VERMILLION, S.D. – South Dakota will battle North Dakota to open up the CU Mortgage Direct Dakota Showcase scheduled for Dec. 10-12 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, tournament officials announced Tuesday.
 
"This is unusual times with COVID to play non-league games against league opponents, but our goal is to get as many games in as possible as is the rest of the league," said South Dakota head coach Todd Lee. "It is obviously going to be great competition at a great facility in the Pentagon. These three teams are really good and we could possibly play them four times during the year with the conference tournament at the end of the season. It's also an opportunity to play three games in three days, which is similar to the conference tournament at the end of the season so that will also help us prepare."
 
The showcase features all four Division I men's basketball programs from the Dakotas and will face off against each other during a three-day round-robin event.
 
The Coyotes and Fighting Hawks will start off the showcase at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10. USD will then face North Dakota State on Friday, Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. and will conclude the showcase against South Dakota State at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12. Although, all three games are against conference foes, the showcase will be considered non-conference.  
 
"These four coaches came to us with an idea to help them find meaningful games. In a unique year of scheduling for all college basketball teams, we were eager to work with them to create a very unique, one-time event, that evokes memories of past NCC Holiday Tournaments," said Jesse Smith, vice president of operations at the Sanford Sports Complex. "We are grateful to work with awesome university partners to give their athletes an opportunity to play close to home against their rivals on a neutral floor."
 
South Dakota welcomes eight new players into the fold along with Kanon Koster, A.J. Plitzuweit and Brady Heiman who sat out last season due to transfer rules. Preseason first team all-Summit League selection Stanley Umude returns for his senior season after averaging 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game last season along with four other Coyotes from last season.
 
All six games will be broadcasted on Midco Sports Network. A limited number of tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Nov. 23 at ticketmaster.com. Tickets are $20 per game. Masks are required for all spectators and will be available for free at door.
 
A complete schedule of the showcase is below.
 
SCHEDULE
Dec. 10
5:30 p.m. – South Dakota vs. North Dakota
8 p.m. – South Dakota State vs. North Dakota State
 
Dec. 11
5:30 p.m. – North Dakota vs. South Dakota State
8 p.m. – North Dakota State vs. South Dakota
 
Dec. 12
5:30 p.m. – North Dakota State vs. North Dakota
8 p.m. – South Dakota State vs. South Dakota