The Game
South Dakota hosts Northern State at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the first game of a doubleheader inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center in Vermillion, South Dakota. It serves as South Dakota’s 2023-24 regular season opener.
The game will be streamed live on the Summit League Network available through the Midco Sports Plus app. Details on the new Summit League Network are available here. A radio broadcast from the Coyote Sports Network with Jerry Palleschi will also be available on KVHT 106.3.
Monday’s game is both Military Appreciation Night and Mental Health Awareness Night. In honor of Veterans Day, South Dakota is offering two free tickets to all active military members and veterans to the doubleheader.
The Coyotes
South Dakota kicks off its 53rd season of women’s basketball and second season under head coach Kayla Karius. The injury bug bit the Coyotes in Karius’ inaugural season as the squad had only eight available players at times down the stretch. The Coyotes spent the offseason reloading the roster with four freshmen, a pair of transfers and several athletes working back from last year’s injuries.
The Coyotes are led by returning all-Summit League first team guard Grace Larkins. She was selected to the preseason watch list for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year after a season where she ranked in the top-three of the league for points, rebounds, assists and steals. No player had ranked in the top-five of those four categories prior to last season. Larkins is joined on the league’s preseason team by sophomore forward Carley Duffney. Duffney entered the starting lineup in mid-January and she averaged 15.3 points and 5.1 rebounds in the final 12 games of the season.
The Wolves
Northern State, longtime members of the NSIC, was picked 10th in the conference’s preseason poll. The Wolves finished 18-12 a year ago. Senior guard Rianna Fillipi was tabbed as a player to watch by the NSIC, averaging 11.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game last year. Monday’s game will serve as an exhibition contest for the Wolves, who open their regular season on Friday in Oklahoma.
The Series
The Coyotes lead the all-time series against the Wolves 16-12. The two teams regularly faced off in the AIAW and during USD’s Division II era but have not met since 2007. South Dakota won the last meeting between the teams 89-53. Alumna Jeana Hoffman (’08) was the leading scorer in the game with 21 points.
Up Next
South Dakota hits the road to take on No. 22/23 Creighton at 11:30 a.m. Friday in Omaha, Nebraska.