The Game
South Dakota faces its stiffest challenge, perhaps ever, when the Coyotes take on seventh-ranked and undefeated Gonzaga tonight in Spokane, Wash. The Zags' No. 7 ranking is tied for the highest ranking South Dakota has faced at the Division I level. The Coyotes took on then No. 7 Notre Dame in 2008, the team's first year of its Division I transition.
The Bulldogs
Gonzaga, under longtime head coach Mark Few, is one win away from equaling its best start in program history, 12-0 in 1944. The Zags have been so good that they have trailed in the second half just one time this season (Florida). Junior point guard Nigel Williams-Goss leads a balanced offense that averages 83 points per game on 49 percent shooting. Seven Gonzaga players currently average at least eight points per game.
Gonzaga's height has helped hold opponents to 36 percent shooting, which ranks sixth nationally. The Bulldogs feature 7-1 senior center Przemek Karnowski, who scored 20 points against South Dakota in a win four years ago in Spokane. Freshman Zach Collins, another 7-footer, comes off the bench. The Zags also feature 6-9 Johnathan Williams in its starting lineup and brings 6-10 Killian Tillie off the bench.
The Coyotes
Gonzaga is South Dakota's final tuneup ahead of Summit League play, which begins next Thursday at home against Omaha. At 9-5, the Coyotes have equaled their best start at the Division I level. The team is led by its lone senior,
Tyler Flack, who is the only Coyote on the roster who competed against Gonzaga back in 2012. It was his fourth collegiate game and Flack scored 10 points on 4 of 8 shooting. He also had four rebounds, three blocks and three steals.
South Dakota has put together runs of 25-3 and 35-4 in its last two wins. Sophomore guard
Matt Mooney is coming off a career-best 28 points in Sunday's win against Montana State. He made 8 of 12 shots including four triples. In five true road games this season, Mooney has been the leader with a 21-point average.
One last thing
A key indicator of South Dakota's success thru 14 games is what it can generate from its bench. Typically that production has been provided by three true freshmen -
Brandon Armstrong,
Triston Simpson and
Tyler Peterson - and forwards
Dan Jech and
Austin Sparks. The Coyotes have received at least 20 points from their bench in each of the last four games and are 7-1 when they receive that level of support (2-4 when they don't).
