FARGO, N.D. — South Dakota basketball fell in its final road game of the season 82-78 to North Dakota State Wednesday night in the Scheels Center.
 
Paul Bruns recorded his first double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench. Bruns also dished out three assists, knocked down a trio of 3-pointers and had two steals.
 
Chase Forte led all players with 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting and did the majority of his scoring in the second half with 17 points. Isaac Bruns added 17 points with three treys and four rebounds.
 
The Coyotes connected on their first three attempts from deep, with one from each Bruns brother and one from Kaleb Stewart as they built an early 18-11 lead seven minutes in. It was a game of runs early and throughout the contest, with the lead changing hands eight times in the first half. The Coyotes early seven-point lead was the largest by either team in the opening 20 minutes. Isaac Bruns' second triple of the half put the Yotes up 37-35 with two minutes left in the half, but the Bison scored the final six points to hold a 41-37 lead at intermission.
 
The Bison carried the lead for the first 12 minutes out of the halftime break, before the Coyotes moved back in front with a 10-0 run. Dre Bullock sparked the Yotes run with a triple, while Forte scored five straight during the run. The lead would go back-and-forth six times over the next nine possessions before five straight from Forte gave the Yotes a 74-70 lead with 3:17 remaining. However, NDSU would answer with seven straight points to regain a three-point advantage and held USD to four points over the final minute and a half to secure the 82-78 win.  
 
The Coyotes return to the Sanford Coyote Sports Center for the final time of the season Saturday for Senior Day against North Dakota at 4:00 p.m.
 
Notes

• South Dakota drops to 17-13 on the season and 8-7 in Summit League play
• Paul Bruns notched his first double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds
• Isaac Bruns, Paul Bruns and Kaleb Stewart knocked down three 3-pointers each
• The four Coyote steals match a season-low (vs. Wyoming 12/10/24)
• USD recorded a positive assist-to-turnover ratio for the seventh straight game
• Chase Forte has scored 20+ points in three straight games
• Dre Bullock has scored in double-figures in each of the last five games
• USD held NDSU to 4-of-20 from deep, but the Bison scored 44 points in the paint
• NDSU sweeps the regular season series over the Yotes
• The Coyotes are locked into the No. 5 seed in next week's Summit League Tournament and will face the Bison, the No. 4 seed