Two teams accustomed to winning but facing an uphill battle of replacing senior-laden rosters meet to start Summit League play tonight. South Dakota and Kansas City, two of the top-three seeds at last year's Summit League Tournament, tip off at 7 p.m. inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
 
Both teams are coming off highly successful seasons. Both have new coaches. Both are working to replace five of their leading scorers from last year. Both enter with 4-7 records (2-7 vs. Division I foes). Both lost to Santa Clara and beat Bradley and Bellevue in non-conference play. Both have dealt with early-season injuries. Both want to start 1-0 in conference play.
 
The Streak
South Dakota has won 40 consecutive home games against Summit League opponents dating back to a defeat against Emily Clemens and Western Illinois back on Jan. 28, 2017. But home has not been kind to the Coyotes yet this season. The team has lost the first three games of this five-game home stand and is 2-4 here overall despite entering the season with a 78-5 record inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
 
The Coyotes
South Dakota hasn't won since starter Madison Grange went down to injury at the end of the Saint Louis win on Nov. 20. Grange is the fourth Coyote expected to earn starter status to be unavailable this year. Third-year sophomore Morgan Hansen has started the last three games in place of Grange and is the team's second-leading scorer to Grace Larkins over the last six games. Larkins continues to lead the team in points, rebounds, steals and assists.
 
The Roos
Kansas City hired Texas Associate Head Coach Dionnah Jackson-Durrett, a St. Louis native and Texas alumna, to replace Jacie Hoyt who left for Oklahoma State and took all-Summit guard Naomie Alnatas with her. Kansas City boasts a pair of scorers in Utah State transfer E'Lease Stafford (18.2 ppg) and junior guard Sanaa' St. Andre (16.4 ppg) and the sixth-leading rebounder in the country in Dani Winslow (12.4 rgp). Turnovers and three-point shooting have been a crutch early on for the Roos.
 
The Series
South Dakota beat Kansas City three times last year and has won six straight in the series dating back to January of 2013. These two teams met in the semifinals of the Summit League Tournament last year in Sioux Falls. That was the game Chloe Lamb scored 33 points on 12-of-16 shooting while Hannah Sjerven added 24 points and nine rebounds. Alnatas had 21 points to lead Kansas City, but the Coyotes prevailed 81-67. Kansas City has never won in Vermillion (0-3).