South Dakota travels to North Dakota State to open Summit League play at 1 p.m. Sunday inside the Scheels Center in Fargo, N.D.

The Game
Two familiar foes meet to open Summit League action this year. South Dakota and North Dakota State meet for the 71st time in history on Sunday. South Dakota is 5-2 all-time in Summit League openers, having won the last four in a row. However, this marks the first time since 2014-15 that the Coyotes do not open Summit League play with Denver at home. It is also the first time the Coyotes meet North Dakota State in their league opener.

The Coyotes
South Dakota (12-2, 0-0 Summit) wrapped up the program's best nonconference since the transition to NCAA Division I in San Juan, Puerto Rico, last week. The Coyotes compiled a 10-game winning streak during nonconference with the program's first two wins over AP Top 25 teams in history. The Coyotes boast a balanced roster with only junior guard Ciara Duffy averaging double-figures at 13.6 points per game. Six more players average between seven and nine points per game. All seven have been the Coyotes' leading scorer for at least a game during nonconference action. In addition, South Dakota leads the league defensively by giving up just 56 points per game.

The Bison
North Dakota State (4-9, 1-0 Summit) opened league action on Friday with Purdue Fort Wayne. NDSU used a 21-point second-quarter run to beat the Mastodons 70-54. New faces have stepped up with last year's two leading scorers, Reilly Jacobson and Sarah Jacobson, not taking the court this season. Reilly Jacobson left the program while Fargo native Sarah Jacobson is redshirting. Sophomore Michelle Gaislerova, who averaged nine points as a freshman, has been putting away 15.8 points per game this year to lead the Bison. In addition, sinice Iowa State transfer Sofija Zivaljevic became eligible at the conclusion of the fall semster, she ranks second on the team with 11 points per game. They are two of five Europeans on the Bison roster.

The Series
North Dakota State may lead the all-time series 42-28, but South Dakota boasts a 12-3 lead in the NCAA Division I era. The Coyotes have won 10 of the last 11 in the series.

One Last Thing
Putting the student in student-athlete. All 14 Coyotes finished the fall semester with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, while five Yotes posted a perfect 4.0. South Dakota, who has made the WBCA's Academic Top-25 for three-straight seasons, finished the fall with a 3.64 team GPA.