VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota sophomore guard Matt Mooney scored a career-high 30 points, including five unanswered in the final minute to help the Coyotes knock off defending Summit League champion Fort Wayne Saturday inside Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
 
The win moves South Dakota (13-8, 4-2 Summit) into second place in the conference standings and equals the program's best start in Summit League play at 4-2. Fort Wayne (14-5, 3-2), a preseason pick to repeat as champs, lost for just the third time in its last 16 games.
 
Mooney and teammate Tyler Hagedorn combined to score the final 24 points for South Dakota. Mooney scored 15 points in both halves. Hagedorn, who received extended minutes off the bench for the third straight game, scored all 15 of his points in the second half, going 4 of 6 from the field with two triples and hitting five free throws.
 
"I can't say enough things about the heart and character of this team," said USD head coach Craig Smith. "To have two losses in the league basically coming down to the last possession, and to respond the way we did says a lot about our guys. Fort Wayne is a really, really good team and to hold them to 63 points on 35 percent shooting is one heck of an accomplishment."
 
Fort Wayne entered play as the nation's best 3-point shooting team at 43 percent and the fifth-highest scoring team at 90 points per game. Only once in their last 12 games had the Mastodons failed to reach 80 points. They shot a season-low 35 percent from the field Saturday (22-62) and were 11 of 32 from 3-point range. Their 63 points are the second-lowest tally of the season.
 
"Hags was huge," said Smith. "He made some humongous plays, four blocked shots, not to mention a bunch more altered. He did a good job on screen and roll defense as well."
 
All 15 of Hagedorn's points came during an eight-minute span in the second half. He ignited a 23-5 rally that flipped an eight-point deficit into a 60-50 lead with 5:42 remaining. Included was a four-point play in which he was fouled while hitting a 3, and a drive and dunk down the lane when USD had a man advantage.
 
Fort Wayne answered the run with one of its own, scoring 13 of the game's next 14 points to retake the lead at 63-61 with two minutes left. Kason Harrell buried two 3's and Mo Evans added another. Bryson Scott turned two USD turnovers into back-to-back fast break layups.
 
An offensive rebound by Trey Burch-Manning gave South Dakota another chance and Mooney scored at the rim and was fouled with 57 seconds left. His free throw put the Coyotes ahead 64-63.
 
Fort Wayne forward Taylor Xzavier was fouled on the ensuing possession, but he missed both free throws and Burch-Manning grabbed the board. Mooney was fouled with 21 seconds left and made both three throws. He finished 10 of 15 from the free-throw line.
 
The Mastodons called timeout with nine seconds left and inbounded to Evans, who dribbled out front before trying a long, straight-on 3-pointer that missed the mark. Burch-Manning grabbed his 11^th rebound and time expired.
 
Evans hit five 3-pointers during the game and scored 19 points. Bryson Scott led the Mastodons with 21 points, all but six of which came in the first half. John Konchar had nine points, nine rebounds and seven assists.
 
South Dakota countered Fort Wayne's 11 3-pointers by outscoring the Mastodons 20-8 at the line. The Coyotes turned it over three times in the second half compared to 10 turnovers for Fort Wayne.
 
Mooney's 30 points are two more than what he scored in a win at Montana State earlier this season. It is his sixth 20-point effort of the season, but the first in front of the home crowd. Mooney made 8 of 18 from the field including four 3-pointers. He also had five rebounds, three steals and two assists while logging a season-high 35 minutes.
 
South Dakota went 2-1 during its three-game home stand and improved to 9-1 at home this season. The Coyotes next take on Oral Roberts Wednesday in Tulsa. Afterwards, the team returns to Vermillion to host Western Illinois (Jan. 25) and Denver (Jan. 28).