SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — The University of South Dakota men's basketball team will face off against Idaho State and Northern Arizona in the Big Sky - Summit Challenge, as announced by the conferences Wednesday.
 
The Coyotes will host Idaho State to open their Big Sky - Summit challenge at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center on December 4 and will travel to Flagstaff, Arizona to match up with Northern Arizona on December 7. Idaho State and Northern Arizona had identical 7-11 records in Big Sky play from a season ago.
 
South Dakota and Idaho State have met on the hardwood a total of three times, with the last meeting taking place during the 1968-69 season in a 71-69 Bengal win. USD won 62-61 in the first game of the series against the Bengals in Vermillion during the 1952-53 season.
 
Overall, the Yotes are 4-2 all-time against Northern Arizona and grabbed a 76-71 overtime win over the Lumberjacks in the most recent meeting in 2021 inside the SCSC. Northern Arizona holds a 2-1 lead over USD in games played in Flagstaff.
 
South Dakota fell in both Big Sky - Summit Challenge games last year to the Big Sky Regular Season Champion, Eastern Washington, and conference tournament champion Montana State.

A year ago, the Summit League hoisted the inaugural trophy after both conferences finished with 21.5 points. The Summit League earned the tiebreaker after its men's and women's programs outscored the Big Sky's 2,654 to 2,552 over the course of 36 games. The hardware has been proudly displayed at the Summit League offices in Sioux Falls since January.

The matchups for the series are determined annually using data from past seasons, including NET rankings and regular-season conference finishes, along with consideration for the prior season matchups.
 
The Big Sky-Summit Challenge is a three-year challenge series that started in 2023-24. Each men's and women's team will play one home and one road game against two opponents from the other conference every season.