VERMILLION, S.D. — South Dakota closes out the nonconference portion of its schedule Saturday when they face off against Santa Clara at 4:00 p.m. CT in Santa Clara, California. The Yotes return to the SCSC after the New Year on Saturday, January 4 when they host Denver.
 
Quick Hitters

• The Coyotes have spread the ball around offensively with six players averaging 9.3 or more points per game.
• Chase Forte is first on the team in scoring at 15.8 points per game and leads the Yotes in assists (3.6), steals (1.9) and minutes (26.5).
• Isaac Bruns has scored in double figures in 12 of the first 14 games to start the season and is averaging 13.3 points off the bench.
• Bruns and Bullock lead a South Dakota bench unit that ranks No. 10 in the NCAA in bench points at 36.5 points per game.
• Bullock is tied for fourth on the team at 9.8 points per game and second with 1.7 steals per contest.
• Kaleb Stewart is the other Coyote averaging double-digit scoring at 11.9 points per game and has seven games with 10+ points and has hit the 20-point mark three times.
• Chase Forte has elevated his play of late, especially over the last six games.
• Forte has averaged 21.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.2 steals and has shot .489 percent from the field.
• Over the last six games, Forte has five games with 20+ points, including a career-high matching 25 in a win over Wyoming.
• South Dakota features one of the highest scoring offenses in the NCAA, as its 87.0 points per game ranks No. 12 in the NCAA.
• The Yotes are forcing 13.6 turnovers per game, while only committing 10.3 themselves, for a +3.3 turnover margin which ranks No. 45 in the NCAA.
• USD turned to defense to offense as they score on average 17.6 points per game off turnovers, while limiting opponents to 11.3 points off its own turnovers.
   

Where to Watch

• Thursday's game against Santa Clara can be found on the ESPN+.
   

Series History vs. Santa Clara

• Saturday's game will be the first meeting between the two teams.

 
KS1

• Kaleb Stewart matched a season-high with 26 points in a USD loss to Utah Tech Thursday.
• Stewart was efficient on the night going 11-for-16 from the field and 3-of-5 from deep.
• Stewart also scored 26 points earlier this season on the road at Iowa.
  Stewart has reached 20+ points in three games this season and double-digit scoring seven times.
• Over his last two games, Stewart is averaging 21.5 points per game on a .643 shooting percentage with four triples.

On the Rise

• Chase Forte has elevated his play of late, especially over the last six games.
• Forte has averaged 21.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.2 steals and has shot .489 percent from the field.
• Over the last six games, Forte has five games with 20+ points, including a career-high matching 25 in a win over Wyoming.
• In each of the last five games, Forte has tallied 5+ rebounds and 4+ assists.
• Forte has had a knack for getting to the free throw line this season and ranks No. 5in the NCAA and No. 1 among Summit League players with 102 free throws on the season.
• Forte earned his first Summit League weekly award as the Co-Peak Performer of the Week, as announced by the conference on Monday.
• Forte averaged 23.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists last week in a pair of Coyote wins over Wyoming and Western Illinois.

 
Everyone Eats

• Behind a balanced attack, the Coyotes boast the No. 12 ranked scoring offense in the NCAA at 87.0 points per game.
• Three Yotes average double-digit point totals and six score over 9.3 points per game.
• Chase Forte leads the Yotes in scoring at 15.8 points per game and in assists per game at 3.6.
• Isaac Bruns has scored in double figures in 12 of 14 games to start the season and is averaging 13.3 points per game which is second on the team.
• Kaleb Stewart is averaging double-digit scoring at 11.9 points per game and has seven games with 10+ points and has hit the 20-point mark three times.
• Dre Bullock (9.8), Paul Bruns (9.6) and Cameron Fens (9.3) are 3-6 in scoring for the Yotes.

A Little Bit of Everything

• Chase Forte was all over the floor in the Coyotes 94-80 win over Idaho State as he poured in 21 points, six assists, five rebounds, five steals and one block.
• Forte has scored in double-figures in seven straight games, averaging 18.4 points per game over that stretch while shooting .518 percent from the field.
• He has five games this season with 20+ points
• Forte has a tallied a steal in all but one game this season and has had multiple in seven.
• He's dished out 4+ assists in eight games and grabbed 5+ boards six times.

 
Bench Mob

• The Coyotes bolster the No. 10 ranked bench unit in the NCAA at 36.5 points per game.
• Isaac Bruns has provided instant offense for Eric Peterson's squad, as he's averaging a team-high 13.3 points per game in 20.2 minutes off the bench. 
• Dre Bullock has reached double-figures in six of 12 games he's played in and has had multiple steals in eight contests.
• Shey Eberwein set a career-high of 15 points in 21 minutes off the bench in USD's win over Mount Marty.
• It also marked the first game of his career where Eberwein led the Yotes in scoring
  
  Feed the Big Fella
• Cameron Fens has made his presence known in the middle of the Coyote lineup and tallied his first career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds against Western Michigan.
• Fens set a new career-high with 17 points in the Yotes win over Western Illinois on 12/14/24 on 5-of-8 shooting, 7-of-9 from the free throw line and grabbed six boards.
• Fens has flexed his muscles on the other end of the floor, tallying two or more blocks in five games this season.
• The seven-footer rejected a season-high three blocks in the Yotes win over Mount Marty (11/10/24)
• Fens is active on the offensive glass, as he corrals 2.5 offensive boards per game.

 
Defensive Pressure

• Behind a rotation of players and a full court press, the Coyotes have forced on average 13.6 turnovers per game, which ranks No. 3 among Summit League teams.
• The Yotes turn defense to offense as they average 17.6 points per game off opponents turnovers.
• Chase Forte and Dre Bullock rank No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, in the Summit Leauge in steals with 27 and 20.
• Forte ranks No. 19 among all players in the NCAA in steals.
• South Dakota has held eight opponents to a negative assist-to-turnover ratio.
• USD forced a season-high 24 turnovers in the win over Mount Marty.
• The Yotes have held a positive assist-to-turnover ratio in eight games this season. USD had a season high 24 assists in its win over Randall.