CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – As South Dakota nears the end of the non-conference slate of the 2024-25 season, it hits to road to face Northern Iowa Tuesday in Cedar Falls.
Seven of the Coyotes (4-6) first 10 games this season have been away from the Sanford Coyote Sports Center, and they will make it eight of their first 11 Tuesday.
HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
South Dakota and Northern Iowa are set for a 6 p.m. tip-off inside the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN+. Coyote fans can also listen to the game on KVTK 1570 AM with Rod Pattison on the call.
LAST TIME OUT
• South Dakota rebounded from a loss at Montana State to take down Northern Arizona, the preseason favorite from the Big Sky Conference, Saturday in Vermillion.
• The Coyotes had four players score in double figures:
Grace Larkins (21 points),
Carley Duffney (16),
Olivia Kieffer (15), and
Gabby Wilke (13).
• Kieffer was the star in the final two minutes of the game. She buried three-pointers on three straight possessions to put the Coyotes ahead for good.
• Wilke had a breakout game. The freshman scored 13 points (11 in the first half), and added eight rebounds, both career highs.
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
• South Dakota makes a return trip to Cedar Falls, Iowa Tuesday to take on the Panthers after hosting Northern Iowa last season.
• Northern Iowa's high scoring offense has been off to a hot start to the season, led by one of the nation's leading scorers in Maya McDermott.
• The Panthers have one of the most efficient offenses in the country, ranking 27th nationally in field goal percentage (47.8) and leading the country in three-point percentage (43.0).
SUPERSTAR SCORERS
• Tuesday's contest features two of the country's top scoring threats in the country with Maya McDermott of UNI and
Grace Larkins of USD.
• McDermott ranks fourth nationally at 24.1 points per game and Larkins ranks sixth at 23.4 points per game.
INSIDE THE NORTHERN IOWA SERIES
• The Coyotes and Lumberjacks meet for the 15th time in series history.
• Last season, The Coyotes defeated Northern Iowa 84-65 in Vermillion.
• The series history dates back to February 18, 1978, with the two met in Cedar Falls for the first time. It was a 68-53 win for the Panthers.
• In USD's Division I era, the series is tied with five wins apiece.
• USD is undefeated at home against UNI, including the 19-point win last season.
Grace Larkins recorded a double-double with 28 points and 11 rebounds.
YOTES VS. THE MVC
• The Coyotes have played 54 games against the Missouri Valley Conference.
• USD is 27-27 overall against the conference.
• The Coyotes' most common MVC opponent is Creighton, who the Coyotes played 19 times when the Bluejays were in the MVC.
• Northern Iowa was the Coyotes' lone MVC opponent last season.
• The Coyotes went 1-1 against the conference in 2022-23, defeating Bradley 71-53 and falling to Drake 83-54.
