The Game
South Dakota hosts Drake in its home opener at 7 p.m. Wednesday inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. The game will be broadcast by MidcoSN (ESPN+) with play-by-play from Jay Elsen and color commentary by Kelly Stewart.
 
The Coyotes
The Summit League preseason favorite, South Dakota, has been led early by Summit League Preseason Player of the Year Ciara Duffy in her senior season. Duffy garnered the Summit League's first player of the week award after averaging 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists. South Dakota went on the road to top Northeastern 80-76 and Green Bay 66-60. This marks the first time since the Sanford Coyote Sports Center came online that USD started off the season on the road for two games. The last time USD started off a season with back-to-back road wins was 2006-07.
 
The Bulldogs
The Missouri Valley Conference preseason favorite, Drake, returns the dynamic duo of Becca Hittner and Sara Rhine for their senior seasons. Both were named to the WBCA's Preseason Wade Trophy Watch List. Hittner, the two-time Missouri Valley Player of the Year, received preseason accolades for the same award. Drake leaves Des Moines for the first time this season, boasting home wins over South Dakota State 74-67 and Iowa State 86-81 in week one. The Bulldogs knocked down 15 3-pointers in Sunday's win over the Cyclones. Rhine picked up the Valley's first player of the week award this season after averaging 24 points and eight boards.
 
The Series
Drake leads the all-time series 6-4. Drake and South Dakota rekindled the series last November after a two-year break. In the modern era, the Coyotes have a 4-2 advantage, but the Bulldogs took last year's meeting 76-64 in Des Moines as the Coyotes went cold from deep, only hitting 4-of-26 threes.
 
One Last Thing
The Coyotes are 40-8 all-time in home openers. South Dakota has won six-straight home openers after last year's 96-43 rout of Incarnate Word. The Coyotes also look to extend their 13-game home winning streak that ranks seventh in the nation.