VERMILLION, S.D.—
Grace Larkins scored a career-high 31 points and flirted with a triple double in leading the Coyotes to an 82-59 win against Kansas City Monday inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center in the Summit League opener for both teams.
Larkins was 11-of-17 from the field and had eight rebounds, a career-high eight assists, two blocks and a steal. The Coyotes (5-7, 1-0 Summit) stopped a six-game skid and won its 41
st consecutive home game against Summit League foes. South Dakota has won its last seven against Kansas City dating back to 2013.
"We have been working on building for Summit League play throughout our non-conference schedule and tonight was a great team win to kick it off," said USD head coach
Kayla Karius. "We can enjoy it tonight, and then we are back at it tomorrow for our next opponent."
The Roos (4-8, 0-1) got 21 points from Rain Green, but shot 30 percent from the field compared to 56 percent for South Dakota. Manna Mensah, a mid-season transfer from Utah State, made her Kansas City debut, was featured in the starting lineup and scored 10 of Kansas City's 19 first-half points. She finished with 13 points.
Kansas City forward E'Lease Stafford, the Summit's third-leading scorer entering play Monday, totaled four points on 1-of-10 from the field. The Roos played without Sanaa' St. Andre, the team's second-leading scorer who contributes 16 points per game on average. They were shown no mercy by South Dakota.
Larkins and the Coyotes pushed the tempo throughout the contest to much success. Larkins had 10 points and
Macy Guebert hit two 3-pointers in the first quarter to push South Dakota to a 25-8 lead.
Walker Demers scored nine of her 11 points inside the paint in the second quarter as the run continued. South Dakota made 17-of-27 shots in the first half and led 47-19 at the break.
Larkins had 17 points, seven assists and six boards in the first half. She scored 10 more in the third quarter and left early in the fourth. It was her second 30-point effort of the season.
Green scored 17 points in the second half, but the Roos never threatened. The Coyotes outrebounded Kansas City 38-30 and held Dani Winslow, the nation's sixth-leading rebounder, to half her average of 12 and zero points.
South Dakota finishes a five-game home stand with Oral Roberts Wednesday at 7 p.m., weather permitting. The Golden Eagles, 3-9 on the season, took Summit favorite South Dakota State to the wire in an 83-80 loss in Brookings Monday.
