The Game
South Dakota wraps up the first week of the season with a Saturday evening game against Dakota State. First tip is set for 5 p.m. inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
 
The game will have a live stream available on GoYotes.com. That broadcast can also be found on Midco Sports Plus, which requires a subscription. Fans can tune into the game on the Coyote Sports Network with Rod Pattison on KVHT 106.3 FM in Yankton/Vermillion or by using The Varsity Network app.
 
The Series
Saturday's game will be the 14th time these two teams have met. South Dakota has won all 13 previous meetings with the most recent meeting coming in the 2010-11 season. USD won that matchup 111-59.
 
The Coyotes
South Dakota picked up its first win of the season and Eric Peterson's first win as head coach of the Coyotes on Wednesday. Redshirt sophomore guard A.J. Plitzuweit made his much-anticipated return to the Sanford Coyote Sports Center and proceeded to drop 33 points on nine-of-11 from the floor. Plitzuweit also made five-of-six from downtown and knocked down all 10 of his free-throw attempts. Tasos Kamateros (17) and Damani Hayes (11) were the other Coyotes to score in double-figures in Wednesday's game. Hayes tied a career-high with his 11 points on five-of-eight shooting. Kamateros led the team with eight rebounds on the night.
 
Another interesting note from Wednesday's game involved Kruz Perrott-Hunt. Perrott-Hunt was limited to five points on the evening but surpassed 700 career points in his USD career. It was also his 65th career start and his 80th game overall in a South Dakota uniform.
 
The Trojans
Dakota State's head coach Gary Garner has been around the game for a long time. Garner is in his 14th season at the helm of the Trojans, and his 44th season overall, not including seasons spent as an assistant at different levels of basketball. He has helped DSU qualify for the NAIA National Tournament four times including an Elite Eight run in the 2012-13 season. He won back-to-back North Start Athletic Association tournament titles in 2015 and 2016. Last season, the Trojans finished 13-18 and fell in the semifinals of the NSAA Tournament.
 
DSU is 2-2 on the season and is coming off a 32-point victory over Mount Marty. They average over 72 points per game and shoot 46 percent from the field. The team also averages 37.5 rebounds per game and 13.8 assits per game. Offensively, the Trojans are led by their two senior guards. Deshawn Kelly averages 12.8 points per game while Manny N'tula averages 12 points per game. In the team's most recent game, Kelly contributed 28 points off the bench with N'Tula leading the starters with 17 points.
 
One Last Thing
After an 85-77 win over Lipscomb, South Dakota improved its record inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center to 66-13. The Coyotes also won their 25th non-conference home game in 33 games. In terms of home openers, USD has now won 15 of the last 16 home-opening contests.