VERMILLION, S.D.— Up until Triston Simpson got hurt, things were going better for the University of South Dakota men's basketball team.
 
The positive part of this is that now he's back. He's not 100-percent yet, but he's getting a little closer to the old Triston Simpson every day.
 
That is unarguably good news for the Coyotes. Every team needs an experienced and talented point guard but right now, the Coyotes can really use one. And Simpson, a senior who played more minutes last year than all but a handful of Division I players, delivers on that count.
 
"He's a tremendous young man," USD coach Todd Lee said. "Everybody loves Triston. His teammates love him and care about him. He's a great teammate and person and represents the program the way you want guys to do that."
 
Coach Lee can peel off the stats without looking anything up. The Coyotes were 6-1 with a healthy Simpson to start the season, then went 3-4 while he was out with a knee injury. These were, in a general sense, weaker teams than they'd played those first seven games.
 
Then the Coyotes lost a pair to start the Summit season on the road. Simpson was in uniform and played in those games but he was not anywhere near full speed.
 
Beyond the record – the Coyotes snapped the streak with a win over Denver at home last Sunday – the quest is to get some of the magic back. That's where Simpson comes in, with lots of help, of course.
 
"We got off to a slow start in the conference and we're not happy about that at all," Simpson said. "We've had some intense practices this week. Guys are competing. You can tell with the guys it's like 'All right, let's get back to playing how we were and how we know we can play basketball.'"


 
Simpson said he feels as good as he has felt in a long time. Coupled with the return of freshman Hunter Goodrick and sophomore Matt Johns, the Coyotes have the opportunity to assert themselves as the Summit League schedule progresses. It's hardly a done deal, but there are reasons to be optimistic.

Simpson cited a win over Texas Southern in which the Coyotes' box score included 27 assists. As a player who would like to someday coach, he knows that's a measure of excellence.
 
"That's exciting – and we can do that," Simpson said. "I know we're capable of playing that way because we've done it previously. We just have to get back to that."

The Lincoln, Nebraska, native arrived at USD as a remarkably mature freshman after graduating from Lincoln North High School with the third-most points and the most assists in school history. At USD, he averaged 21.7 minutes a game as a true freshman and has never really left the court for more than a few minutes at a time since then, other than when he was injured this season.
 
He's had two coaching staffs and a lot of different teammates in that time, but the focus has always been on the team and his school. The numbers he's acquired in the meantime – he's at 997 points for his career – have been by-products of the main mission.
 
"We've had some special bonds here," Simpson said. "My first two years there were some older players and we got along pretty well and we're trying to keep that going now that I'm an upperclassman. Having the international guys on the team now is a little different – this is their first time in America – but they're attacking the challenge."
 
This past summer, Simpson spent time working with the USD Foundation and the athletic department as part of his practicum for his sports management degree,  which amounts to an internship of sorts that gave him a look at how the school goes up raising money, maintaining rapport with fans and boosters and marketing itself. 
 
There was more to it than that but it gave him the chance to see some of the inner workings of his university.
 
"It opened my eyes," he said. "They're helping the athletes. They're not coaching but they're doing whatever they can to help the school with money. I got a chance to meet a lot of Coyote fans and they got to meet me and see what kind of guy I am. It was great. They're good people and they want nothing but the best for us."
 
Simpson and the Coyotes host Omaha at 3:30 p.m. inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center as part of a doubleheader that sees the women square off at 1 p.m. For tickets, call the Coyote Ticket Office at 605-677-5959 or click here.