VERMILLION, S.D.—Four Coyotes reached double-figures as South Dakota topped Oral Roberts 78-49 on Senior Day inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center on Saturday afternoon.
 
South Dakota (23-5, 16-1) honored its quartet of seniors – sixth-year Hannah Sjerven, fifth-year Chloe Lamb, fifth-year Liv Korngable and fourth-year Regan Sankey – prior to tip-off on Saturday. The class has amassed a 129-26 record, punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament three times and are chasing their third Summit League regular season title.
 
"Today was a great way to celebrate and honor our four seniors and certainly Coyote nation did a great job of helping make today a special environment in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center," said USD head coach Dawn Plitzuweit. "We now have another opportunity ahead of us on Monday and we must get recovered and prepared quickly as we close out the regular season on the road!"
 
While Saturday was all focused on the seniors, it was a pair of freshman that tallied career-high games to pace the Yotes in scoring. Second-year freshman Kyah Watson scored a career-best 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting with four 3-pointers. She scored three-straight triples in the fourth quarter to extend the Coyotes' lead. Saturday marked Watson's first time leading the Coyotes in scoring.
 
Freshman Grace Larkins, who had tallied 15 points three times this season, reached 16 points today for a new career high. She was 6-of-8 from the field. Larkins also dished out four assists and stole the ball twice.
 
Korngable and Lamb both finished with 16 points and three assists. Korngable was 7-of-8 from the field. Lamb added four rebounds and a pair of steals. Sjerven finished with nine points, five boards, three steals and two blocks.
 
Oral Roberts (15-14, 10-8) was led by forward Tirzah Moore's 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting.
 
South Dakota shot an efficient 54.5 percent (30-of-55) from the floor while holding Oral Roberts to 29.1 percent (16-of-55).
 
USD led by four points after the first quarter, extended it to 38-28 at the half, then led by 22 by the end of the third. The Coyote defense allowed ORU just one made field goal in the third quarter.
 
South Dakota wraps up the regular season at 6 p.m. Monday as they travel to Western Illinois for a game at Western Hall in Macomb, Ill.