South Dakota returns home this weekend from a mid-week rendez vous at Oral Roberts. The Coyotes host Omaha at 1 p.m. Saturday inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center in Vermillion.

The Promotions
Saturday is Disney Day inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center! Disney themed videos and trivia will be during timeouts throughout the game. Fans are invited to dress as their favorite characters from the Disney Universe. The best-dressed fans will win free tickets to see a movie at the Vermillion Theatre and a copy of some Disney Classics on DVD. Disney princesses will also be on hand to meet fans and for photo opportunities.

Additionally, elementary and middle school students whose report cards from last semester were all A's and B's can get a free youth ticket into Saturday's game.

The Game
Saturday is a rematch of the 2017 Summit League Tournament first-round game between the Coyotes and the Mavericks. Although South Dakota swept Omaha in the regular season, it was the Mavericks who came out on top, 64-58, to advance to the tournament semifinal.

The Coyotes
South Dakota (14-5, 5-0 Summit) shifted its focus to defense this season and its paid off as the league's best defense tops the Summit League standings five games in. The Coyotes are holding league teams to 57 points per game and forcing 20 turnovers a game. Tough defense has helped spur the Coyote offense by creating possessions off turnovers and South Dakota tops the charts with 80 points per game in league action. Returning starters Allison Arens, Ciara Duffy and Jaycee Bradley average double figures to lead the team for the second-straight season. The trio are just one part of a well-rounded offense as nine different players have led the team in scoring for a game.

The Mavericks
Omaha (8-9, 0-5 Summit) lost its top-three scorers from a season ago, including three-time all-Summit League forward Mikaela Shaw. Center Courtney Vaccher and shooting guard Ellie Brecht are the Mavericks' top two returners. Point guard Amber Vidal, who did not score against the Coyotes in three games a year ago, leads the team with 12 points, four assists and nearly three rebounds this year. Joining Vidal in double figures is Indiana transfer Jess Walter. The Mavericks' signature win this season capped of a 7-game winning streak, as Omaha topped Northern Iowa 78-74. The Panthers had an at-large bid to the 2017 NCAA Tournament.

The Series
South Dakota leads the all-time series 42-35 and leads 26-13 in Vermillion. The Coyotes have won 15 of the last 17 meetings in the series.

One Last Thing
The Coyotes have also demonstrated their ability to score from inside and out. Through the first five games of league play, the Coyotes have averaged just shy of 10 3-pointers a game and outscored opponents 164-104 in the paint.