South Dakota women's basketball continues its second game of a five-game homestand in December. USD hosts Tulsa at 1 p.m. Saturday inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center in Vermillion, S.D.

The Promotions
Santa Claus visits the Sanford Coyote Sports Center on Saturday. Come tell Santa what you want for Christmas, get your photo taken and get your candy!


The Game
After a close game in 2016 where South Dakota was not declared the victor until the final seconds, Saturday's rematch is sure to be a good one for the fans. The top three scorers from both squads in last year's match up return for their respective teams this season.

The Coyotes
A bench that runs nine players deep and solid defense have been staples for the Coyotes in year two under Dawn Plitzuweit. In addition to holding opponents to 61 points, USD is forcing 17 turnovers on average. Since returning from Cancun, the Coyotes have held their last four opponents to an average of 52 points and outscored them by an average of 20 points. Sophomore guard Madison McKeever is coming off a season-high 17 point game with three steals and a pair of assists. She ranks second in the Summit this season with 29 steals through the first 10 games.

The Hurricane
Tulsa, a member of the American Athletic Conference since 2014, enters the game with a 4-6 record. The Hurricane are paced by guard Shug Dickson (14.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg), an AAC all-freshman pick a year ago. Junior Crystal Polk (10.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg) has an expanded role in her third season with the team. The Hurricane rank 35th nationally in fewest turnovers and defending the three.

The Series
South Dakota narrowly defeated Tulsa, 71-68, on the road last season. It was the first meeting between the two programs in history. Junior guards Allison Arens and Jaycee Bradley each scored 17 points in the game. Arens sealed the game with a layup and a pair of free throws in the final 20 seconds.

One Last Thing
A Coyote victory on Saturday becomes a notable stat for several categories. It would be USD head coach Dawn Plitzuweit's 30th victory at South Dakota, the 50th win by a Coyote team (VB, MBB, WBB) inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center, and the 60th home win by USD women's basketball in the last five seasons.