After spending the last three games on the road, the South Dakota men's basketball team returns to the friendly confines of the Sanford Coyote Sports Center Thursday night. Tip-off against Northland College is slated for 7:30 p.m.
 
Promotions
Santa returns to the Sanford Coyote Sports Center for the second time this season. Children are invited to join Santa to chat and have their photo taken on the concourse.
 
It's also Throwback Thursday to the 80s. The game will feature music from the 1980s, 80s themed trivia and other contests. Fans dressed in 80s gear will be featured on the video board during the game.
 
The Game
South Dakota is 11-4 on the season, looking to bounce back from a three-point loss at UCLA. The Coyotes had previously won four-straight games, and Northland not only the final game of the first half of the season but also the final tune-up for Summit League action beginning Dec. 30.
 
Northland College is 4-6 overall and topped Lakeland University Tuesday night. The Lumberjacks are playing Thursday's contest as an exhibition game.
 
The Lumberjacks
Northland College is led by Harrison Lucas who tallies 13.1 points per game. Thomas Whiting and Brandon Galland each score in double digits at 11.6 and 11.4 points per game, respectively.
 
The Lumberjacks play in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference in NCAA Division III. They were picked to finish seventh in this year's preseason coaches' poll, a year after tallying the programs first winning record since 1996.
 
The Coyotes
South Dakota has made itself a bit of a road warrior, playing three games in six days this past week, tallying a 2-1 record all away from Vermillion. The trip started with a 90-77 victory at Northern Arizona, At San Jose State, the Coyotes topped the Spartans 76-62 before falling at UCLA.
 

Guys COMPETED for 40 minutes. Guys showed tremendous poise and executed as a TEAM down the stretch. We gave ourselves a chance to win, but in the end we just ran out of time. Need to push forward - another opportunity at the SCSC tomorrow!

— Craig Smith (@CoachSmith_USD) December 20, 2017

Matt Mooney leads the Coyotes with 17.6 points per game while Tyler Hagedorn adds 14.2 points per contest. Trey Burch-Manning grabs a team-best 7.3 rebounds to go along with his 8.6 points per game.
 
The Series
Thursday's contest is the first meeting between the Lumberjacks and Coyotes.
 
One Last Things
Guaranteed a spot in the first round of the Summit League Tournament, Thursday's game marks the halfway point of the season for South Dakota. The Coyotes, currently with 11 victories, are one of nine programs in all of NCAA Division I with 11 tallies in the win column.