The Game

South Dakota is fresh off its first road win of the season and is set to host Bellevue tonight. It is the final tune-up ahead of the Coyotes' longest road swing of the season, one that will take them to St. Louis, Las Vegas and Colorado before a return home to face Drake in a high-profile matchup on Dec. 6. Tonight's opponent is Bellevue, an NAIA program located in southern Omaha, Nebraska. A free web stream will be available right here on GoYotes.com. Fans can also listen to the game on the Coyote Sports Network with Carter Woodiel, carried on KVHT 106.3 FM in Yankton/Vermillion. The radio broadcast will also be available for free on The Varsity Network app.
 

The Coyotes

South Dakota got an offensive boost from Alexi Hempe in the first half and clamped down defensively in the second to earn a 71-53 win against Bradley Sunday in Peoria, Illinois. Hempe scored all of her 16 points in the first half in rallying the Coyotes from a 27-17 deficit to a 37-33 halftime lead. Madison Grange also scored 16 points. Hempe and Grange were a combined 12-of-17 from the field including a 7-of-9 effort from 3-point range.
 
The win capped a 2-1 week for USD to begin the season. It started with a program-record 19 three-pointers in the season opener against Midland that was followed by a 2-of-17 effort from long range in a home loss to No. 21 Creighton. South Dakota made 32 triples during its first week, tied for the fourth-most nationally. Hempe is 8-of-11 from downtown. Nicole Avila-Ambrosi is 5-of-7 from deep off the Coyote bench.
 
Grace Larkins, the reigning Summit League Sixth Woman of the Year, is shining in the starting lineup this season. She led the Coyotes in points (17.0 ppg), rebounds (6.7 rpg), assists (5.3 apg) and steals (3.7 spg) during the first week. She also shot 43 percent from the field, made six 3-pointers and is 13-of-15 from the free-throw line.
 

The Bruins

Bellevue is 3-4 on the young season. They beat Midland 87-61 to start the season and posted back-to-back, double-digit wins Friday and Saturday at the Tabor Classic. Bellevue hired Dave Denly to be its first coach when the program started in 2015 and he begins year seven with the program.
Asha Scott, who played at Vermont and West Texas A&M before joining Bellevue, is the Bruins' leading scorer and the reigning NSAA Newcomer of the Year. The senior guard is averaging close to 12 points per game.
 

The Series

It is the third time these teams have met since 2017 and first meeting since December of 2018. Both games were played here in Vermillion.
 

One Last Thing

The Coyotes are No. 23 in the preseason Mid Major Top 25 after finishing on top of the poll last year and with a No. 24 ranking in the final Coaches Poll. South Dakota heads to St. Louis, Missouri on Sunday to face Saint Louis at 3 p.m.