VERMILLION, S.D. -- Junior Mandy Koupal recorded her fifth double double of the season and led the #20 ranked South Dakota women's basketball team to their 18th consecutive home victory on Wednesday night. Koupal, a preseason Division II Bulletin All-American, had 20 points and 12 rebounds as South Dakota (9-0) recorded a 77-39 win over Mount Marty (6-6) at the DakotaDome.

Koupal (Wagner, S.D.) hit seven of 12 field goals and six of seven free throws to lead USD to the win. The 9-0 start is the best since the 1984-85 team opened with nine straight wins. For the sixth time this season, South Dakota held an opponent under 60 points. In fact, Mount Marty's 39 points was the fourth time USD held an opponent under 50 points.

Senior forward Heather Nelson (Yankton, S.D.) also had a good night, hitting seven of 14 field goals, including four of seven from the three-point arc, and two of two from the foul line for 20 points. Nelson became the 16th Coyote women's basketball player to score 1,000 points in her career. She now has 1,001. In addition, the four three-point baskets gives Nelson 133 for her career, tying her for second on the South Dakota all-time chart.

With three points and five rebounds, Julia Frie (Byron, Minn.) became just the eighth player in school history to join the 1,000-point, 500-rebound club. She now has 1,026 points and 503 rebounds in her standout career.

After a poor shooting first half, USD fared better in the second half. The Coyotes hit 13 of 27 shots after the break and outscored the Lancers, 45-15 to win going away. USD was six of 11 from the three-point arc in the second half when they also hit 13 of 15 free throws.

The Lancers had a miserable shooting second half. They hit just six of 25 field goals for 24 percent. Mandy Johnson led the Lancers with 12 points. Erin Case scored eight points.

Mount Marty hung with the Coyotes in the opening half by hitting 34.6 percent (9-26) from the field, including five of 10 from the three-point arc. In the second half, they made just one of five from beyond the arc.

In that opening half, the Coyotes made just 34.4 percent from the field (11-32). South Dakota was just four of 13 from the three-point arc for 30.8 percent. Early on, things went well for the homestanding Coyotes. USD opened up a 16-7 lead on a three-pointer by Nelson. However, the Lancers rallied and took a 17-16 lead at the 10:47 mark on a three-pointer by Carlson. A three-pointer by Renae Luecke (Sioux Falls, S.D.), who scored 11 points on the night, gave USD a 23-21 lead at the 8:06 mark. A basket and free throw by Nelson moved the advantage to 30-21 at the 2:28 mark. After Amanda Iverson (Vermillion, S.D.) hit a pair of free throws, Mount Marty's Erin Case hit a three-pointer to cut the margin to eight.

USD controlled the second half with strong defense and solid shooting. A three-pointer by Erin Bourne (Mankato, Minn.) gave USD a 39-27 lead at the 17:32 mark. That shot started a 15-4 South Dakota run and led to a 51-31 lead with 10:59 to play. A jumper by Dawn Sudbeck (Dimock, S.D.) increased the lead to 60-33 at the 8:50 mark. Stacy Schooley (Watertown, S.D.) knocked home a three-pointer at the 5:34 mark that moved the advantage to 72-37. With 46 seconds left in the game, Jodi Schroeder (Tulare, S.D.) hit a jumper to give the Coyotes their largest lead at 77-39.

South Dakota also received seven points and nine rebounds from Iverson.

The Coyotes will now host Southwest State (7-3) on Friday night at the DakotaDome. It is part of a men's and women's doubleheader with the Coyote women's game beginning at 6 p.m.