The Game
The Coyotes are headed to UC Irvine for the first game of a three-game stretch in California. South Dakota will face the Anteaters inside Bren Events Center in Irvine, California.
 
Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. central time. The game will be available on ESPN+. Fans can also 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 Coyotes
South Dakota (7-3) is currently riding a three-game win streak that includes a thrilling buzzer-beating victory over former Summit foe Western Illinois. Bostyn Holt drove in the game-winning layup just before time expired to boost South Dakota to a 70-68 win over the Leathernecks in Macomb.
 
Holt has strung together four-straight double-digit scoring performances including 14 points in the win over Western Illinois. The junior transfer is shooting 52.4 percent from the field this season and averaging 11.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
 
Paul Bruns has five-straight double-figure scoring games and scored a season-high 19 points in the Yotes' win over Western Illinois. The junior is scoring 15.8 points per game over the last five games after averaging just 7.2 points per game in the first five games of the season.
 
As a squad, the Coyotes are grabbing a league-leading 44.4 rebounds per game (8^th in the NCAA) behind Lahat Thioune's 9.4 rebounds per game. The senior transfer has four double-doubles, which leads the Summit, and three 20+ point performances in nine starts for the Yotes. He had a career-high 24 points in South Dakota's 100-79 win over UTRGV in the Sanford Pentagon and grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds in the Coyotes' win over VMI.
 
The Yotes have won the rebounding battle in all but one game so far this season. Their 10.5 rebound margin over opponents leads the Summit and ranks 13^th nationally.
 
The Anteaters
Reigning Big West regular season champion UC Irvine (6-4) is looking to get back in the win column after dropping three-straight road games. The Anteaters dropped a close one to #25/RV San Diego State 63-62 on Dec. 9. Prior to the three-game skid, UC Irvine was rolling on a six-game win streak that included a 70-60 win over #16/20 USC in Los Angeles. The Anteaters are currently ranked No. 15 in the Mid-Major poll. 
 
Redshirt senior Justin Hohn (Sioux Falls, S.D.) led the Anteaters to the win over the nationally ranked Trojans with a career-high 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the floor and 3-of-6 shooting from three. Hohn has started all 10 games for UC Irvine this season and averages 25.5 minutes, 13.9 points, and 3.7 rebounds per game. Through the first ten games of the season, five Anteaters are averaging double figure scoring.
 
UC Irvine remains undefeated at home so far this season with two wins inside the Bren Events Center. Nine of its 12 non-conference games are on the road, but South Dakota makes the trek to Irvine to fulfill its end of the home-and-home that brought the Anteaters to Vermillion a season ago.
 
The Series
Saturday's matchup marks just the second meeting between the Coyotes and Anteaters. UC Irvine defeated South Dakota 83-71 inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center last season. Three Anteaters scored in double-digits. Just four current Coyotes played in last season's matchup. Paul Bruns came off the bench and contributed a game-high 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field and 4-of-7 shooting from the three-point line in 30 minutes of action. Max Burchill added two points, three rebounds, and three assists in 16 minutes. Felix Broström played four minutes and added six points with two three pointers and Jeremiah Coleman dished out two assists in three minutes of action.
 
One Last Thing
South Dakota has had at least four Yotes score in double figures in seven of ten games so far this season. Paul Bruns leads the pack with five consecutive double-digit games and Bostyn Holt follows with four-straight double-figure scoring games.