This year's South Dakota women's basketball home opener is the second half of a unique doubleheader with Coyote volleyball. Tip-off with Incarnate Word is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. or after 30 minutes of warm-ups on Abbott Court, whichever is later. Join us for this unique opportunity Sunday inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center in Vermillion.
The Promotions
The early bird gets the worm! Want a discount to Sunday's home opener? Fans who come to Sunday's volleyball match with North Dakota State with a $5 general admission ticket are invited to stay for the women's basketball game in the general admission seating on the west side. There are also a pair of special recognitions ahead of tip-off. First, Coyote women's basketball will unveil its 2017-18 Summit League Championship banner. South Dakota ran the table in league play last season, becoming the first undefeated Summit champion since 1994. Second, senior guard
Allison Arens will be recognized for scoring her 1,000th career point in Wednesday's season opener at Creighton.
The Game
Both South Dakota and Incarnate Word opened the season on the road. The Coyotes return home following a 77-65 win at Creighton. The Cardinals finish off a tough three-game road trip to start the season. UIW is looking for its first win after a pair of losses last week to No. 23 Arizona State and Grand Canyon. South Dakota boasts a 39-8 record all-time in home openers, having won five straight.
The Coyotes
South Dakota (1-0) brings back nine letterwinners and a trio of starters in senior guard
Allison Arens, junior guard
Ciara Duffy and junior guard
Madison McKeever. All three were picked to the Preseason All-Summit League teams. This season's additions to the starting lineup include junior forward
Taylor Frederick and sophomore guard
Chloe Lamb. In her inaugural start, Frederick posted a career game by scoring 26 points on 9-of-12 shooting. Arens, McKeever and Lamb joined her in double figures for the season opener. Additions to the defending Summit League championship squad include New Mexico transfer
Hannah Sjerven, a 6-2 post with a 6-5 wing span, along with a pair of 6-1 freshmen forwards in
Allison Peplowski and
Regan Sankey. The Coyotes look to continue the versatility of last year's well-rounded offense with the added length and size this season.
The Cardinals
UIW (0-2) returns two starters in senior guard Gabbi Bowie and junior guard Imani Robinson. Robinson was picked to the Preseason All-Southland Conference first team. She averaged 12.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game last season. New to this year's team is transfer Angelica Wiggins, the younger sister of 2014 No. 1 NBA Draft pick and current Minnesota Timberwolves player Andrew Wiggins. She was a WBCA Honorable Mention All-America candidate at Moberley Area Community College. Wiggins is one of three players (Alexis Henry, Lunden Henry) to transfer from Moberley, a program that went 32-1 last season and earned the No. 3 seed to the NJCAA Tournament.
The Series
Today's game wraps up a home-and-home series with UIW. The programs met for the first time last year in San Antonio, where the Coyotes won 81-51.
One Last Thing
Shooting accuracy has been key for the Coyotes under Plitzuweit, leading the league in all three shooting categories throughout last season. South Dakota got rolling in the season opener, making nine of their first 11 3-point attempts. The Coyotes finished off at 49.1 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from downtown.
