DENVER, Colo. – South Dakota women's basketball is back on the road this week, first to face Denver Thursday night at 7 p.m. Central Time, 6 p.m. Mountain, in Denver.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
• South Dakota women's basketball against South Dakota State will be available to watch on the Summit League Network powered by Midco Sports Plus.
• Fans can listen to the Coyotes on KVHT 106.3 FM on the Coyote Sports Network with the voice of the Coyotes Jerry Palleschi on the broadcast.
 
KEY STORYLINES
• South Dakota hits the road for two games this week after a successful pair of home wins over St. Thomas and South Dakota State last week.
• South Dakota snapped a seven-game losing streak to South Dakota State Saturday, earning a 73-54 win over the Jacks.
• Angelina Robles tallied 25 points in the win, including going 6-for-7 from the three-point arch.
• Her performance against St. Thomas (20 points) and South Dakota State earned Robles her first Summit League Peak Performer honor of the season and of her career.
• Elise Turrubiates stepped up in a big way last week, averaging a double-double of 16.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in a pair of wins. She recorded a double-double in back-to-back games for the second time this season.
• In USD's 17 wins so far this season, they've won by 20+ points 12 times.
• 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.
• Defensively, The Coyotes have been one of the nation's toughest teams to score on, ranking second in the NCAA in FG% defense (33.1%) and 15th in scoring defense (55.7) and 3PT% defense (26.1%).
• Robles leads the conference in assists during conference play, totaling 37 for a 4.1 per game average while averaging 15.0 points.
 
INSIDE THE DENVER SERIES
• The Coyotes and Pioneers meet for the 29th time in series history.
• South Dakota and Denver meet for a second time this season Thursday night in the Mile High City.
• Three of South Dakota's five losses to the Pioneers have come in Denver, but the Yotes have won five straight in Hamilton Gymnasium.
• Last season's meeting in Denver was a 77-71 victory for South Dakota, led by a pair of Coyotes scoring over 20-points (Grace Larkins, Alexi Hempe).
• South Dakota's last loss to Denver in Denver, (104-99 on 1/3/2019) was a record setter for the Yotes, as the 99 points scored by USD is the most points ever scored in a Coyote loss.
• The Coyotes are going for their 24th win over Denver as Summit League foes. USD has only beaten Omaha (25) more since joining the conference.
 
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
• Denver enters the second matchup with the Yotes on a cold stretch, losing both games of its North Dakota swing last week.
• The Pioneers are 2-2 since they faced the Coyotes in Vermillion on Jan. 17, defeating Kansas City (64-54) and Oral Roberts (86-74) before losses to North Dakota State (95-55) and North Dakota (73-72) last week.
• Doshia Woods, now in her sixth season as the head coach of the Pioneers, is 2-9 against USD in her tenure.
• In Denver's 75-55 loss in Vermillion to USD, Coryn Watts totaled 19 points and Victoria Baker added 18. They combined to go 10-for-10 at the free throw line in the game.
• Watts has been a three-point threat during conference play, making 3.1 triples per game to lead the Summit League.
• She is one of two Summit League players averaging 20 or more points during conference play (Brooklyn Meyer).
• As a team, Denver is 7th in the league in scoring offense (61.0) and scoring defense (74.8) in conference play.

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 195-73 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 (25), Denver (23), 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 117-26 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 62-14 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 South Dakota State Saturday.
• Angelina Robles converted a career-high six three-pointers in the win.
 
SEASON HIGHS LAST TIME OUT
• Season highs set Saturday against South Dakota State:
• Angelina Robles set a season-high with 25 points
• Elise Turrubiates tied a season high in points (19) and free throws made (6).
• Jenna Hopp tied a season's best with four assists.
 
SUMMIT LEAGUE PEAK PERFORMER
• South Dakota's first Summit League Peak Performer of the Week honor of the season was earned this week, as Angelina Robles picked up her first career honor.
• Robles led the Summit League at 22.5 points per game last week in a pair of wins.
• She totaled 25 points on 7-10 shooting and 6-7 from three against SDSU.
• Robles shot .583/.692/.889 on the week.
 
MID-MAJOR TOP 25
• South Dakota women's basketball has been ranked No. 1 in the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 ten times since joining the Division I ranks and are currently ranked No. 24.
• After receiving votes in the last couple polls, USD re-entered the Top 25 at No. 24 Tuesday.
• South Dakota has ranked as high as No. 11 since joining the rankings on Nov. 18.
• South Dakota's first ranking in the poll since week 8 of the 2023-24 season (23rd) came on Nov. 18.
• USD is one of three Summit League schools ranked in the Top 25 (NDSU at No. 1, SDSU at No. 10).
 
MILESTONE CHASING
• A handful of Coyotes are looking to reach some career milestones this season.
• Molly Joyce passed 1,000 career points in just her third collegiate season. She currently has 268 points as a Coyote.
• She is also nearing 100 career three-pointers, currently at 95.
• Angelina Robles passed 1,000 career points against South Dakota State, totaling 25 points in the win. She has 343 points in a USD uniform.
• She can also pass 300 career rebounds with four more.
• Josie Hill is nearing 1,000 career points, currently at 976 (146 as a Yote).
• She is also passed 400 made field goals in her NCAA career, currently at 407.
• Turrubiates passed 1,000 career points including NJCAA stats earlier this season, but passed 800 NCAA points at Omaha, currently with 840.
• She needs four more rebounds for 600 in her career. She has also passed 200 career offensive rebounds.
• Olivia Moore needs 10 points for 300 in her NCAA career.
• Jenna Hopp has reached exactly 300 points in her career after her performance vs SDSU.
 
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 42.0 rebounds per game.
• The Coyotes are getting it done on both ends of the floor, ranking second in the conference in offensive rebounds at 12.5 per game, and ranking 13th nationally (first in the SL) in defensive rebounds at 29.6 per game.
• USD has outrebounded its opponents in 16 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.
 
DEFENSE WINS
• South Dakota has been the best defensive team in the Summit League this season, holding opponents to 55.7 points per game.
• The Coyotes lead the Summit League in scoring defense (55.7), field goal percentage defense (33.1%), and three-point percentage defense (26.1%).
• The Coyotes also rank inside the top 15 nationally in four categories: 2nd in FG% defense, 13th in defensive rebounds, 15th in scoring defense, and 15th in 3PT% defense.
• South Dakota has held opponents under 30% shooting in eight 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 16.8 points per game (28th in Division I).  
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