VERMILLION, S.D. — A career night for Grace Larkins and a strong defensive effort for the Coyotes lifted them over St. Thomas, 77-60, Thursday night inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center in Vermillion.
 
Larkins notched her 22^nd career double-double and eighth this season by matching a career-high 34 points and adding 12 rebounds. She also had eight assists and two steals.
 
The Coyotes jumped out to an eight-point lead in the first quarter, taking the lead away from St. Thomas near the midway point of the first quarter and never giving it up. Larkins started the game with 11 points in the first quarter, including a three-pointer with one second left to stretch the lead to eight, 22-14.
 
The Coyotes doubled their lead to 16 at the half with Larkins adding 11 more points in the quarter. Gabby Wilke had a pair of triples to have six points at the break, finishing the game with eight points.
 
The Coyotes coasted to the finish from there, stretching the lead to 20 points multiple times. The Coyotes scored at a 49% clip. Meanwhile, the South Dakota defense held St. Thomas to just 33% shooting from the floor and 23% from beyond the arc.
 
Outside of Larkins' third straight double-double and fourth straight game scoring 20+ points, Adara Groman added 11 points, including five early in the first quarter for the Yotes. In just her third game back from an injury, Cassidy Carson scored a season-high 10 points in 21 minutes of action. She added five rebounds, tying a career best.
 
Larkins continues to climb the record books as her senior season and historic Coyote career winds down. Already inside the top 10 in points, rebounds, assists, and free throws made, Larkins entered the top 10 in career steals with two.
 
She also climbed a spot in each of the other categories where she is already inside the top 10. She is now tied for sixth with Hannah Sjerven in career points (1,746), tied for eighth with Margaret McCloud in career rebounds (758), seventh in career assists (433), and fifth in career free throws made (391).
 
The Coyotes stay put and host Omaha Saturday afternoon for the annual Alumni Game. South Dakota and Omaha are scheduled for a 1 p.m. tip in Vermillion.
 
NOTABLES
• The Coyotes are 8-9 on the season, 6-3 at home, and 2-1 in Summit League play.
• Larkins' 34 points is her third 30-point game of the season and seventh of her career.
• She has scored 20-plus points in 11 of USD's 17 games this season and has scored in double figures in all 17.
• She is now fifth in free throws made, tied for sixth in points, seventh in assists, tied for eighth in rebounds, and tied for 10^th in steals in a USD uniform.
• The next milestone for Larkins in career points is 13 points away at 1,759 points. The Coyote Hall of Famer with that total is one of her assistant coaches, Amber (Hegge) Cunningham. 
• Cassidy Carson recorded her second career double digit scoring game Thursday, totaling 10 points and matching her career-high with five rebounds.
• USD is now 8-2 when leading at halftime and 7-1 when having a better shooting percentage than their opponent.
• USD is also 6-1 when having the same or fewer turnovers than their opponent and are 5-0 when holding their opponent under 70 points.
• The Coyotes are now 3-0 on Thursdays.