppg and 7.2 rpg as a reserve. The Huskies are second in the Northern Sun Conference with a 3-1 mark.
USD is expected to start seniors
Renee Steeve (5-4, 17.9 ppg) and 5-8
Gloria Suntken (10.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 78 assists, 34 steals) at guards, with Joneson (9.5 ppg) anchoring the pivot.
Jo Haase (8.5, 5.1), a 5-8 junior, will be at wing forward, with 6-3 sophomore
Pam Olerich (7.6, 5.0) at power forward.
Karrie Wallen (9.5, 3.9) will see early action at guard or forward. The 5-9 freshman recorded a career-high 17 points in USD's 75-74 win over Northwest Missouri State last Saturday.
Carol Finley (2.0, 2.8) is a 6-2 sophomore, will provide front court relief.
USD owns a 1-0 advantage in the series with the Huskies, capturing a 51-50 decision last season in Vermillion. The Coyotes faced Minnesota three times last season with the Gophers claiming each meeting to take a 3-0 series lead. The final meeting a year ago was a hard-fought 78-68 decision in the Sub-Regional tournament.
