Coyotes Looking to Lock up Number One Seed, Host IUPUI
With two games to play in the Summit League regular season, the South Dakota women's basketball team controls its own destiny.
If the Coyotes win out to close the season, they are guaranteed their first ever conference championship and the number one seed at the Summit League Tournament that comes with it.
USD split last week, winning 79-68 win at Denver, thanks to a big second half (51 points, 57% shooting) against the Pioneers. The Coyotes were cruising along with a ten-point lead late in the first half before a 8-0 Denver run made it a two-point game at intermission. USD head coach Amy Williams on what happened during that stretch:
That setup a potential title-clinching game in Brookings, but the South Dakota State had other ideas, beating the Coyotes 77-67. The Jackrabbit defense limited Raeshel Contreras, holding her to three-of-11 shooting and eight points, after she scored 32 in the first meeting. SDSU also outrebounded the Coyotes, outscoring them by 12 on second chance points. The one bright spot for USD was the return on point guard Tia Hemiller, who had missed three games with a knee injury. Coach Williams on Hemiller's return:
This week begins with a Thursday meeting with IUPUI at the DakotaDome. The Jaguars handed the Coyotes their worst loss of the conference season, 68-43 in Indianapolis last month. In that game, USD turned the ball over 21 times and scored just five points in the last 12 minutes of the second half. Coach Williams does not have fond memories of that game:
Tipoff is 7:00 PM Thursday in Vermillion.
More From KSOO-AM / ESPN Sioux Falls
