by Bryan Boettcher, USD Sports Information
MACOMB, Ill.—All five South Dakota starters scored in double figures and the Coyotes notched their fifth consecutive win in a 75-72 decision against Western Illinois Monday inside Western Hall.
The Coyotes (12-7) won both games on an extended road trip to improve to 5-3 in Summit League play. They sit alone in third place with home games against North Dakota State (Thursday) and North Dakota (Saturday) on the horizon.
Tasos Kamateros had 17 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season to pace South Dakota. Mason Archambault (SRST) scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half. Boogie Anderson equaled his career-high of 14 points while dishing out a career-best six assists.
It was another positive result on a grueling trip that was extended two days after illness postponed Thursday’s scheduled matchup with Western Illinois.
“We prepared for three games, played two, and we’ll be on a bus 30-plus hours in all before getting back to campus tomorrow,” said USD head coach Todd Lee. “I couldn’t’ be more proud of our guys. To get road wins under these circumstances really shows our guys’ character and how tough they are.”
The Coyotes had made a combined 29 three-pointers in their previous two wins, but were 3-of-15 Monday. They grinded out the win by holding Western Illinois to 3-of-17 from beyond the arc and by turning it over just eight times. Kruz Perrott-Hunt scored all 11 points in the first half, Hunter Goodrick chipped in 10 and Keaton Kutcher came off the bench and offered seven points.
Western Illinois (12-8, 3-5) got 18 points from Luka Barisic and 17 from Trenton Massner, but USD limited another top scorer, Will Carius, to six points on 1-of-9 shooting and Massner mustered just two points past halftime.
The Leathernecks trailed by double-digits at four different occasions in the first half, but climbed to within four at 40-36 at the break and took a lead for one possession early in the second half. Kamateros made a number of key buckets off isolation down the stretch and the Coyotes held the Leathernecks scoreless over their final four possessions spanning the final two minutes. Massner had a good look at 3 in the final seconds, but came up short.
