The Game
The Coyotes return to Vermillion to host Denver on Feb. 8 inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
 
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on Midco Sports Two and streamed on the Summit League Network available via the Midco Sports Plus app. 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 (9-15, 2-7 Summit) returns home after a close loss to SDSU in Brookings on Sunday.  
 
Kaleb Stewart, the Coyotes' leading scorer, put up a game-high 27 points in the three-point loss to the Jacks and shot 57.8 percent from the field. Stewart dropped a career-high 44 points in the double overtime thriller in Denver on Jan. 25. It was the most points scored in a game by a Coyote since 1967, the second-most points scored in a division one game this season, and the fourth-most points scored in a game in program history.
 
Junior transfer Kaleb Stewart, the Coyotes' leading scorer (15.6 ppg), scored a career-high 44 points in the double OT loss at Denver. He went 16-of-31 from the field and made eight of his 13 three-point attempts in a career-high 43 minutes of action. It's the most points scored in a game by a Coyote since 1967 and the fourth-most points scored in a game in program history.
 
Redshirt freshman Jevon Hill made his first career start in Denver on Jan. 25. He scored 14 points of 5-of-9 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 shooting from three. Hill joined the starting lineup after providing a spark off the bench in South Dakota's 74-73 overtime victory over then league-leading St. Thomas. He grabbed an offensive rebound and sunk the putback at the end of the regulation that sent the game into overtime. He also drilled a step-back three-pointer with 1:10 left in overtime that cut a 73-69 St. Thomas lead down to one.
 
Lahat Thioune is the 13^th-leading rebounder in the NCAA and his 10 double-doubles rank 18^th nationally. Thioune tallied his 10^th double-double of the season against SDSU on Feb. 4. The 6-10 forward scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
 
The Pioneers    
Denver (12-11, 4-5 Summit) is looking to break a three-game skid as it wraps up a three-game road trip.
 
Denver is home to the nation's leading scorer in Tommy Bruner, who averages 25.3 points per game. Bruner scored 49 points in the double overtime thriller against South Dakota earlier this season, the most points scored in a division one game this season. The fifth-year senior has scored in double-figures in 26-straight games.
 
The Pioneers are one of the nation's top free throw shooting teams, averaging 74.6 percent at the line. Denver's 25.1 free throw attempts per game rank 10th nationally and the 18.7 made free throws per game rank seventh nationally. Denver is also the 12th-best offense in the nation at 84.5 points per game.

The Series
Thursday's matchup marks the 27th meeting between South Dakota and Denver. The Coyotes own a 15-11 record against the Pioneers. Denver has won the last three meetings and is 4-8 in Vermillion.
 
Up Next
South Dakota heads back on the road next week to take on Omaha (Feb. 15) and St. Thomas (Feb. 17). Both games are set to tip-off at 7 p.m. and will be streamed on the Summit League Network.