VERMILLION, S.D. — South Dakota Basketball hosts Western Michigan inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center Sunday afternoon for a 1 p.m. tip. It will be the first meeting between the Coyotes and Screaming Eagles in Vermillion.  
 
Quick Hitters

• The Coyotes and Broncos meet on the hardwood for the second time in the series history. The Yotes won 80-76 in the first edition of the series last season at Western Michigan.
• The Coyotes picked up their second win of the season Wednesday night in the SCSC 89-71 between a pair of 18-point career-high performances from Jesse McIntosh and Shey Eberwein.
• In last Sunday's win, South Dakota set a new program record for points in a first half with 72, breaking the record of 70 points against Westmar in 1977.
• Preseason All-Summit League First Team selection Isaac Bruns ranks No. 5 in the conference at 17.8 points per game this season
• In his first collegiate game, Vince Buzelis recorded his first double-digit rebound game with 11 to lead the Yotes. Buzelis scored in double-figures for the first time in last week's game at Creighton with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting and had three blocks.
• Evan Anderson, a redshirt freshman, has started the previous three games and has been a force on the offensive glass. Of his 18 rebounds on the season, 12 have been offensive. 
• Bruns ranked No. 10 in the conference in scoring a season ago, and is the league's leading returner scorer at 14.6 points per game. 
• South Dakota averaged 89.3 points per game on its home court a season ago, while holding visiting teams to a 77.3 points per game average. While the Yotes still averaged over 80 points per game on the road (81.6), they surrendered 89.5 points per game to the host teams.
• After scoring in the 70s in the first two games of the season, the Coyote offense found its rhythm at home Sunday putting up 121 points against OCC. 
• South Dakota was picked to finish fifth in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll and received one first place vote. Isaac Bruns was named to the conference's preseason first team. He was an All-Summit League Honorable Mention a season ago.
• Eric Peterson enters year four as the head coach of the South Dakota men's basketball team and holds a 45-55 overall record.
   

How to Follow

• Sunday's matchup between the Coyotes and Broncos will be broadcasted on the Summit League Network and Midco Sports Plus.
• The radio call by John Thayer can be found on the Coyote Sports Network, KVHT 106.3 fm, or 95.7 fm, or on the Varsity Network app.
   

Series History

• South Dakota won 80-76 last year in the two team's first ever meeting at Western Michigan. 
• Cameron Fens secured his first career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while also blocking two shots and coming away with two steals.

 
72 in a Half

• The Coyotes set a new program record with 72 first half points against Ozark Christian College.
• The Yotes were 28-for-47 (59.6%) from the field in the first 20 minute sand knocked down eight 3-pointers. 
• South Dakota had 23 points off turnovers, 25 on second chances and 42 bench points in the opening half.

 
Crashing the Glass

• Led by Evan Anderson's 12 offensive rebounds through four games, the Coyotes rank No. 12 in the NCAA and No. 1 in the conference in offensive rebounds per game (17.5).
• Nine Coyotes have grabbed 4+ offensive rebounds this season and six have 7+.
• In Porter Ihen's 20-point, 13-rebound double-double, seven of his boards were off the offensive glass.
• Ihnen is the first Coyote this season to record a double-double.

 
Coyote Debuts

• Ten Coyotes saw the floor in the season opener with six making their South Dakota debuts in three true freshmen (Vince Buzelis, Uzziah Buntyn, Jesse McIntosh), one redshirt freshman (Evan Anderson) and a pair of transfers (Jordan Crawford, Ethan Kizer). 
• Evan Anderson scored 10 points and was perfect from the floor (3-3), the 3-point line (1-1) and from the free throw line (3-3). He also grabbed four boards (two offensive) and had a steal.
• Vince Buzelis corralled a team-high 11 rebounds (four offensive) and had eight points. Uzziah Buntyn had seven points and two assists, while Jesse McIntosh started and had four points, five rebounds and two assists. 
• Jordan Crawford started for the Yotes and had eight points, four boards and a pair of assists. Ethan Kizer had one point, one steal and one rebound in four minutes off the bench.

 
Second Half Spark

• After a defensive first half that saw neither team shooting over .350 percent from the field, Isaac Bruns found the range in the second half with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting. 
• Bruns started the second half in a flurry, scoring nine of USD's first 11 points out of the intermission. 
• The Yotes shot .448 percent from the field in the second half and took advantage of their trips to the free throw line going 12-for-15, while playing without fouling on the other end as Utah Tech only shot three free throws. 

 
Back for Year 3

• Isaac Bruns is back for year three as a Coyote and is the Summit League's leading returner scorer after averaging 14.6 points per game in his sophomore season. 
• Bruns led the bench unit for the first half of the season that ranked inside the top-10 in the NCAA in points per game (30.88).
• He entered the starting lineup in the third Summit League regular season game and would start the final 16 games of the season, including both Summit League Tournament games. 
• Bruns scored in double-figures in 14 of 16 games to close out the season, including six games with 20+ points. 
• Bruns recorded his first career double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds on 8-of-12 shooting in the Summit League Tournament Quarterfinals against North Dakota State. 
• He was named to the Preseason All-Summit League First Team, after being named an All-Summit League Honorable Mention last year. 

 
Pushing the Pace

• South Dakota ended the 2024-25 season as the No. 3 team in the country and the Summit League leader with an 85.2 points per game average. 
• Alabama (90.7) and Gonzaga (86.4) were No. 1 and 2 last year. 
• The Yotes ranked No. 3 in the NCAA in possessions per game (77.0), trailing only Alabama (78.5) and Cal Poly (77.5). 
• Behind a full court press, the Coyotes ranked No. 16 in turnover margin (+3.8) and took care of the ball offensively, ranking No. 16 in fewest turnovers per game (9.6).
• With the high tempo, pressing defensive style of play, the Coyotes depth was on display a season ago as they ranked No. 10 in the NCAA in bench points per game (30.88).
• After scoring in the 70s in the first two games of the year, the Coyotes are averaging 105.0 points over the last two games.