The Game
It's game two for South Dakota of the inaugural Big-Sky Summit Challenge as the Coyotes travel to face Montana on Saturday.
 
Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. CT inside Dahlberg Arena. The game will be available to watch on ESPN+ (subscription required). Fans can also tune into the game on the Coyote Sports Network with John Thayer on KVHT 106.3 FM in Yankton/Vermillion, KQSF 95.7 in Sioux Falls, or by using the Varsity Network app.
 
The Coyotes
South Dakota (8-8, 1-1 Summit) dropped game one of the Big Sky-Summit Challenge to Eastern Washington 93-79 in Vermillion on Jan. 3. Four of the five Coyote starters scored in double-figures, led by Bostyn Holt's career-high 30 points. Holt drew nine fouls and went 10-of-12 from the free throw line.
 
Kaleb Stewart is the only other Coyote to score at least 30 points in a game this season. Stewart had a career-high 33 points in South Dakota's Summit League opener victory over NDSU on Dec. 29. Stewart and Holt are one of just three Summit League duos to score 30 points in a game. Only six Summit players from three teams have scored at least 30 points in a game.
 
Stewart is back in the starting lineup after a leg injury in the Air Force game on Nov. 26 put him on the bench. Since being back in the rotation, he has scored double-figures in every game and has five-straight double-digit scoring games.
 
Senior transfer Lahat Thioune is one of 12 players in Division I averaging a double-double at 13.6 points per game and 10.3 rebounds per game. His 10.3 rebounds per game rank 12^th in the NCAA and his seven double-doubles are two more than any other Summit player.
 
The Grizzlies
Montana (9-5, 1-1 Big Sky) picked up a win over North Dakota State in game one of the Big Sky-Summit Challenge in Fargo. The Grizzlies defeated the Bison 96-86 behind a game-high and career-high 36 points from redshirt senior Aanen Moody.
 
Moody, a seventh-year senior transfer, is Montana's leading scorer at 16.1 points per game. Moody spent his first three seasons of eligibility at North Dakota before transferring to Southern Utah. He's in his second season at Montana and his final year of eligibility.
 
Laolu Oke grabs 4.1 offensive boards per game which ranks sixth the NCAA. The 6'8 forward spent four seasons at MSU Denver before transferring to Montana last season. Oke is the Grizzlies' leading rebounder with 8.0 rebounds per game and averages 8.2 points per game.
 
The Grizzlies return home to Dahlberg arena for their first home game since Dec. 9 after playing five-straight games on the road. Montana won four of the five road games and are 5-1 at home so far this season.

The Series
It's the sixth meeting between South Dakota and Montana and South Dakota's fourth trip to Missoula. The Coyotes and Grizzlies most recently met in the 2016-17 season in Vermillion where South Dakota defeated Montana 72-67. In the 2014-15, the Coyotes picked up their first win of the series in Missoula as they defeated the Grizzlies 67-62. Montana won the first three games of the series that dates back to the 1959-60 season. The Grizzlies hosted the Coyote and won 73-63. In the 1970-71 season, Montana made the trek to Vermillion for the first time and defeated South Dakota 69-65. Montana's most recent win over the Coyotes came in the 1971-72 season in Missoula as the Grizzlies defeated South Dakota 76-68.
 
One Last Thing
Thioune ranks in the top-15 of four different NCAA statistical categories: seventh in rebounds (154), ninth in offensive rebounds per game (3.87), 12^th in rebounds per game (10.3), and 13^th in double doubles (7).