VERMILLION, S.D. — South Dakota hits the road north to face North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. 
Quick Hitters

• The Coyotes have been exceptional at home, improving to a 9-2 record in the SCSC after Thursday's win over Kansas City but have struggled to find their footing on the road with an 0-7 mark. The Yotes are 1-0 in neutral site games. 
• The Coyotes average 88.0 points per game while holding visiting teams to 75.3 points in the SCSC but surrender 96.9 points per game when on the road while scoring 76.1 points on the road. 
• USD has started to find the range over the last six games, averaging 9.3 3-pointers per game at a 41.8% clip. South Dakota connected on average 6.0 triples per game in the first 13 games of the season.
• Trent Hudgens and Silas Bennion were added to the Coyote roster last week and are both averaging nearly 20 minutes per game. 
• Hudgens, a Third Team NAIA All-American in 2023-24, found his groove in the second half against the Tommies with 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
• Junior guard Isaac Bruns was named to the Lou Henson Player of the Year Award Early Season Watch List in December. The award recognizes the top player in mid-major college basketball.
• Bruns has scored 20+ in 10 of the last 12 games and increased his scoring average to 20.8 points per game which ranks No. 2 in the conference and No. 22 in the NCAA. 
• Bruns enters Saturday's game ranked No. 2 nationally in total points with 394, trailing St. Thomas' Nolan Minnessale who has 397.  
• Bruns is No. 16 in the NCAA with 127 field goals made, No. 4 in free throws made (113) and No. 13
• in free throw attempts (135).
• The Yotes led the conference with an average of 13.16 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks No. 48 in the NCAA, but have been held to under 10 offensive boards in three of four Summit League games.
• South Dakota has gone to the line frequently throughout the season, ranking No. 17 in the NCAA in free throw attempts per game (26.6) and are No. 19 free throw makes per game (19.6). Through three Summit League games, USD is averaging 17.3 makes and 19.8 attempts.
• 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 53-62 overall record. 

How to Follow

• Saturday's matchup between the Coyotes and Fighting Hawks will be available on Midco Sports, the Summit League Network and Midco Sports Plus.
• The radio call by John Thayer can be found on the Coyote Sports Network on the Varsity Network app.

Series History

• The Fighting Hawks hold a 106-97 all-time record against the Coyotes, but it was the Yotes who swept the season series in 2024-25. 
• Isaac Bruns scored 19.5 points per game against UND a season ago, shooting an even 50.0% from the field, and pulled down 11 total rebounds. 
• The Coyotes scored over 90 points in both games against UND a season ago, including a 102-93 win in Grand Forks. 
• Bruns had 20 points in the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center on 7-of-13 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers, as the Yotes shot 58.5% from the field with 11 triples. 

Man in the Middle

• Cameron Fens had a monster night in Thursday's win over Kansas City. The Coyote center set new career highs of 31 points and 15 rebounds on 10-of-14 shooting.
• Fens' 15 rebounds are the most by a Coyote since Lahat Thioune's 19 rebounds against North Dakota State (12/29/23).
• The Coyote center has been nearly unstoppable over the last two games, as he's averaged 27.0 points and 13.5 rebounds while shooting 76.9% from the field (20-for-26). 
• 10 of his 27 rebounds over the last two contests have been off the offensive glass.
• Fens has now set career highs in points and rebounds in two games this season, as he scored 22 points and had 14 rebounds earlier this season against Prairie View A&M.
• He rewrote his career-high point total in Saturday's game against Denver when he scored 23 points on 10-of-12 shooting to go with 12 boards and a career-high matching four blocks. 
• After playing in four Summit League games a season ago due to injury, Fens has averaged 18.0 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks while shooting 60.4% from the floor in the first four conference games this year. 
• Fens has scored 10+ in 11 of the last 13 games with four double-doubles.

Bruns by the Numbers

• Isaac Bruns is one of the NCAA's elite scorers in his junior season, ranking No. 2 in the nation in total points scored (394) and No. 22 in points per game (20.7). He ranks No. 2 in the conference in both categories, trailing St. Thomas' Nolan Minessale. 
• Bruns is among the best in the NCAA at getting to and converting at the free throw line as he ranks No. 4 in the country in free throw makes (113), No. 13 in attempts (135) and is converting at a 83.7% clip.
• Bruns has scored in double-figures in every game this season and has 11 games with 20+ points.
• He ranks No. 22 in the NCAA in field goals (119) and No. 7 in field goal attempts (268).
• Bruns rewrote his career-high point total with a 29-point performance in the win over Prairie View A&M.
• Over a stretch of six games (11/29-12/18), he scored 20+ points in all six games, averaging 25.7 ppg.
• Through the first four games of Summit League play, Bruns is averaging 20.8 points per game on .500/.583/.857 shooting splits. 

The New Guys

• Reinforcements arrived last week for a Coyote squad dealing with a number of injuries in Trent Hudgens and Silas Bennion.
• Hudgens was second on the team with 17 points in his debut Wednesday against St. Thomas. He scored all 17 points in the second half of the contest on 5-of-7 shooting with one 3-pointer. He also led the team with four assists on the night. 
• Hudgens was a 2023-24 Third Team NAIA All-American at Arizona Christian (2022-25) where he helped the Firestorm to three regular season GSAC Championship. In his sophomore season at ACU, Hudgens and the Firestorm advanced to the quarterfinals of the NAIA National Tournament.
• Hudgens' previous stops also included Northern Colorado (2020-21) and Santa Clara (2021-22).
• Bennion scored five points on 2-of-3 shooting with a triple, three rebounds and took two charges vs the Tommies.
• Bennion spent two seasons at Jamestown (2023-25) and Lewis - Clark State (2021-23). 
• He was a 2024-25 NSAA First Team All-Conference selection and a 2023-24 First Team All-GPAC honoree for the Jimmies. 
• Bennion led Jamestown in scoring a season ago at 16.5 points per game to go with 3.5 assists and 3.7 rebounds. He scored a career-high 38 points against Dickinson State in his junior year (2023-24).
• Bennion and Hudgens averaged 21.3 and 19.0 minutes per game across their first three games. 

Lou Henson Award Watch List

• Isaac Bruns was named to the Lou Henson Award Early Season Watch List. 
• The award is presented annually to the top player in Mid-Major Division I College Basketball. 
• Bruns leads the Coyotes with a 20.8 points per game average and ranks No. 2 in the Summit League in scoring. 
• Three other Summit League players were mentioned on the watch list in St. Thomas' Nolan Minessale, Omaha's Lance Waddles and North Dakota State's Demari Wheeler-Thomas. 

First Half Success

• South Dakota is 8-0 on the season when holding a lead at the halftime break and 1-9 when trailing at intermission.
• In those eight wins the Coyotes have averaged 48.8 points in the first half while holding opponents to 32.9 points. 
• On the flip side, in the nine losses the Coyotes have been outscored 45.6 to 33.3 in the first half. 
• The Yotes trailed 39-33 to Dakota State on December 17 but outscored the Trojans 47-32 in the second half. 
• Twice this season, the Coyotes have trailed at halftime and respond in the second half to force overtime but fell in both contests to Utah Tech and at Northern Colorado. 
• Saturday's game against the Pioneers was the first time this season the score was tied at half. 

Crashing the Glass

• Behind seven players with 10+ offensive rebounds on the season, the Coyotes rank No. 48 in the NCAA and No. 1 in the conference in offensive rebounds per game (13.16).
• Cameron Fens is No. 3 in the conference and leads the Yotes with 49 offensive rebounds on the year, while Isaac Bruns is second on the team and No. 9 in the SL with 31.
• The Yotes have pulled down 10+ offensive rebounds in 14 of 19 games.
• Thursday's game against KC was the first Summit League game where the Yotes tallied 10+ offensive boards, behind Fens' seven.