VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota women's basketball received a first-place vote for the first time this season, while ranking second in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll for the third-straight week. The Coyotes are also receiving votes in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls for the fifth-straight week.
South Dakota (13-2) tips off 2019 at Denver tomorrow night. The 2018 calendar year was good to the Coyote women, who went 33-4 between the two half-seasons. In the final month of the year, South Dakota's defense was holding foes to 53 points per game while outscoring them by 16.
The Coyotes boast a balanced offense with seven different leading scorers on the season. Junior guard
Ciara Duffy is the only player averaging double figures with 13.3 points per game while shooting at a 46.7 percent clip. Sophomore center
Hannah Sjerven comes off the bench to lead the team with 5.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots per game.
The Coyotes play a pair of games this week, starting with an 8 p.m. (CT) tip-off Thursday night at Denver. South Dakota returns home to host South Dakota State at 1 p.m. Sunday inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
Rk School Record PR
1. Gonzaga (30) 12-1 1
2. South Dakota (1) 13-2 2
3. Drake 8-4 3
4. South Dakota St. 9-4 4
5. Ohio 11-0 8
6. Central Michigan 9-3 5
7. Buffalo 8-3 6
8. Florida Gulf Coast 10-4 7
9. Drexel 8-3 12
10. Wright State 10-4 15
11. Penn 7-2 11
12. Bucknell 9-3 9
13. Northeastern 10-1 13
14. Marist 9-4 10
15. Green Bay 7-4 14
16. Princeton 8-7 20
17. James Madison 8-4 18
18. Belmont 7-4 16
19. Saint Mary's 7-4 19
20. BYU 9-3 21
21. UC Irvine 10-2 22
22. South Alabama 11-0 23
23. Toledo 8-3 24
24. Harvard 7-6 NR
25. Maine 7-6 17
