VERMILLION, S.D. — The Coyote men's basketball team returns to action in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center Wednesday night when they host Idaho State for the Big Sky – Summit Challenge.
 
 
Quick Hitters

• Coyote basketball returns to the Sanford Coyote Sports Center Wednesday night when the team hosts Idaho State for its first game of this year's Big Sky - Summit Challenge.
• The Coyotes have had a different leading scorer in six of the first nine games to start the season. Kaleb Stewart and Paul Bruns became the first two Coyotes to lead USD in scoring multiple times as Stewart scored 21 points against the Screaming Eagles with five 3-pointers and Bruns had 20 against Randall Monday. Chase Forte has also led the Yotes in scoring multiple times after pouring in 20 points in the second half against Nebraska.
• Through the first nine games, the Coyotes have spread the wealth offensively with four players averaging 10 or more points per game, and nine averaging over 4.5 per game.
• The Coyotes have had a different leading scorer in six of the first nine games.
• Isaac Bruns has scored in double figures in eight of the first nine games to start the season and is averaging a 12.8 points per game which ranks second on the team. The sophomore guard poured in a career high 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting with three 3-pointers in Thursday's win over Dakota Wesleyan.
• Bruns and Bullock lead a South Dakota bench unit that ranks No. 4 in the NCAA in bench points at 41.2 points per game.
• Kaleb Stewart and Chase Forte went off in the Coyotes pair of nonconference Big 10 games. Stewart scored 26 points, his first of two double-digit performance this season on 11-of-19 shooting with a four 3-pointers. Forte scored all 20 of his points in the second-half against the Huskers with three 3-pointers.
• Chase Forte does a little bit of everything for the Coyotes and averages the second most points per game at 12.0, to go with 3.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.8 boards per game.
• South Dakota knocked down a season-high 16 3-pointers on 37 attempts (.432) Monday night against Randall, marking the fourth time USD has connected 10+ from deep.
• South Dakota was one of four men's basketball teams in the country to play five games in 11 days to kick off the season. Of the four teams, USD held the best record at 4-1, followed by Pacific (3-2), Louisiana-Monroe (2-3) and Coppin State (0-5).
   

Where to Watch

• Wednesday's game vs Idaho State can be found on the Summit League Network and Midco Sports Network.
   

Series History vs. Idaho State

• Wednesday's matchup will be the first meeting between the two teams since the 1968-69 season.
   

Everyone Eats

• The Coyotes have had a different leading scorer in six of the first nine games to kick off the season.
• Behind a balanced attack, the Coyotes boast the No. 17 ranked scoring offense in the NCAA at 87.1 points per game.
• Kaleb Stewart was the first Coyote to repeat as the leading scorer when he scored 21 points in a USD lose to Southern Indiana.
• The leading scorer in three of those games have come from a player off the bench.
• Shey Eberwein (15 pts) led USD to a 77-47 win over Mount Marty, Isaac Bruns had 23 points in a 92-69 win over Dakota Wesleyan and Dre Bullock scored 20 points in the 80-76 win over WMU.
• Four Yotes averaged double-digit point totals and nine score over 4.5 points per game.
• Chase Forte averages a team high 12.8 points per game after dropping 20 points against the Huskers, his second game with 20+ points this year.
• Isaac Bruns is second in scoring at 12.8 points per game, and leads the USD bench mob that averages 42.0 points per game.
• Kaleb Stewart adds 10.4 points and has scored 20+ twice.
• Dre Bullock is the fourth Coyote that averages double-digit points (10.9)

Bench Mob

• The Coyotes bolster the No. 4 ranked bench unit in the NCAA at 41.2 points per game.
• Isaac Bruns has provided instant offense for Eric Peterson's squad, as he's averaging 12.8 points per game in 20.1minutes off the bench. 
• Bruns has scored in double-digits in eight of nine games.
• Dre Bullock has reached double-figures in five of eight games he's played in and has had multiple steals in six 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.
• It was Fen's second of three double-digit scoring performance of the season (14 pts vs Texas A&M-Commerce & 12 points at Southern Indiana).
• Fens has flexed his muscles on the other end of the floor, tallying two or more blocks in four games this season.
• The seven-footer rejected a season-high three blocks in the Yotes win over Mount Marty (11/10/24)
• Fens is one of six yotes to average 9.1+ points per game.
• Fens is active on the offensive glass, as he corrals 2.4 offensive boards per game.

 

• Defensive Pressure
• Behind a rotation of players and a full court press, the Coyotes have forced on average 14.8 turnovers per game, which ranks No. 2 among Summit League teams
• Chase Forte and Dre Bullock rank No. 2 in the Summit League in steals with 15 each.
• South Dakota has held six of nine 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 five games this season. USD had a season high 24 assists in its win over Randall.

Rebounding by Committee

• It has been a group effort on the boards to begin the season, with five Yotes averaging 3.6+ rebounds per game.
• Cameron Fens is the top rebounder for the Yotes at 5.0 boards per game (2.9 offensive). Fens notched his first career double-double against WMU (11/20/24) with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
• Ashton Smith's 4.7 rebounds per game is second highest on the team, while the Bruns brothers, Paul and Isaac, are No.  3 and 4 with 4.6 and 4.2 rebounds per game.