TULSA, Okla.—South Dakota sophomore guard Allison Arens stripped the ball off Tulsa guard Erika Wakefield and drove in a layup on the other end in the final minute to seal a Coyote 71-68 victory over Tulsa at Donald W. Reynolds Center on Sunday afternoon.
 
South Dakota (3-1) earns its first win over a team from the American Athletic Conference, while Tulsa (1-3) falls to Summit League foes in back-to-back contests.
 
"At this point in time, we are simply putting tools into our toolbox," said USD head coach Dawn Plitzuweit. "We are going through the learning process each game. At the end of the season, we will have been through all kinds of scenarios and will be ready for anything. We want to be playing our best basketball at the end of the season."
 
Arens' layup put the Coyotes up by one, 69-68, with 20 seconds to play. Wakefield traveled on the Hurricanes' next possession to give the ball back to the Coyotes. Three consecutive Hurricane fouls put Arens on the stripe. Arens missed twice, but senior center Abigail Fogg pulled down the offensive board for the Coyotes. Arens was fouled once again, making both of her next two to put the Coyotes up 71-68. Sophomore guard Jaycee Bradley strategically fouled Tulsa's Alexis Gaulden on the inbounds play to prevent a last second shot attempt. Gaulden missed both free throws, giving the Coyotes their first road win of the season.
 
Bradley tied her career high of 17 points while shooting 60 percent (6-for-10) from the field and making five from outside the arc. Bradley ended a seven minute Coyote scoring drought in the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer with 3:11 to play.
 
Arens scored 17 points, dished out seven assists, grabbed six boards and had five steals. She finished 9-for-12 from the free-throw line. Freshman guard Ciara Duffy was the third Coyote in double figures with 13 points.
 
Fogg's offensive board late in the game was one of a game-high 10. Fogg becomes the first Coyote to reach double figures on the boards this season. She added seven points.
 
Tulsa was led by Gaulden's 19 points off the bench and starting guard Tatyana Perez's 16. Gaulden shot 70 percent (7-of-10) from the field and added five triples. Forward Crystal Polk was the third Hurricane in double figures with 11 points.
 
The game featured 18 lead changes and eight tied scores. The Hurricanes shot 46.3 percent (25-of-54) from the field while the Coyotes shot 41.8 percent (23-of-55). South Dakota won the battle of the boards 38-26 and had 19 second chance points.
 
South Dakota continues its four-game road stretch in California next weekend. The Coyotes tip off with UC Riverside at 7 p.m. Friday.