VERMILLION, S.D. – Four Coyotes scored in double figures as South Dakota defeated Mount Marty 85-53 to open the season Monday night inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
 
South Dakota (1-0) got 16 points apiece from junior Paul Bruns and Utah transfer Bostyn Holt, 15 points from UCF transfer Lahat Thioune, and 12 points from freshman Isaac Bruns.
 
The game served as a preseason exhibition for Mount Marty. The Lancers were led by Tash Lunday who tallied 18 points. Lunday, the Lancers' leading scorer, averages 22.0 points per game. He was 7-of-17 from the floor and 3-of-7 from beyond the arc.
 
Holt and Bruns led the Coyotes tonight, Holt in his first official start as a Coyote and Bruns in his sixth start of his Coyote career. Holt was 7-of-8 from the floor with five rebounds and one block. Bruns saw 20 minutes of action and went 5-of-8 from three with four rebounds and two assists.
 
Thioune made his first career start in a Coyote uniform and tallied 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor.
 
Isaac Bruns opened his collegiate career with a 12-point game, knocking down two of the Yotes' 11 three-pointers and going 5-of-8 from the field.
 
The Lancers came out and knocked down two quick triples to go up 6-5 in the first two minutes. A three-pointer from Paul Bruns tied the game at 10-10 and a fast break layup from Holt gave USD back the lead and spurred a 13-2 run to extend the lead that it would hold for the rest of the game.
 
The Coyotes outscored the Lancers in the paint 40-14. South Dakota shot 49.2 percent (32-of-65) from the field and 42.3 percent (11-of-26) from three. The Lancers shot 34.4 percent (21-of-61) from the field.
 
USD capitalized on Mount Marty's 15 turnovers by scoring 18 points off them. The Yotes controlled the paint, tallying 18 second-chance points and grabbing 48 rebounds (15 offensive), doubling up the Lancers' 28 team rebounds.  
 
Up next for South Dakota is UTRGV inside the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. Friday night.