GAMES 10:  CSU BAKERSFIELD (4-3) AT SOUTH DAKOTA (6-3)
When	Saturday, Dec. 12 at 5:30 p.m. (game one of USD men/women DH)
Where	The DakotaDome | Vermillion, S.D.
Tickets	South Dakota Ticket Information
Television	Midco Sports Network (Jay Elsen and Tom Nieman)
Watch Online	FREE webcast here | ESPN3
Radio	Coyote Sports Network (Joe Van Goor)
Live Stats	USD Sidearm Stats
South Dakota Links	Game Notes | Roster | Schedule | Stats
CSUB Links	Game Notes | Roster | Schedule | Stats
Social Media	Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Best start in eight years
At 6-3, the Coyote men are off to their best start in eight years. Balanced scoring and accurate shooting has aided the effort. The team ranks 27^th nationally in assists so the ability to find the open man should be credited as well.

The Coyotes have won five straight and six in a row would be the program's longest streak in the last six years. Five players are averaging 10 or more points during the streak and the team has shot better than 50 percent from the field in four of the five games.

The opponent
CSU Bakersfield is 4-0 at home and 0-3 on the road. The Roadrunners are hoping to avenge a 68-66 loss at home to South Dakota from last season. The Roadrunners finished 14-19 overall a year ago and were 7-7 in the WAC.

Three starters return including senior forward Kevin Mays, who is averaging 15 points and nine boards a game. A redshirt freshman, Damiyne Durham, is leading Bakersfield in scoring at 16.7 points a night. Senior center Aly Ahmed (12.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg) was the Roadrunners' leading scorer a year ago.

The Summit League ranks 10th
The Summit League has moved into 10th place out of 32 conferences in the latest RPI rankings released this week. That's the best mark ever for the league. The Summit's highest-ever finish in the rankings is 16 in 2012.

Last time out
South Dakota defeated Kansas City (also of the WAC) 79-70 in Vermillion Tuesday night behind a season-high 19 points from reserve guard Trey Norris and 18 points from Tre Burnette. The Coyotes scored 19 points off 19 forced turnovers and shot 52 percent from the field. Eric Robertson finished with 12 points and nine rebounds.

Last year's meeting (USD won 68-66)
South Dakota guard Brandon Bos scored 16 of his game-high 21 points in the second half in helping the Coyotes win a 68-66 contest against Bakersfield at Icardo Center. The Coyotes overcame a 15-point second-half deficit in the win. Casey Kasperbauer scored 18 points. His fourth 3-pointer of the game completed a 9-0 run that gave USD a 65-61 lead with 1:23 remaining. Kasperbauer was 4 of 8 from beyond the arc.

Bakersfield got 14 points from both Kevin Mays and Dashawn Richmond. Starting big man Aly Ahmed picked up two consecutive technical fouls with 13:39 left in the second half with his team maintaining a 48-36 lead. Bos made all four technical free throws to cut the lead to eight points. Less than three minutes later, South Dakota was within five points.