VERMILLION, S.D. — Late game heroics highlighted the Sunday afternoon contest with South Carolina State as the Yotes snuck away with an 82-81 win over South Carolina State with a go-ahead layup from Jordan Crawford in the final seconds to secure the victory in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
 
South Dakota has now won four of their last five games and improve to 4-3 on the season. South Carolina State drops their sixth-straight game to start the season, falling to 0-6 on the year.
 
Crawford put the team on his back on the afternoon, posting a career-high 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting to lead all scorers on the day. He was 4-for-5 from the free throw line, while grabbing a pair of rebounds and stelas.  
 
South Dakota battled through a lid on the rim a few times throughout the contest, but defense and turnovers helped weather the storm. It was a fast start for the Yotes in front of the home crowd, jumping out to an 11-0 lead in the first three minutes of the contest with four different Yotes scoring in the run.
 
In turn, the Bulldogs responded with an eight-point run of their own to move it to 11-8 nearing the second media time out. Both sides would trade small runs throughout the rest of the first half but it would be South Dakota who ended the half on a 9-4 run to lead 44-35 at the break behind 17 first half points from Crawford.
 
The Bulldogs would outscore USD 46-38 in the second half in attempt to secure their first win of the season. Another Coyote run would start of the second half with a 9-4 spurt putting South Dakota up by 14 at 59-53. South Dakota would push their second half lead up to 20 points (63-43) with a Jake Brack jumper with 13 minutes to play.
 
South Carolina State would go on a 10-2 run over the next three minutes to get themselves back into it. The Yotes would maintain a double-digit lead until the seven-minute mark left in the second half, as a SCSU layup would make it 70-62 Yotes.
 
It would be a single-digit contest the rest of the way out as the Bulldogs continued their comeback attempt. The Bulldogs would draw even at 78-78 with two minutes to go. A Cameron Fens layup with a minute and a half left on the clock would give the Yotes a two-point advantage. With 40 seconds left, SCSU would take a 81-80 lead with a second-chance driving layup.
 
Enter Crawford.
 
With the game on the line and the clock under 30 seconds, Crawford with the ball at the top of the key, would drive to his right, beat his man, and have an open lane as no help came from the Bulldog defense which proved to be the game-winning bucket, as USD prevailed 82-81 for the fourth-straight win in the SCSC.

JORDAN. CRAWFORD. 😤#GoYotes x @jordandagoatt pic.twitter.com/AHwWiFJ0ig

— South Dakota Men's Basketball (@SDCoyotesMBB) November 23, 2025

 
South Carolina State was able to stay in the contest in the second half thanks to 46 bench points and 25 points off Coyote turnovers.
 
Isaac Bruns (14), Shey Eberwein (14), and Fens (13) all joined Crawford with double-digit points on the day. Uzziah Buntyn led the team with his seven rebounds, Fens grabbing six. Buntyn also dished out a game-high six assists and Fens led the game with his four blocks.
 
UP NEXT: The Coyotes head west to Rapid City for a clash with the United States Air Force Academy on Saturday, November 29. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. (MT)/3 p.m. (CT)