The Game
No. 21 South Dakota hosts Mount Marty at 7 p.m. Wednesday inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center in Vermillion.
 
The Coyotes
South Dakota (9-1) improved three spots to No. 21 in the USA Today Coaches Poll this week. It is the highest the Coyotes have been ranked in program history. USD was ranked in the coaches' poll for five-straight weeks last season with this marking the second-straight week of being ranked this season. No. 21 South Dakota hosts two games this week to cap off a four-game home stand. Junior center Hannah Sjerven received the Summit League Player of the Week nod after her 28-point, nine-rebound, five-block performance against Creighton last Wednesday. Senior guard Ciara Duffy continues to lead the team with 16.6 points per game, reaching double-figures in all 10 games. She's one of three players in the nation to average more than 15 points, six boards and five assists per game.
 
The Lancers
Mount Marty (6-4) makes the trek down Highway 50 just five days after the Lancer men. The Lancer women are off to a 6-4 start with three of its losses coming to teams ranked in the NAIA's top-25. Junior Karlee McKinney's leading the Lancers with 15.1 points per game while shooting 41.5 percent from the field. Mount Marty is in its second season under head coach Todd Schlimgen, who took over for his father Tom in 2018-19. He was on the bench in Yankton for the past decade.
 
The Series
This marks the 43rd meeting between South Dakota and Mount Marty. The Coyotes have won the last 12 dating back to 1999 and hold a 33-9 advantage in the series.
 
One Last Thing
South Dakota's defense has held its last four foes to an average of 52.5 points per game, improving the Coyotes' scoring defense by 21 points from the first six games of the year.