Coyotes Ready For Summit League Showdown

Vermillion, SD

SDSU and South Dakota currently sit 1-2, respectively, in the Summit League men's basketball standings, and will clash on the court tomorrow night in Vermillion.  

In less than 24 hours the seats inside the Sanford Coyotes Sports Center will be filled as the Coyotes host South Dakota State.

USD's off to its best Summit League start in program history and is winner in six of its last seven games.

"Our coaches do a really good job scouting the teams and I think our defense is just what we really hone in on and so I think that's what's carried us to such a good start this season," junior Tyler Hagedorn said. 

"Early on our offense was really kind of a root canal to be quite frank. We were really struggling, missing opened shots, weren't executing the way we need to and certainly that was a point of emphasis after our loss to North Dakota State," head coach Craig Smith said. 

The Coyotes jumped to number nine in this week's CollegeInsider.com mid-major poll, which sets up a top-ten showdown with SDSU. The Jackrabbits are number six in this week's poll.

"I think overall we're just going to try to give them our best look defensively and hopefully we can put the ball in the hole more than they can," Hagedorn said. 

"We're really going to have to be on point with our defensive game-plan and of course Mike Daum is the returning player of the year and he causes all kinds of issues in terms of their schemes," Smith said. 

The last three games between USD and SDSU have been decided by a combined six points, including last year's two point Coyote win here in Vermillion. 

"We have an amazing state of the art arena and certainly it carries noise very, very well and it's going to be an electric setting, no question, like it always is," Smith said.

And head coach Craig Smith expects the Coyote-faithful will be loud and proud tomorrow night.
The game is part of the South Dakota Showdown Series, and fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable foot items in support of Feeding South Dakota.

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