South Dakota returns home from a three-game road swing to host Western Illinois at 1 p.m. Saturday inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center in Vermillion, S.D.
The Game
South Dakota tips off its fourth game in eight days, returning home from a three-game road trip extending nearly 1,800 miles. There are plenty of similarities between South Dakota and Western Illinois, with both programs capable of shooting from downtown or attacking the rim. Western Illinois ranks 10th nationally by forcing opponents into 22.5 turnovers per game, while South Dakota leads the Summit for fewest turnovers with 13 per game. The Coyotes' league-leading defense takes on another of the Summit's high-powered offenses in the Leathernecks.
The Coyotes
South Dakota (18-3, 5-1 Summit) continues its impressive season that includes a pair of AP Top 25 victories, with the Coyotes receiving votes in the Associated Press poll for eight-straight weeks. The Coyotes boast a balanced offense with four players in double-figures in league play. Junior guard
Ciara Duffy ranks second in the league play with 18.3 points per game, while senior guard
Allison Arens and sophomore center
Hannah Sjerven have added 14 a piece. Also averaging double-digits in Summit action is sophomore guard
Chloe Lamb with 11.9. All four reached double-digits at North Dakota on Thursday. Three more players are averaging between nine and five points in Summit League play. Arens tied her career high for steals with seven at UND, totaling 16 of her 39 steals this season in the last four games. She's moved into second in the Summit in the category. Meanwhile, Duffy's had at least three assists in all but one Summit League game to move to fourth in the league for assists.
The Leathernecks
Two years removed from its Summit League Championship, Western Illinois (8-12, 4-3 Summit) is in its first season without 2017 Summit League Player of the Year Emily Clemens. Clemens has taken a role on the Leatherneck bench as an assistant coach, while new players have stepped up in head coach J.D. Gravina's system. Olivia Kaufmann is starter for the first time this year and is thriving as the teams' leader in nearly every statistical category. She's putting up 15.4 points per game. Taylor Higginbotham, a two-time all-Summit pick, adds 14 more per game. SDSU transfer Annabel Graettinger rounds out the trio averaging double-digits with 11 points. Western Illinois loves the three-ball, ranking 12th in the nation for 3-pointers made while attempting the third-most threes in the nation. Gravina's defense continues to force turnovers with the Leathernecks turning foes over 22.5 times per game on average (10th in the nation). Kaufmann leads the Summit and ranks 12th nationally with 61 steals on the season.
The Series
South Dakota leads the series with Western Illinois 12-3. The Coyotes swept the Leathernecks as they went undefeated in conference play in 2018, but the Leathernecks earned the sweep en route to winning their title in 2017.
One Last Thing
Welcome back to the friendly confines of the Sanford Coyote Sports Center where South Dakota boasts a 37-3 record. The Coyotes have outscored foes by an average of 20 points inside its walls. Western Illinois is the only Summit team to win inside the facility (2017).
