SIOUX FALLS, S.D. --- The University of South Dakota men's basketball team was well represented in the
All-North Central Conference Team and awards announced today by the league office. Junior forward
Eric Hall (Huron, S.D.) and sophomore guard/forward
Dylan Grimsley (Sioux City, Iowa) were both named to the
All-NCC squad for the first time in each of their respective careers, with sophomore center
Steve Smith (Sioux Falls, S.D.) earning
All-NCC honorable mention recognition. Head coach
Dave Boots was named the
NCC Coach of the Year for the sixth time in his career, sharing this year's award with
Matt Margenthaler of Minnesota State. In addition, Grimsley was named the
NCC Newcomer of the Year and freshman forward
Tyler Cain (Rochester, Minn.) earned the
NCC Freshman of the Year award.
The selections of Hall and Grimsley to the all-conference team represent the 123rd and 124th All-NCC picks in school history. Of those 124 all-league selections, 37 have come during the 19-season coaching tenure of Boots.
Hall, who was an All-NCC honorable mention selection a year ago, led the league in three-point field goals made (3.50 tpfgpg) while ranking second in scoring (19.4 ppg). He was also third in the conference in both steals (1.50 spg) and minutes played (36.08 mpg), tied for fifth in defensive rebounding (4.50 drpg), seventh in both free throw percentage (82.5%) and three-point field goal percentage (43.3%) and 11th in overall rebounding (5.3 rpg). Twice this season Hall earned NCC Player of the Week honors.
Grimsley becomes the third Coyote to earn the NCC Newcomer of the Year award, joining Joe Hebert (1997) and Tommie King (2003), and earlier this week he became the second USD player to win the NCC Postseason Tournament Most Valuable Player award, with the first being Turner Trofholz in 2005. In NCC statistics, Grimsley led the circuit in steals (2.33 spg), offensive rebounding (3.00 orpg) and minutes played (37.58 mpg). Grimsley was also tied for second in overall rebounding (7.5 rpg), fourth in scoring (18.0 ppg), tied for fifth in defensive rebounding (4.50 drpg), ninth in assists (2.92 apg), tied for 11th in blocked shots (0.42 bpg), and 12th in both field goal percentage (49.3%) and free throw percentage (76.9%).
Smith also shone in his first season at USD by ranking second in the conference in blocked shots (2.08 bpg). He was also sixth in overall rebounding (6.3 rpg), tied for sixth in offensive rebounding (1.92 orpg), seventh in both field goal percentage (53.5%) and defensive rebounding (4.42 drpg) and 14th in scoring (13.2 ppg).
Cain is the second straight Coyote to bring home NCC Freshman of the Year accolades, joining teammate Jesse Becker (Plymouth, Minn.) who became the program's first recipient last year. He led the conference in his first year in the league in both field goal percentage (60.9%) and blocked shots (2.92 bpg). Cain also ranked fourth in overall rebounding (7.3 rpg), offensive rebounding (2.25 orpg) and defensive rebounding (5.08 drpg). In addition, he tied for sixth in steals (1.33 spg), 10th in assists (2.83 apg) and was 13th in minutes played (31.17 mpg).
South Dakota captured its 12th North Central Conference championship in school history this season, and the first since 2000-01, by completing the league's slate of games with a 10-2 mark, sharing the crown with Minnesota State. The Coyotes also captured its second NCC Postseason Tournament title in the past three seasons by dispatching MSU 97-86 in the championship game on Sunday, March 4, in the DakotaDome, to complete a sweep of the regular season and postseason crowns for the first time in school history.
USD will enter the NCAA Division II National Tournament as the #4-seed in the North Central Region, and will begin play in the event with a first round game against #5-seed Nebraska-Kearney at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, in Winona, Minn. This will be the 12th appearance in the national tournament for the Coyotes, and the fourth consecutive trip to "The Big Dance" for the program, which is a school record.
Ticket prices for each session at the regional are $9 for adults and $4 for students. An all-tournament pass that is good for all four sessions is available at the price of $27 for adults and $12 for students. For additional ticket information, contact the Winona State University Ticket Office at (507) 457-5210. Tickets will go on sale at 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning, with the WSU Ticket Office hours running from 8 a.m. through 4 p.m. the remainder of the week.
