By: Britni Waller, USD Sports Information
South Dakota enters a four-game homestand to wrap up nonconference play. The Coyotes host the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners at 1 p.m. Saturday inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center in Vermillion, S.D.
The Promotions
Join us for Ugly Sweater Day inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center! Fans who wear ugly sweaters to Saturday's game can get $5 off their ticket. The best ugly sweaters will be showcased on the video board and could win you a prize during our halftime ugly sweater contest. Also happening at halftime is a throw-off between USD senior quarterback Chris Streveler, MVFC Player of the Year and finalist for the FCS Walter Payton Award, and Coyote Crazies president Sawyer Stevens. Stevens won a $100,000 scholarship at the Big 10 Championship game a week ago by throwing 15 footballs through a target.
The Game
A traditionally high-powered Coyote offense is matched against a tenacious Roadrunner defense. South Dakota will look for some of the Sanford Coyote Sports Center magic it had a season ago, when shooting at a 50.6 percent clip on its home floor.
The Coyotes
South Dakota is coming off an 81-51 road win at Incarnate Word, where the Coyotes shot a season-high 56 percent (28-of-50) from the field. The Coyotes also shared the ball well, tallying a season-high 20 assists. Junior guard
Allison Arens recorded her 15th career 20-point game on Monday with 21 points and tallied six of those assists. Senior guard
Jasmine Trimboli scored a career high of 17 points in the game. Sophomore guard
Madison McKeever swiped a career high six steals in the game. On the season, her 26 steals rank second in the Summit and 20th in the nation.
The Roadrunners
CSU Bakersfield, picked second in the preseason WAC Coaches Poll, are paced by preseason all-WAC second-team pick Aja Williams' 11.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Four other players average between five and eight points. The Roadrunners (3-5) are on the road for their fourth-straight game. Most recently, they fell 68-65 at UC Riverside on Wednesday. CSU Bakersfield opponents have averaged 56 points against them so far this season.
The Series
The Coyote versus the Roadrunner series is currently tied 1-1. Saturday marks a return trip for the Roadrunners after the Coyotes spent last Thanksgiving in California. USD came away with a 75-60 road victory highlighted by junior guard
Jaycee Bradley's career high 26 points on 9-of-11 shooting. Bradley also grabbed seven rebounds in the game.
One Last Thing
South Dakota has won 29 of its last 30 games at home. Whether it's the DakotaDome or the Sanford Coyote Sports Center, the Coyotes have a home court advantage with a 58-4 record in the last five years on their home floor.
