GAME 11: MONTANA STATE (5-4) at SOUTH DAKOTA (6-4)
When	Wednesday, Dec. 7, 8:15 p.m. CT
Where	Sanford Coyote Sports Center (6,000) | Vermillion, S.D.
Watch Online	FREE webcast
Radio	Coyote Sports Network (Joe Van Goor)
Live Stats	Live Stats
USD Links	Game Notes | Roster | Schedule | Stats
MSU Links	Game Notes | Roster | Schedule | Stats
Social Media	Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

The Game
It's another Summit vs. Big Sky matchup tonight when South Dakota hosts Montana State inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center in game two of a doubleheader. The opening act is the Coyote women hosting Illinois.
 
South Dakota's last home game was a 72-67 win against Montana 10 days ago. The win contributed to a 3-3 record between the two conferences during non-conference play. Nine more matchups, including tonight's game, Saturday's home game against Sacramento State, and a return trip to Montana State 11 days from today, will factor into the competition. Also in action tonight is North Dakota State hosting North Dakota.
 
The Bobcats
Montana State doubled its wins from seven to 14 under coach Brian Fish last year. The team's five wins this past November are a program record. The team is picked to finish in the middle of the Big Sky this season.
 
Sophomore guard Tyler Hall is the nation's third-leading scorer at nearly 25 points per game. He's coming off a 42-point performance in Monday's home loss to Milwaukee. The preseason all-Big Sky pick was 15 of 25 from the field including six 3-pointers. The Bobcats average 11 triples per game as a team, which ranks fourth nationally.
 
The Coyotes
South Dakota has lost four of five following a 5-0 start. Still, at 6-4 the team is off to its best start at the Division I level (since 2008). The Coyotes are 4-0 in their new facility where they've averaged 82 points and shot 45 percent from the field. Sophomore Carlton Hurst, who will likely be asked to defend Hall, has been especially efficient at home. He's 16 of 22 from the field at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center including 5 of 7 from downtown. He's averaged 11 points and four boards in four home games.
 
First-half lulls have doomed USD in its last two. The Coyotes have given up a 26-4 run in back-to-back losses to UMKC and Nebraska. They erased the deficit completely against UMKC and crawled within two of the Huskers before falling late.
 
The Senior
There's only one listed throughout both team's rosters – Coyote center Tyler Flack, who is averaging 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds a game. Two juniors and two sophomores join Flack in South Dakota's starting five. The Bobcats start two juniors and two freshmen with Hall, the only sophomore on the squad. Freshman point guard Herald Frey is averaging 10 points and five assists per game for the Bobcats.
 
The Last Time
Brandon Bos, a South Dakota senior at the time, hit a game-winning jumper with two seconds left to beat the Bobcats 55-53 inside the DakotaDome two seasons ago. Bos had 17 points in that game. He had a game-high 21 points in USD's 85-74 win in Bozeman the year before.
 
No current Coyotes competed in the Montana State game two years ago. The only veteran to the series is Montana State junior forward Zach Green, who scored eight points in 18 minutes off the bench for the Bobcats against South Dakota two years ago.