The Game
No. 25/21 South Dakota hosts South Dakota State in a rivalry showdown at 1 p.m. Sunday inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center in Vermillion, South Dakota. Due to forecasted weather, the game was moved back one day from the initial Saturday tip-off. More information on the schedule change is available here.
 
The Coyotes
No. 25/21 South Dakota (16-2, 5-0) has been firing on all cylinders to start league play. The Coyotes defeated its first five Summit opponents by an average margin of 34 points per game. USD boasts the ninth highest-powered scoring offense in the nation, putting up 81.6 points per game led by senior guard Ciara Duffy's 16.9. She's averaging more than 17 in league play, joined in double-figure scoring by junior Hannah Sjerven (14.2), senior Taylor Frederick (10.6) and junior Chloe Lamb (10.4). The area that has truly stood out during league play, however, has been the Coyote defense. USD's allowed just 49.4 points per game in the first five Summit contests. The Coyotes are holding league foes down to 32 percent shooting, 25 percent from 3, turning opponents over 22 times per game and outrebounding teams by nearly 12 boards a game.
 
The Jackrabbits
South Dakota State (14-6, 6-0) boasts a history of success in women's basketball, becoming the 14th NCAA Division I women's team to reach 1,000 program wins earlier this season. The Jackrabbits, for the first time in several seasons, are without the services of Macy Miller and Madison Guebert. Miller was the Summit League's all-time leading scorer (2,355 points) and Guebert holds the Summit record for 3-point field goals made (369). The loss to the Jackrabbits' backcourt has created new opportunities for other players. Sophomore Paiton Burckhard, who averaged six points off the bench last year, leads the team in scoring this season. She scored a career high 27 points on Thursday night against North Dakota, averaging nearly 20 points in league play. Burckhard's one of four Jacks averaging double-figures during their Summit start, joined by senior Megan Bultsma (13.3), senior Tagyn Larson (10.7) and freshman Tori Nelson (10.3).
 
The Series
South Dakota State leads the series with South Dakota 57-30. The two teams have been closely matched the last five years with USD winning six of 11 meetings dating back to the 2015-16 season. South Dakota has won the last five Vermillion meetings, including last year's 105-98 double-overtime thriller.
 
One Last Thing
The Coyotes have won 19 consecutive Summit League home games by an average margin of 25 points. South Dakota's women boast a 51-4 record in four seasons inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.