VERMILLION, S.D. – Bostyn Holt scored 27 points and was one of four Coyotes to score in double-figures to help South Dakota defeat Denver 92-86 in overtime in Vermillion Thursday night.
 
Holt's 27 points included two big and-one plays, one towards the end of regulation and one in overtime, to help South Dakota (10-15, 3-7 Summit) get the overtime win. Lahat Thioune added 19 points on 80 percent shooting from the field and grabbed seven rebounds, including five big offensive rebounds. Paul Bruns returned to the starting lineup and put up 18 points with four three pointers to tally his third-straight double-digit scoring game. Max Burchill rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11, including two huge free throws in overtime.
 
The nation's leading scorer Tommy Bruner scored a game-high 30 points for Denver (13-12, 4-6 Summit) but the Pioneers could not outlast the Coyotes and picked up its fourth-straight loss. Touko Tainamo had 21 points and Jaxon Brenchley added 13 points and nine rebounds.
 
In a rematch of one of the most entertaining games in college basketball this season, tonight's matchup did not disappoint. The Coyotes and Pioneers went blow for blow in a game that saw eight lead changes and 10 tie games. Tainamo started out hot for Denver, knocking down two back-to-back threes to take an early lead. Burchill responded for South Dakota and hit a triple for the Yotes to tie the game at 13-13 with just under five minutes gone. Bruns hit his third three pointer of the first half to tie it up again at 33-33 with just over three minutes until the break. Holt hit a buzzer-beating half court shot to give the Coyotes their largest lead of the game heading into the halftime break at 46-41.
 
South Dakota held Bruner to 12 first half points, but he came out hot to start the second half, hitting his second three pointer of the game to give Denver a 51-48 lead with 16:35 to play. It was Thioune and Holt vs Bruner in the final minutes of regulation and ultimately Bruner won the battle, hitting the shot in the lane that tied the game at 79-79 and sent it to overtime.
 
After not playing much in the first half, Thioune made his time count in the second half and overtime, laying in the bucket to give the Yotes an 86-81 lead with just under two minutes to play in overtime. Brenchley had two big plays back-to-back for the Pioneers to tie it up at 86-86 with 39 seconds to go. Burchill went up strong in the lane, got fouled, and knocked down both free throws to give USD an 88-86 lead with 29 seconds to play. Bruner had an opportunity to tie it up in the lane but missed and Bruns grabbed the rebound, was fouled, and hit the game-icing free throws.
 
South Dakota shot just over 44 percent from the field for the game and started the game shooting 48 percent in the first half. The Yotes went to the line 25 times and made 24 attempts in a game that was very dependent on free throw shooting.
 
The Coyotes controlled the paint, outrebounding Denver 41-39 and scoring 48 paint points while holding Denver to 28 points in the lane. South Dakota tied its season low with just six turnovers.
 
The Pioneers went 16-of-23 at the free throw line but hit 10 three pointers. Denver shot 43.5 percent from the field and had seven turnovers.
 
South Dakota heads back out on the road to take on Omaha (Feb. 15) and St. Thomas (Feb. 17). Both games are set for 7 p.m. tip-off and will be available to stream on the Summit League Network.