South Dakota hosts North Dakota State at 5:30 p.m. Thursday inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center in Vermillion, S.D.
The Game
The final week of the regular season is already here! The Coyotes wrap up the season with North Dakota State and North Dakota. South Dakota is locked in to a top-two seed at the upcoming Summit League Tournament, while North Dakota State and North Dakota are battling in a pack for seeding entering the week.
The Promotions
- Bring a kid to the game:Â Buy one adult ticket at regular price, get a youth ticket free!
- Giveaway:Â First 500 fans will receive a Midco foam can koozie.
The Coyotes
No. 25 South Dakota (24-4, 12-2 Summit) is the Summit's top defense in an offensive-minded league. The Coyotes posted a five-game streak of holding opponents to 50 or fewer points earlier this season, the first time such a feat had been accomplished in program history since 1973. USD senior guard
Allison Arens is one of four players in program history to tally 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists in her career. She ranks ninth on USD's all-time scoring lists with 1,314 points. Junior guard
Ciara Duffy is averaging 17 points in Summit League play to pace the Yotes.
The Bison
North Dakota State (7-19, 4-10 Summit) ended a seven-game skid with a senior day win against Omaha last weekend inside the Scheels Center in Fargo. The Bison need to win one of their final two games, with a match-up at Purdue Fort Wayne set for Saturday, to guarantee their spot in the Summit League Tournament. Sophomore guard Michelle Gaislerova leads the Bison with 14.7 points per game and has hit 66 three's this season.
The Series
North Dakota State leads the all-time series 42-29, but the Coyotes have been victorious in 11 of the last 12 meetings. South Dakota topped NDSU 67-41 in Fargo two months ago, with sophomore center
Hannah Sjerven and junior guard
Madison McKeever pacing the Yotes. It was the first of 10 Summit League games where Sjerven reached double figures. McKeever nearly had a double-double with 13 points and eight rebounds.
One Last Thing
Three members of CoSIDA's Academic All-District VI team will take the court on Thursday night. South Dakota senior
Allison Arens and junior
Ciara Duffy represented the Coyotes on the academic list, while Bison sophomore Michelle Gaislerova joined them. There were 41 NCAA Division I women's basketball players recognized by CoSIDA last week, who will be placed on the national ballot for Academic All-America in March.
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