VERMILLION, S.D. – South Dakota women's basketball is set to host Denver Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. It is also the 5^th annual Native American Heritage Game in the SCSC.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
• South Dakota women's basketball against North Dakota will be available to watch on the Summit League Network.
• Fans can listen to the Coyotes on KVTK 1570 AM/101.5 FM on the Coyote Sports Network with the voice of the Coyotes Jerry Palleschi on the broadcast.
 
PROMOTIONS
• Saturday is the fifth annual Native American Heritage Game in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. Over 500 Native American alumni and high school students will be in attendance.
• The celebration includes a pregame tribal flag recognition and a performance of the Lakota Honor Song. Native American student-athletes at USD will also be honored.
• Prior to the National Anthem, the Lakota Flag Song will be performed.
• There will also be a halftime performance by Supaman.
 
KEY STORYLINES
• South Dakota has started conference play 3-1 for the second straight season under head coach Carrie Eighmey.
• South Dakota has passed its win total from last season with the win at St. Thomas, reaching 12 wins.
• The Coyotes have had three different starting lineups over the last three games due to illness and injury but have managed to win their last two despite the shake ups.
• Jenna Hopp has started two of the last three games after missing three games due to injury and coming off the bench in her return against Kansas City. Thursday against UND, she scored seven points and added four rebounds in the win.
• In USD's 13 wins so far this season, they've won by 20+ points 10 times, meanwhile USD's first loss by double digits came to Oral Roberts last week.
• The Coyotes have distributed the wealth on the scoring front this season, with 12 of their 14 players who have played scoring in double figures at least once.
• Molly Joyce has scored 20+ points in each of the last four games, leading the Summit League in scoring during conference play with 21.5 points per contest. She is the only player in the Summit League with multiple 20-point performances during conference play.
• South Dakota and Denver split their season series last year, including USD's lone road win of the season at Denver. The Pioneers got revenge in the SCSC to end the regular season, a 63-60 win for the Pios.
 
INSIDE THE DENVER SERIES
• The Coyotes and Pioneers meet for the 28th time in series history.
• The Coyotes and Pioneers became conference rivals in 2013 and have met 26 times as Summit League foes with USD holding a 22-4 advantage in the series.
• South Dakota traveled to Denver to face the Pioneers once prior to the two becoming conference rivals, playing in the 1988-89 season, a 94-88 win for the Pios.
• In Vermillion, the Coyotes started the series history 10-0 but have lost two of their last three at home.
• Meanwhile away from Vermillion, the first two meetings of series history were held in Denver and were Pioneer wins, but since the 2014-15 season, USD is 9-1 in the Mile High City.
• This is the last scheduled trip to Vermillion for the Pioneers for the foreseeable future as Denver is set to join the West Coast Conference after this academic year concludes.
• Last season, it was the road teams picking up wins in the series as USD earned a conference opening 77-71 win in Denver and Denver earned a conference finale 63-60 win in Vermillion.
 
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
• Doshia Woods is in her sixth season leading the Pioneers, who are off to a 1-3 start in conference play, including a 90-44 loss at South Dakota State Thursday night.
• The Pioneers earned an early conference victory over North Dakota at home, and taking St. Thomas to overtime last week before ultimately losing to the Tommies.
• In Denver's last game, a 90-44 loss in Brookings, Coryn Watts tallied 14 points and Laia Monclova nine.
• South Dakota's starting point guard, Angelina Robles, transferred to Vermillion from Denver, where she appeared in 87 games, making 53 starts for the Pioneers.
• As a team, the Pioneers rank seventh (of nine) in the Summit League in scoring at 59.9 points per game and are fifth in scoring defense at 66.6 points allowed per game.
• Denver plays a disciplined style, committing just 13.6 fouls per game, ranking 19th in the NCAA and second in the Summit League in fewest fouls.
• The Pioneers are led by Watts, who averages 19.7 points per game. Monclova adds 11.2 points and 5.2 rebounds.

RECORD VS THE SUMMIT LEAGUE
• The Coyotes have five Summit League regular season titles and four tournament championships since joining the conference in 2011 and have finished in the top four in the conference every season except one.
• South Dakota is 191-72 against the Summit League (previously Mid-Continent Conference) in program history.
• USD has winning records against seven of the eight current conference foes as members of the Summit League
• South Dakota has 20 or more Summit League wins against four current members in Summit League play history: Omaha (24), Denver (22), North Dakota State (22), and Oral Roberts (21).
 
10 YEARS OF SCSC SUCCESS
• South Dakota women's basketball is in its 10th season of calling the Sanford Coyote Sports Center, a building that has treated the Yotes well, home.
• USD is 114-26 inside the SCSC since the building opened in 2016.*
• The Coyotes have had a winning record in the SCSC in 8 of the 9 seasons played in the SCSC.
• South Dakota has a record of 58-14 against Summit League foes in the SCSC, including a winning record against all eight current foes.
• USD is undefeated against two Summit League opponents in the building: North Dakota (9-0) and Kansas City (4-0).
• South Dakota has had two undefeated seasons at home during the SCSC era: 2018-19 and 2020-21.
• USD's first win against a Top 25 opponent during the Div. I era came in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center (No. 23/22 Iowa State on Nov. 28, 2018).
 
THE TRANSFER PORTAL ERA
• Over 1,500 women's basketball players entered the transfer portal following the 2024-25 season. USD is one of at least six programs with 13+ newcomers.
• USD is one of at least seven programs with 13+ newcomers.
• USD is one of at least seven programs with at least nine transfers.
• Seven of USD's nine transfers come from Div. I programs, including two from Summit League foes.
• South Dakota's transfers hail from 6 states: California (1), Iowa (4), Minnesota (1), New Mexico (1), South Dakota (1), and Washington (1).
 
CAREER MARKS
• Career bests set against North Dakota Thursday.
• Patience Williams was a force defensively, leading to a career best five steals.
• Molly Joyce tied a career high with 10 made field goals against the Fighting Hawks.
 
SEASON HIGHS LAST TIME OUT
• Season highs set Thursday against North Dakota:
• Molly Joyce added a season's best six rebounds to her 20-point performance.
• Elise Turrubiates matched a season high with three steals in the win.
 
MILESTONE CHASING
• A handful of Coyotes are looking to reach some career milestones this season.
• Molly Joyce could reach 1,000 career points in just her third collegiate season. She passed 900 points against College of Saint Mary, currently sitting at 987 (213 as a Yote).
• Josie Hill is nearing 1,000 career points, currently at 941 (111 as a Yote).
• She is also closing in on 400 made field goals in her NCAA career, currently at 392.
• Angelina Robles passed 900 career points at St. Thomas, and now sits at 924 on her chase for 1,000.
• She's also closing in on 200 career assists, currently at 199.
• Robles is two steals away from 100 in her career.
• Tori Schlagel took 16 collegiate games to reach 100 career points, passing that total against Oral Roberts.
• Elise Turrubiates played in her 100th career NCAA basketball game against St. Thomas.
• Turrubiates passed 1,000 career points including NJCAA stats earlier this season, but is closing in on 800 NCAA points, currently with 779.
• Patience Williams reached exactly 400 points in her NCAA career Thursday against North Dakota.
• She could also reach 400 career rebounds this season, needing 18.
 
CRASH THE GLASS
• The Coyotes have placed an emphasis on rebounding this season, and it has paid off so far as USD is one of the top rebounding teams in the country.
• USD is ranked 22nd nationally and is atop the Summit League in rebounding at 43.2 rebounds per game.
• The Coyotes are getting it done on both ends of the floor, ranking second in the conference in offensive rebounds at 13.2 per game, and ranking 13th nationally (second in the SL) in defensive rebounds at 30.1 per game.
• USD has outrebounded its opponents in 12 games this season.
• South Dakota broke the SCSC record for rebounds in a game for a second time this season against College of Saint Mary, totaling 63.
• The Coyotes previously set an SCSC record with 62 rebounds against Valparaiso.
• Patience Williams is 8th in the Summit League (121st in the NCAA) in total rebounds with 133. Her 7.4 rebounds per game is 8th in the Summit League and 170th in the NCAA.
 
DEFENSE WINS
• South Dakota has been the best defensive team in the Summit League this season, holding opponents to 55.4 points per game.
• The Coyotes lead the Summit League in scoring defense (55.4), field goal percentage defense (32.8%), and three-point percentage defense (27.6%).
• The Coyotes also rank inside the top 40 nationally in three categories: 4th in FG% defense, 13th in defensive rebounds, and 22nd in scoring defense.
• South Dakota has held opponents under 30% shooting in seven games this season.
• USD's strong defense has allowed for them to have one of the nation's best scoring margins as the Coyotes outscore their opponents by an average of 18.4 points per game (31st in Division I).  
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