NASHVILLE, Tenn.. – Playing their second opponent in as many days, The South Dakota women's basketball team overcame a 16-point first half deficit to be within two points in the final minutes but fell to Arizona State 95-88 Wednesday.
 
Four Coyotes scored in double figures in a game for the first time this season as the team set a new season-high for points with 88. Grace Larkins paced the Coyotes yet again, scoring 30 points for a second consecutive game and sixth time in her career. It also was a double-double as Larkins added 11 assists. She also had seven rebounds.
 
Olivia Kieffer made her presence felt off the bench, scoring a career-high 16 points. Alexi Hempe scored over 20 points for a second straight game, pouring in 21 and adding four rebounds. After a couple quieter games from Carley Duffney, she shined with 18 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
 
South Dakota jumped ahead 7-0 in the first two minutes of the game. Arizona State recovered quickly from the hot start for the Coyotes and took the lead late in the quarter. The Sun Devils started the second quarter blistering as the lead ballooned to 16 with 3:21 to play until halftime.
 
Larkins and Kieffer hit big shots to help the Coyotes cut the lead to 10 at the half. Larkins had 21 first half points, the second time this season she scored 20 or more in the opening half. Kieffer hit a big three-pointer late in the half and had seven points in the first 20 minutes of play.
 
The Coyotes battled back within a possession, 60-58 with 3:27 to play in the third quarter, but the Sun Devils stretched the lead back to 11 by the end of the quarter.
 
From the 5:05 mark of the fourth quarter to the 3:08 mark, the Coyotes went on an 8-0 run sparked by back-to-back three-pointers from Kieffer and Hempe. Duffney capped the run off with a pair of free throws that made it 84-82.
 
South Dakota is back in action A week from today (Wednesday) in Bozeman, Montana. The Coyotes face Montana State in the first of two games that are a part of the Big Sky-Summit Challenge. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. Central Time (7 p.m. Mountain Time).
 
NOTABLES
• South Dakota falls to 3-5 on the season and 1-2 in neutral site games.
• The Coyotes scored their most points in a game since Dec. 13, 2023 (100 vs Mount Marty)
• It's also the most points scored against a Division I opponent since the Coyotes scored 101 in a victory over Oral Roberts on Dec. 21, 2022.
• USD scored 19 or more points in each quarter.
• The Coyotes shot 46.2% from the field and 48.4% from three in the game.
• This was the first time this season the Coyotes hit over 40% of their three-pointers.
• The Coyotes tied the rebound margin with Arizona State with both teams grabbing 35 rebounds.
• USD grabbed more offensive rebounds than ASU (9-8).
• For the second straight game, the Coyotes had two players score over 20 points.
• Four Coyotes scored in double figures in a single game for the first time this season.
• Grace Larkins scored over 30 points for the second straight game, totaling 30 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds.
• Larkins has six 30-point games, the second most in program history. Mandy Koupal has 20 games of 30 or more points.
• Larkins also set a career-high with 11 assists.
• Alexi Hempe scored over 20 for the second straight game, pouring in 21 points, including a career-best six three-pointers.
• Olivia Kieffer poured in a career-high 16 points, tying a career-high with five made baskets and setting a career-high with four made three-pointers.
• Carley Duffney was the fourth Coyote in double figures, totaling 18 points and contributing four rebounds and three assists.
• Despite finding herself in foul trouble, Carley Duffney played the full 40 minutes as well.