The Game
The Coyotes return to the court for the first time in more than two weeks Saturday when South Dakota battles rival-South Dakota State in a 6 p.m. tip from Frost Arena in Brookings.
 
The game will be televised by Midco Sports 2 with commentary from Tom Nieman, Greg Stemen and Elaina Lanson. That broadcast will also be streamed on ESPN+ and Midco Sports Plus. Fans can tune into the game on the Coyote Sports Network with John Thayer, carried on KVHT 106.3 FM in Yankton/Vermillion or by using The Varsity Network app.
 
The Series
This is the 229^th meeting in a series that dates back more than 100 years to 1914. The Jackrabbits lead the all-time series 130-98, but the Coyotes have won three of five over the last two seasons and only one of those games took place in Vermillion. Add a neutral site game in Sioux Falls last season and this is the fifth straight meeting between the two teams to take place outside of Vermillion. That streak will hopefully end Feb. 5 when the Coyotes are scheduled to host the Jacks.
 
The Coyotes
This is South Dakota's first game since Dec. 22. The team had two road games cancelled last week due to COVID-19. One of those games, the North Dakota contest, has been rescheduled for Monday in Grand Forks.
 
The Coyotes are 7-6 overall. They dropped their first two Summit games at home to Oral Roberts and Kansas City. Three-point shooting was the culprit as those two foes combined to make 18 triples while South Dakota went 8-of-34.
 
Kruz Perrott-Hunt (13.7 ppg), Xavier Fuller (12.8 ppg) and Mason Archambault (12.2 ppg) lead a balanced offense. Good defensive play was the trademark of USD's non-conference performance. The Coyotes will need a return to form against one of the nation's top offenses Saturday.
 
The Jacks
A head-scratching loss at Idaho is the only blemish on South Dakota State's 12-4 start. It's overshadowed by solid wins against George Mason and Washington State and a 3-0 start to conference play with wins against Oral Roberts and at North Dakota State.
 
SDSU, behind guards Noah Freidel and Baylor Scheierman, are the best 3-point shooting team in the country at 44 percent and the Jacks are making 10 3-pointers a game. They average 87 points, which ranks third nationally. Freidel dressed, but didn't play the last two games. He averages 18 points. Scheierman is perhaps the most complete player in the league.
 
One Last Thing
Saturday's game is part of the South Dakota Showdown Series, an annual competition between the athletic departments at University of South Dakota and South Dakota State University. The Coyotes, with wins in football, volleyball and soccer, boast a 5-2 lead in this year's series. Four points will be awarded within one month's time on the hardwood between men's and women's basketball.