by Britni Smith
VERMILLION, S.D.—Four Coyotes scored in double-figures as South Dakota defeated St. Thomas 75-61 Saturday night inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
After a tightly contested first half, South Dakota (18-9, 7-5) scored 10-straight points midway through the third quarter to take a lead and never allowed St. Thomas (14-12, 6-6) to get closer than eight for the remainder of the game.
Fourth-year junior guard Kendall Holmes led South Dakota in scoring for the second-straight game and ninth time this season. Holmes tallied 15 points to go with four rebounds and three assists. Junior guard Grace Larkins finished with a stat line of 12 points, eight assists, six rebounds and two steals. Larkins moved into 20th on USD’s career scoring charts in the game. Third-year sophomore forward Carley Duffney recorded her fourth-straight double figure game in returning to the starting lineup. She had 11 points and four rebounds. Fifth-year senior forward Tori DePerry scored 10 points coming off the bench.
Saturday marked the second time in three game four Coyotes scored in double figures for a game. South Dakota was well-balanced on the stat sheet with sophomore center Walker Demers adding nine points on 4-of-5 shooting, fourth-year sophomore center Natalie Mazurek tallying seven points and 10 boards, and fifth-year junior Alexi Hempe knocking down a pair of 3-pointers in the first half for six points.
St. Thomas guard Jade Hill scored a game-high 22 points on 8-of-18 shooting. Center Jo Langbehn finished with 12 points and five of the Tommies’ offensive rebounds. St. Thomas’ leading scorer Amber Scalia was held to eight points on 4-of-14 shooting.
The Tommies took an early lead in the game, jumping out 13-6, before the Coyotes closed out the opening frame on a 12-5 run as Mazurek tied it up at 18 all on a layup in the final second.
The two teams continued to battle back and forth throughout the second quarter with Hempe knocking down both of her 3-pointers in the final three minutes of the half to give the Coyotes a 37-34 advantage headed into the break.
Hill knocked down two buckets for the Tommies in the opening minutes of the third quarter to tie it up at 39. Then the Coyotes answered. Duffney and Holmes had five points apiece as the Coyotes went on a 10-0 run, turning a tie game into a 49-39 Coyote lead midway through the third quarter.
South Dakota extended the lead to as much as 16 points, leading 63-47 midway though the fourth quarter. The Coyotes went 7-of-8 from the stripe down the stretch to finish off the win.
The Coyotes shot 49.1 percent (28-of-57) from the floor and St. Thomas finished at 42.4 percent (25-of-59) from the field. The Tommies went 0-for-9 from three in the final quarter.
South Dakota capitalized with 22 points off 16 Tommie turnovers and scored 14 second-chance points.
