In many ways, the 2016-17 South Dakota men's basketball season will be more than three months old before the first game is played. The Coyotes, with 10 new players, including seven enrolled at USD for the first time this semester, spent 10 days in Spain in early August. The team was granted 10 practices ahead of the trip and played four exhibition games during the tour, which included stops in Barcelona, San Sebastian, Vitoria, Trevino and Madrid. The situation couldn't have been timelier for
Craig Smith, now entering his third year in Vermillion.
"Two things stood out about that trip," said Smith. "Having 10 practices beforehand, because it was rudimentary from the first few in terms of getting everybody on the same page with terminology, how we defend certain actions and offensive and defensive philosophies in general. And the second was camaraderie. To be able to go overseas and experience something that most people maybe do once in a lifetime is invaluable."
This isn't the first time that Smith, now 20 years in the profession, has experienced a roster turnover like this one. In his first season back at Mayville State in 2004, he had 28 players. Twenty-two were brand new.
"I went back to that year," said Smith. "What do we need to do to get these guys ready? What are the steps? We are 20 practices in now, plus the 10 practices back in August, and in some ways we are further along, yet there are so many new guys and so little experience that you have to be demanding yet tolerant. As long as you can continually see improvement, that's the positive sign."
Five players return from last year's team – senior
Tyler Flack, junior
Austin Sparks, and sophomores
Dan Jech,
Tyler Hagedorn and
Logan Power, a walk-on who was surprised with a scholarship offer on the final day of the Spanish trip. Of those five, only Flack averaged more than 13 minutes a game. Amongst the 10 newcomers, only sophomore
Matt Mooney has averaged double-digit minutes at the Division I level.
Another way to look at the roster is this:Â five returners, three players who transferred in a year ago, but were not able to compete last year, two junior-college transfers, and five true freshmen.
That leads to another new variable for Smith to work with this season – the Sanford Coyote Sports Center, the Coyotes' new 6,000-seat, state-of-the-art facility that came online this past summer. This season marks the first since moving to Division I that USD's schedule includes an exhibition game, a home opener as early as Nov. 13, and four November home games. Five times since 2008, the Coyotes had just one November home game including each of the last three seasons.
"The SCSC is dynamite in that way," said Smith. "Not only in terms of the newness of it and the fact that it's a spectacular venue, but to have an exhibition game, to practice on our own floor, and to play on own court four times in the first month. To not be traveling all around the country those first three weeks and missing a lot of class and practice time is a big deal. Getting off to a good start is really important when you look at the long-term success of a season.
"Six of our first nine Summit League games are home. Ideally, you want the league schedule to be balanced, but with a young and inexperienced team like us this year, I think that's probably a good thing. We have a chance to gain a lot of momentum early and hopefully we can have some success in that way."
That said, there will be much to learn about this team before the 16-game conference slate begins near the end of December. Fifteen non-conference games in fact, and Smith is open and honest in saying that competition for starting spots and playing time are wide open. There are plenty of big decisions he and his staff will have to make in the near future.
"The competitive spirit of our team is high and we are much deeper than we were a year ago," said Smith. "Our three freshmen have caught on and figured things out quickly, and our two transfers played incredibly well in Spain."
There are a few assumptions that can be made. Flack, who averaged career bests of 10 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last year, has made 55 career starts at USD. If healthy, he should be one of the best all-around post players in the Summit. In addition to his points and rebounds, he's blocked 103 shots, the seventh-most in program history.
The praises of transfers Mooney (Air Force),
Trey Dickerson (Iowa) and
Carlton Hurst (Colorado State) were sung much of last season when they contributed on the Coyotes' scout team. All three have Division I experience whether it's been on the court or in practice, and now each of them have a year in learning Smith's system.
"Carlton is 6-3, but he plays like he's 6-6," said Smith. "He is so athletic, quick and explosive. He can guard just about anybody. Matt is skilled, long and versatile. He has a wingspan of 7-2 or 7-3. He brings a lot of things to the table. Trey is a play maker. All three will make an impact."
Forwards Jech and Hagedorn averaged 12-13 minutes per game as true freshmen last season. Jech averaged 6.8 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 52 percent from the field. Hagedorn averaged 3.0 points and 2.1 rebounds while adding 11 blocks and 10 steals. Both have worked to make themselves better on the defensive end.
"Physically, they are a lot different and that's a natural progression," said Smith. "Their learning curve isn't nearly as steep as what it was a year ago and that will allow them to be quicker, faster and more instinctive."
Sparks has played in 39 games over the last two seasons and provides depth to the front court as well. He totaled 36 points and 32 rebounds a year ago. Power played in 14 games as a redshirt freshman last season and totaled 34 points.
Junior
Joshua Doss is a 6-4 guard from Chicago who competed at Triton College last season. Sophomore
Trey Burch-Manning is a 6-6 forward from Washington who competed at North Idaho College a year ago.
"Joshua is a powerful, explosive, athletic player who brings tremendous energy to our team," said Smith. "Trey is a rock. I'm not sure he does anything outstanding, but he is really good at a lot of things."
The three scholarship freshmen include point guard
Triston Simpson, a 6-1 guard from Lincoln, Neb.,
Tyler Peterson, a 6-4 wing from Lino Lakes, Minn., and
Brandon Armstrong, a 6-5 wing from San Antonio, Texas. All three enjoyed tremendous success at the high school level and Smith expects all three to play this season.
The roster also includes
Jack Stensgard, a 6-2 guard from Inver Grove Heights, Minn., and
Brady Delimont, a 6-3 guard from Ainsworth, Neb. Both averaged 27 points per game as seniors at their respective high schools.
The Coyotes' regular season begins Nov. 11 against Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Two days later, South Dakota will play its first game inside the Sports Center when the Coyotes host Bowling Green as part of a women's and men's doubleheader. The non-conference slate also includes a game against Smith's longtime colleague, Tim Miles, and his Nebraska Huskers on Dec. 3, a game against Portland in the Moda Center Dec. 16, and a Dec. 21 matchup against Gonzaga in Spokane.
Related: Friday can't come soon enough for this trio
