The SeriesSouth Dakota leads the all-time series 5-2. Although Denver took the first meeting in 1988-80, the Coyotes have taken a 5-1 lead since Denver joined the Summit in 2013-14.
The GameSouth Dakota opened Summit play with Denver back on New Year's Day. The Coyotes handily won 85-60 in front of their home crowd. Denver's Paige Bradley stirred up the most trouble, shooting 5-for-5 behind the arc with a half-court buzzer shot that kept the Pioneers within three at the half. Senior guards
Nicole Seekamp and
Kelly Stewart led the Coyotes with 17 and 15 points. The Coyotes used a 17-2 run midway through the second half to pull away.
The Coyotes remain the 12th-best scoring offense in the country at 80.1 points per game. Seekamp leads the team with 16.9 points, six assists, and three steals per game. Senior guard
Tia Hemiller and junior guard
Caitlin Duffy also average double-figures at 11.4 and 10.0 points per game, respectively. Stewart has averaged 11.1 points and 4.6 rebounds in league play. Aside from the starters, the Coyotes also have a deep bench that has contributed throughout the season. South Dakota sticks to its strategy of sharing the ball and crashing the boards, two focal points in clutch wins. South Dakota's 398 assists this season ranks sixth nationally, while the Coyotes' 9.5 rebounding margin ranks 15th.
The Pioneers have lost five straight on the road and are 2-5 since its last meeting with the Coyotes. Denver took third-ranked IUPUI to double-overtime last week. In the last meeting, Denver was limited to seven active players last time out, but has since seen the return of Samantha Romanowski (10.7 ppg) and Alecia Espinoza (9.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg). Bradley leads the Pioneers in scoring at 13.1 points per game.
Last Time OutWhen North Dakota State got off to a slow start in the first half, trailing 42-17 with one player scoring more than two points, South Dakota's starters were able to rest up while the Coyote bench finished off the Bison. South Dakota's bench scored 33 points in the win, led by junior guard
Jasmine Trimboli with eight and freshman guard
Allison Arens with seven. The Bison committed 26 turnovers, including four shot clock violations, that cost them down the stretch.
Climbing the Coyote Career ChartsSeekamp has improved in several categories on USD's all-time charts. She ranks second in points (1,821), third in assists (525) and third in steals (239). Seekamp needs eight assists or 10 steals to tie for second in either category.
Only 11 players in program history have 1,000 points and 500 rebounds for their Coyote career. Seekamp is closing in on rebounds (449). Meanwhile, senior center
Margaret McCloud (956) and Hemiller (878) are closing in on points.
100 Career GamesSenior guard
Heidi Hoff is expected to take the court tonight for her 100th career game.
#MarchToTheSummitAfter the first half of league play concluded, South Dakota remains a contender for the Summit League regular season title for the second consecutive season. The Coyotes finished 2014-15 with a 13-3 Summit League record and a regular season title. With South Dakota State's bye last week, the Coyotes entered the week atop the charts at 8-1. The Jackrabbits are 7-1 with their only league loss coming from South Dakota.
