The Game
South Dakota begins a three-game homestand with a clash against in-state rival South Dakota State in Vermillion. Saturday's contest is set to tip-off at 6 p.m. from the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.

The game will be televised on Midco Sports where Jay Elsen and Shon Morris have the call. That broadcast can be found on Midco+ and ESPN+ as well. There is a free stream available on GoYotes.com/watch. Fans can tune into the game on The Coyote Sports Network with John Thayer on KVHT 106.3 FM in Yankton/Vermillion or by using The Varsity Network app.

The Series
Saturday's game will be the 232nd all-time meeting between South Dakota and South Dakota State. The two rivals met three times last season and the Jacks won all three meetings. The first meeting in Brookings saw SDSU take advantage of a depleted Coyote roster and win 84-65. The Coyotes kept the second meeting in Vermillion close but fell by 10 points. The third time came in the semifinal round of the Summit League Tournament. The Jacks shot 60 percent from the floor in that game and handled the Coyotes on their way to a Summit League Championship.

The Jacks lead the all-time series 133-98, but the Coyotes have held their own on their home floor as USD leads the series 65-38 when playing in Vermillion.

The Coyotes
After picking up its first victory on the road Thursday, South Dakota dropped its sixth road game of the season on Saturday. The Coyotes are 1-6 on the road this season and 3-7 away from Vermillion but look to get some momentum at home where they own a 5-2 record this season. South Dakota heads into the game on Saturday having won three of its last four games.

Kruz Perrott-Hunt has been on a tear in his last four games. Perrott-Hunt has totaled 90 points (22.5 points per game) highlighted by a career-high 30 points versus Western Illinois in the last home game. He was on pace to break his career-best once again Saturday after charting 19 points in the first half but was slowed down in the second half and finished with 26 points. The Auckland, New Zealand, native is also averaging 3.8 rebounds per game (15 total) and 2.8 assists per game (11 total). Perrott-Hunt is shooting 47 percent from the floor (33-70), 67 percent from the three-point line (12-18), and 92 percent from the free-throw line (12-13).

The Jacks
South Dakota State is undergoing a complete flip from last year. The reigning Summit League Champs completed the 2021-22 season with a 30-5 record including a perfect 18-0 mark in conference play. Eric Henderson's squad lost three of its best players from last season. Douglas Wilson graduated, Baylor Scheierman left for Creighton, and Noah Freidel transferred to James Madison. SDSU still has found a way to be consistently competitive this season as they are 8-9 and 3-2 in the Summit so far.

This year, the Jacks are led by Zeke Mayo, a freshman last year who is having an outstanding sophomore campaign. Mayo leads the team in points (14.6), rebounds (6.5), and assists (2.9). Luke Appel, last season's Summit League Sixth Man of the Year, and returning starter Charlie Easley have been sidelined with injuries, opening the way for new roles for returning players and newcomers alike. Like the Coyotes, the road has not been friendly to South Dakota State. The Jacks are 2-7 in road games this season, though arguably their most impressive win came on the road in a 68-66 win over Boise State in the second game of the year. A win at North Dakota in their recent game snapped a six-game road losing streak for SDSU.

One Last Thing
The Coyotes have been an all-around better team when playing on their home floor. Inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center, South Dakota is shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor and 53 percent from three. The team averages 84.7 points per game and give up 73.7 points per game at home. South Dakota is outscoring its opponents 593-516 in Vermillion this season.