TULSA, Okla.—Five Coyotes reached double-figures as South Dakota topped Oral Roberts 90-59 in the Summit League opener Monday afternoon at the Mabee Center.
South Dakota (8-4, 1-0) won its eighth-straight Summit League opener by scoring a season-high 90 points. USD's 90 points were also the most given up by Oral Roberts (5-7, 0-1) this season.
"Today our defensive intensity and ability to finish plays allowed us to get into rhythm offensively and pick up a very good win to kick off conference play," said USD head coach
Dawn Plitzuweit.
South Dakota put five players in double-figures for the second time this season. Fifth-year senior
Chloe Lamb paced the group with 18 points, knocking down half of the Coyotes' eight 3-pointers. She also dished out five assists. Freshman
Grace Larkins filled up the stat sheet with of a career-high 15 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Fifth-year senior
Liv Korngable was 6-of-9 from the floor for 13 points.
Second-year freshmen
Kyah Watson and
Maddie Krull also finished in double-digits with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Both dished out four assists and Watson came up with four steals. All 11 players that checked into the game scored a field goal.
Oral Roberts freshman Tirzah Moore was the lone Golden Eagle in double-figures with 17 points.
South Dakota shot at a season-high 58.7 percent clip (37-of-63) for the game. The Coyotes also dished out a season-best 22 assists in the game with four players contributing three or more assists. Oral Roberts made 22-of-56 (39.3 percent) from the field.
The Coyotes controlled the inside game, outscoring the Golden Eagles 52-32 in the paint. USD also scored 21 points off 19 ORU turnovers.
Lamb and Korngable got hot from deep in the first quarter, with the Coyotes scoring 11-straight points to jump out to a 15-4 lead. USD's efficiency continued to push the lead to 44-26 by the halftime horn and 65-38 by the end of the third. USD's largest lead of the game was 33 points, 88-55, with under two minutes to play with a layup from fourth-year junior
Allison Peplowski.
South Dakota continues its three-game road stretch with Kansas City on Wednesday. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at the Swinney Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
