Nov. 29, 2000

COMING UP: The #9 ranked South Dakota Coyotes, 4-0, will face Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference preseason favorite Southwest State, 3-4, at 8 p.m. on Friday at the Hardee's Coca-Cola Classic at Marshall, Minn., this weekend. Southwest State was ranked #12 in the country in a preseason poll. The Coyotes will also play #21 Regis University, 4-0, at 3 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. The games will be played at the R/A Facility on the campus of Southwest State in Marshall. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for students.

SEASON REVIEW: The Coyotes have opened the season with four consecutive victories including home victories over Mount Marty, 87-54 (Nov 21), and Rochester College, 86-36 (Nov. 25). South Dakota has also defeated Wayne State, 86-80 OT (Nov. 17) and Minnesota Morris, 117-58 (Nov. 18). That point total against Minnesota-Morris is the second best by the Coyotes in a single game in school history. The Coyotes are 2-0 on the road and 2-0 at home. A year ago, South Dakota won the North Central Conference with a 13-5 mark and 22-6 overall. South Dakota advanced to the North Central Regional as the number one seed where they fell in the semifinals, 86-83 to Wayne State (Neb.). The Coyotes return three starters and lost two starters from a year ago, including NCC MVP and second team all-American Nate Blessen (19.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg) as well as sharpshooter Ben Ries (12.3 ppg). Ries left South Dakota as the all-time leader in made three point shots with 290. Blessen and Ries were first team all-NCC performers as was current Coyote forward Jeremy Kudera, who has been tabbed by a national publication as one of the top players in the country in 2000-01.

STARTERS:

G - 03 -- Paul Marshall, 6-1, Jr., Winnebago, Ill. (13.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg)

G - 04 - Nate Tibbetts, 6-1, Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D. (3.5 ppg, 7.5 apg, 2.5 rpg)

F - 22 -- Jimmie Foster, 6-4, Jr., Milwaukee, Wis. (15.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg)

F - 52 - Jeremy Kudera, 6-7, Sr., Dell Rapids, S.D. (13.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg)

C - 54 - Jason Barrow, 6-6, Sr., Bloomington, Ill. (9.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg)

TOP RESERVES

G - 42 - Eric Hickenbottom, 6-4, Jr., Agency, Iowa (9.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg)

G - 44 - Travis James, 6-2, So., Lompac, Calif. (2.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg)

G - 24 - Richard Ross, 6-4, Fr., Lincoln, Neb. (8.8 ppg, 1.2 rpg)

F - 30 - Scott Hansen, 6-7, Jr., Coleridge, Neb. (13.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg)

F - 50 - Steve Anderson, 6-7, Fr., Rapid City, S.D. (5.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg)

ABOUT THE HARDEE'S COCA-COLA CLASSIC: The two-day eight-game classic gets underway on Friday, Dec. 1 at 1 p.m. The tournament includes both men's and women's teams. The women's side features Minnesota-Duluth, Augustana (SD), Minnesota State-Mankato and Southwest State. The men's classic includes South Dakota, Augustana (SD), Regis (Denver, Colo.) and Southwest State. Aside from the South Dakota-Southwest State game at 8 p.m. on Friday, Augustana will face Regis at 3 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday, the Coyotes face off with Regis at 3 p.m. and Augustana and Southwest State meet at 8 p.m.

ON SOUTHWEST STATE: South Dakota defeated Southwest State, 65-48 during the 1990-91 season. South Dakota head coach Dave Boots is 5-0 against Southwest State. The Coyotes are 2-0 in Marshall and have won the five games by an average of 26.4 points. Southwest State, 3-4, finished fourth in the NSIC a year ago with an 18-10 record, including a 12-3 home mark, 6-6 away and 0-1 on a neutral floor. The Mustangs are led in scoring by 6-7 senior forward Scott Koenen (Clara City, Minn.) with 19.0 points per game and 7.9 rebounds. Jared Miller, a 6-2 senior guard originally of Mitchell, S.D., is averaging 15.1 points per game, while 6'10 junior center Chad Koenen, originally of Clara City, Minn., is scoring 13.4 per game. Miller played his first three seasons for Northern State. Overall Southwest State is averaging 72.3 points and permitting 70.0 per game. The Mustangs own a 32.7 to 30.6 rebound advantage. Miller has made 20 of 65 three-point shots. Southwest State has made 42 of 150 for 28 percent from three-point range. Opponents have hit 31-103 for 30 percent. As a team the Mustangs have made 104-147 free throws for 71 percent and 180 of 398 field goals. Southwest State defeated St. Joseph's (IN), 100-85 (Nov. 10) behind 24 points from Chad Koenen and lost to Rollins (FL), 65-56 (Nov. 11), as well as Bentley (MA), 75-67 despite 23 points and 12 rebounds from Scott Koenen. Southwest State defeated Huron (Nov. 17), 75-65 before losing to Wisconsin-Stout, 78-68 (Nov. 18). Minnesota State - Mankato defeated Southwest State, 63-59 (Nov. 21). Southwest State defeated Wisconsin River-Falls, 81-73 (Nov. 25) as Scott Koenen had 30 points and eight rebounds. The Mustangs, 0-1 at home this season, are 30-13 at their home arena over the past four seasons since head coach Tim Miles has arrived on campus.

ON REGIS UNIVERSITY: South Dakota is 2-0 against Regis, but both games were played before any of the current players on either the Coyotes or Regis University was born. The last time the two schools met was during South Dakota's 1957-58 title-winning season with head coach Dwane Clodfelter. During that special season, the Coyotes defeated Regis 88-72 at the Old Armory. The Coyotes also defeated Regis 58-56 in 1952-53 with Carl "Rube" Hoy as head coach. This season, Regis, 4-0, has defeated Langston University, 78-47 (Nov. 17) and Wayland Baptist, 83-71 (Nov. 20), at home. They also defeated Eastern New Mexico, 79-69 (Nov. 24) and Colorado Christian, 73-60 (Nov. 25). Michael Carter, a 6-0 junior guard from West Folsom, Calif., leads Regis with 15.3 points per game and he has 3.5 rebounds. He has made 6-14 three-point field goals for 43 percent and 22-42 field goals for 52 percent. Randy Nelson, a 6-4 junior forward from Boulder, Colo., is averaging 13.5 points and 6.0 rebounds, while Corey LeDuff, a 5-10 junior guard from Denver, Colo., is supplying 13.3 points per game. As a team Regis is scoring 78.3 points per game while limiting opponents to 61.8. Regis has made 106-222 field goals for 48 percent and 20-54 three-point field goals for 37 percent. They are 81-133 from the free throw line for 61 percent. Opponents hold a 36.3 to 33.8 rebound advantage over Regis University.

NONCONFERENCE STREAKS: The Coyotes have won 30 straight nonconference game dating back to a loss on the road to Minnesota-Morris in 1996-97.

"SPECIAL K" MOVING UP THREE-POINT LISTS: With 156 three-point baskets in his career, senior forward Jeremy "Special K" Kudera has moved into fourth place all-time. The top three include current Coyote volunteer coach Ben Ries (1996-2000), 290, Mike Graves, 274, and Randy Rosenquist (1990-94), 209.

"THE GENERAL" EYEING CAREER LEADERS IN ASSISTS: With 29 assists after four games, Nate "The General" Tibbetts has moved into third place in career assists with 492. He recently passed former Coyote point guard John Hemenway, who had 486 from 1992-96. Tibbetts now trails only point guards Barry Glanzer (1978-82), 566, and Rick Nissen (1972-76), 598.

HOT SHOOTING: South Dakota hit 15-32 shots from three point range in a 86-36 win over Rochester College on Nov. 25. That effort continues a torrid pace from three-point range by South Dakota, who have made 48-104 (46 percent) this season. Junior guard Paul Marshall, who has hit 19-29 field goals (65 percent) has made 15-20 from the three-point arc for 75 percent while junior forward Scott Hansen has hit eight of 12 three-pointers for 67 percent. Junior forward Jimmie Foster has hit 22-35 field goals for 63 percent. Jeremy Kudera has made 18-18 free throws through four games this season.

COYOTE NUMBERS: South Dakota has made 129 of 238 field goals for 54 percent and 70-100 free throws for 70 percent. The Coyotes have had 13 blocked shots, 43 steals, 85 assists and 152 rebounds. In addition the Coyotes have scored 376 points, or 94.0 per game, while allowing 228 points, or 57.0 per game which is a +37 margin of victory.

IN OVERTIME: The Coyotes are 5-11 in overtime games during the Boots' tenure, including a 86-80 win in the season opener over Wayne State at the Quad State Classic Nov. 17 in Morris, Minn.

NOTES ON SOUTH DAKOTA: Over the past 12 seasons, the Coyotes have owned an impressive homecourt advantage winning 152 games and only 30 (.833). South Dakota is the most successful team in the NCC over the last 12 years with more league wins (143) than any other member school during that span. The Coyotes, who have won at least 10 consecutive conference games for nine straight years, have never finished lower than fifth in the NCC during Dave Boots' tenure as head coach. In the past two NCC seasons, the Coyotes are 27-9 (.750). The school has a 966-878 all-time record (.524). South Dakota has had 18 academic all-NCC selections and a number of GTE academic all-district players during the Boots' era. During 1999-2000, the Coyotes had a collective grade point average of 2.91.

COACHES: South Dakota's Dave Boots, a 1979 graduate of Augsburg College, is in his 13th year as head coach at South Dakota and 19th overall as a head coach. Boots is the school's all-time leader in wins by a head coach with a 253-100 (.717) mark. He has a 152-30 record at the DakotaDome and he is 101-69 on the road. Boots owns a career record of 368-163 (.693). A native of North Branch, Minn., Boots has won four NCC titles at South Dakota and four times his teams have advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Coyotes also advanced to the Elite Eight in 1992-93, and 1993-94. Boots has been named the NCC Coach of the Year on four occasions (1993,1994, 1999, and 2000) and he was the NCAA Division II North Central Region Kodak District Coach of the Year in 1993, 1994 and 2000. Coyote assist coaches include Shane Murphy, a 1994 graduate of South Dakota, Andy Markowski, a 1999 graduate of Nebraska, Bryan Martin, a 1999 graduate of Simpson College, and Ben Ries, a 2000 graduate of South Dakota. Southwest State's Head coach Tim Miles is in his fourth season, compiling a 53-36 record (.595). Miles spent six seasons as an assistant coach at Northern State University from 1989-95 and two seasons as head coach at Mayville State University in 1995-97 before taking the Southwest State position. In six seasons he has an 88-58 record. He compiled a 35-22 record at Mayville State during 1995-1997. His Southwest Team in 1999-00 compiled a record of 18-10. Miles is a graduate of the University of Mary (ND), 1989 and Northern State (master's degree in health, physical education in 1990). Head Coach Lonnie Porter, who is in his 24th season, leads Regis College. His assistant coach is Doug Farley.

COYOTE SPORTS NETWORK: Coyote men's basketball games will be offered through the Coyote Sports Network and the Internet. The flagship station is KVHT-FM (106.3) in Vermillion, S.D. The other members of the Coyote Sports Network include KSDR-AM (1480), Watertown, KORN-AM (1490), Mitchell, S.D. Kevin Culhane will serve as the voice of the Coyotes home and away during the 2000-01-basketball season. Joe Van Goor and Jim Hockett will provide color. Culhane hosts a 25-minute pre-game show prior to each men's basketball game. On the internet, the Coyote fans can tune to the live game play-by-play at www.usdcoyotes.com and listen by calling Teamline at 1-800-846-4700 (team code - 6056). On Teamline fans can hear the live radio play-by-play of the Coyotes from any telephone in the world. The USD Basketball Show will be held on Wednesday night on all sports radio KVTK-AM (1570). The USD Sports Magazine Show begins at 6:05 p.m., followed by the USD Basketball Show at 6:30 p.m. 2000 South Dakota Men's Basketball Schedule