NEW YORK—South Dakota women's basketball climbed to No. 21 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 announced Monday afternoon. It is the highest the Coyote women have ever been ranked in the writers' poll.
No. 21 South Dakota (19-2, 8-0) remains undefeated at the midway point of Summit League play. The Coyotes have won their first eight league games by an average margin of 35.5 points per game.
The Coyotes boast the nation's ninth-best scoring offense by putting up 81.4 points per game. Senior guard
Ciara Duffy paces the Yotes with 17 points, six boards and five assists per game. She's joined in double-figures this season by junior center
Hannah Sjerven, junior guard
Chloe Lamb and junior guard
Monica Arens.
On the defensive end of the floor, the Coyotes had a streak of keeping four-straight foes under 50. USD held Purdue Fort Wayne to a season-best 25 points on Friday night.
This marks No. 21 South Dakota's fourth-straight week in the Associated Press Top 25 and fifth week of the season. USD is one of three mid-majors in the AP Top 25, joining No. 12 Gonzaga and No. 24 Missouri State.
The Coyotes hit the road for a three-game stretch beginning at 7 p.m. Wednesday night against Omaha inside Baxter Arena in Omaha, Nebraska.
Record Pts Prv
1. South Carolina (26) 19-1 746 1
2. Baylor (3) 17-1 716 2
3. Oregon 17-2 671 4
4. UConn 18-1 665 3
5. Louisville (1) 20-1 643 5
6. Stanford 18-2 599 6
7. NC State 19-1 552 8
8. UCLA 18-1 528 10
9. Mississippi St. 18-3 500 9
10. Oregon St. 16-4 479 7
11. DePaul 19-2 437 11
12. Gonzaga 20-1 382 13
13. Kentucky 15-3 380 12
14. Florida St. 17-3 379 14
15. Texas A&M 17-3 352 15
16. Arizona 16-3 288 18
17. Maryland 16-4 273 20
18. Iowa 17-3 240 19
19. Arizona St. 15-5 212 16
20. Indiana 15-5 152 17
21. South Dakota 19-2 127 24
22. Tennessee 16-4 125 23
23. Northwestern 17-3 111 22
24. Missouri St. 16-3 73 -
25. Arkansas 16-4 56 21
Others receiving votes: Princeton 44, TCU 7, Florida Gulf Coast 7, LSU 2, West Virginia 1, Stony Brook 1, Rutgers 1, Texas 1.
