The Game
The Coyotes open the Summit League Tournament against Oral Roberts in the #8/#9 game Friday night.
 
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center. The game will be broadcast on Midco Sports 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.
 
If You Are Going
Join USD fans, friends and alumni for a pre and postgame social in the Coyote hospitality room in Ballroom A of the Convention Center. The hospitality room opens two hours before and one hour after each game. A bar is available with light snacks provided. Note that all bars at both the Convention Center and the PREMIER Center will accept credit card purchases only.
 
Cheer on the team as the players arrive at the tournament as a part of the Coyote Walk, approximately 90 minutes prior to the game outside the hospitality room by creating a tunnel through the Convention Center hallway.
 
The PREMIER Center also has a clear bag policy. Only small personal handbags that are 4.5" by 6.5" or smaller will be allowed into the venue. Guests may also bring either a clear one gallon zipper lock bag or a clear stadium bag that is no larger than 12" by 12" by 6". A full look at the PREMIER Center's bag policy is available here.
 
The Coyotes
South Dakota (12-19, 5-11 Summit) won two of its final three regular season games, including a 77-76 win over Oral Roberts in Vermillion on Feb. 24.
 
Bostyn Holt scored 25 points and delivered the game-winning layup in the final five seconds. Holt has scored 20+ points in four of the last seven games and is averaged 18.7 points per game in that span.
 
Kaleb Stewart and Lahat Thioune both earned all-Summit honorable mention honors and earned spots on the all-Newcomer team in their first season as Coyotes. Stewart is South Dakota's leading scorer at 15.5 points per game and Thioune is the Coyotes' leading rebounder with 9.4 boards per game. Thioune has racked up a league-leading 12 double-doubles.
 
The Golden Eagles
Oral Roberts (11-18, 5-11 Summit), which has won two of the last three Summit League Tournaments, is looking to defend its tournament crown.
 
Issac McBride is one of four summit players that averaged 20+ points per game in league play and earned all-Summit second team honors in back-to-back seasons. McBride has played in five Summit League Tournament games and averages 12.4 points per game in the tournament. McBride scored 21 points against South Dakota in Tulsa and 19 points in Vermillion against the Yotes.
 
DeShang Weaver and Kareem Thompson were both part of Oral Roberts' title runs in 2021 and 2023. Both averaged double-digit scoring through the season and Thompson is the Golden Eagles' leading rebounder at 6.8 boards per game.

The Series
The Coyotes and Golden Eagles will meet for the 24th time on Friday. The two teams split the regular season, each defending their home court. South Dakota holds a 6-11 record at the Summit League Tournament. The Coyotes have advanced to the championship game once in 2018 and won at least one game five times.
 
Up Next
The winner of Friday night's game will advance to face No. 1 seeded South Dakota State on Saturday at 6 p.m.