THIS WEEK: The Fighting Sioux (10-6) opened the week with an 82-59 victory over Mayville State on Monday to extend their home court winning streak to seven games. UND will look to make it eight straight at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center on Saturday when South Dakota (15-5) visits for a 4 p.m. tip-off. The UND-USD women's squads will be in action prior to the men's tip with their tilt set to start at 2 p.m.
UND PACK THE HOUSE CHALLENGE: Fans are reminded that the UND Pack the House Challenge will be held on January 24. The challenge, set by the NCAA, is for institutions across the nation to set site attendance records. Come join both the women's and the men's basketball teams as they work to set a new standard at the Betty.
MEDIA INFORMATION: All Fighting Sioux men's basketball games - home and away - can be heard on Cat Country 100.3 FM and on stations across the Fighting Sioux radio network, with veteran broadcaster Scott Swygman calling the action.
A video webcast of both games on Tuesday can be purchased at FightingSioux.com. A FREE audiocast and FREE live stats are also available at FightingSioux.com.
THE ALL-TIME SERIES: The Fighting Sioux has only played North Dakota State (286 meetings) and South Dakota State (182 meetings) more than the Coyotes in its history on the hardwood. This will be the 180th meeting between the two schools with the Sioux holding a 95-84 advantage.
UND owns the longest-winning streak in the series, reeling off 10 straight victories between 1932 and 1938. That fact was in jeopardy a year ago as USD had won nine straight before the Sioux ended that run with a 78-76 victory during the first round of the NCC Tournament in Vermillion last March.
UND holds a 54-28 series edge on its home court, but the Sioux have never beaten the Coyotes at the Betty (0-4). The largest-margin of victory for UND was a 34-point throttling on Feb. 25, 1982. The Coyotes' biggest win was a 96-66 setback for the Sioux in 1951.
ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA: The Coyotes are one team that will remain a rival of UND throughout its transition to the Division I level. Like the Sioux, USD is also in its transition year to that level and are spending this season as DI Independents. Both squads will resume a conference rivalry when Great West league play begins during the 2009-10 campaign.
This will be the first of two regular-season meetings during the year with a third match-up as a possibility in the season-ending Independent tournament the Sioux will host on March 7-8 at the Betty. UND will travel to Vermillion on Sat., Jan. 31 to conclude the home-and-home portion of the schedule with the Coyotes.
USD brings a 12-game winning streak with them to the Betty on Saturday after starting the campaign with a 3-5 record. The Coyotes have four former Division I players on the roster, including a pair (G Dylan Grimsley and C Steve Smith) that have started all 20 games this season.
Junior forward Tyler Cain is the team's leading scorer at 15.0 ppg, while Grimsley is second at 13.2 ppg. Freshman guard Louis Krogman is having a nice rookie season for the Coyotes, averaging 13.0 ppg.
Head coach Dave Boots has started the same line-up in 17 of 20 games this season with Cain and Krogman joining Grimsley and Smith with 20 starts a piece. Senior G Jesse Becker has been the primary fifth cog in Boots' line-up, earning 17 starts. Senior G Mitch Begeman has the other three starts and has seen action in all 20 contests.
Much like the Sioux, the Coyotes have sprinkled in Division I opponents throughout their schedule this season. USD has played four teams from the top level of collegiate basketball, posting a 1-3 record. The lone win came on Dec. 28 at New Orleans when the Coyotes defeated the Privateers, 74-66. USD has also played Cornell (79-69, loss) and Big East members Cincinnati (77-46, loss) and Notre Dame (102-76, loss).
The Coyotes have been scoring in bunches as of late. For the season, the club is averaging 81.3 ppg, but during their 12-game winning streak that average has climbed to 85.8 ppg. All five starters are averaging at least 9.4 ppg and the team is averaging just under eight three-point field goals a contest.
SOUTH DAKOTA COACHING STAFF: Head coach Dave Boots is enternig his 21st season at the helm of the Coyotes. He is the school's all-time leader in career wins with 438. Boots has compiled an overall record of 553-231, which also includes stints at his alma mater Augsburg College (six seasons, 100-56) and Anoka-Ramsey Community College (one season, 15-7).
Boots led the Coyotes to six North Central Conference titles and was named the league's coach of the year on six occasions. As his team transitions to the Division I level, the veteran coach ended his Division II run sixth on the all-time wins list. Boots is assisted by Joey James (sixth season, USD) and Chris Kassin (fifth season, USD)
LAST TIME VS. THE COYOTES: Last March, the Sioux snapped a nine-game losing streak to USD in dramatic fashion as senior F Emmanuel Little's basket with 0.9 seconds remaining gave UND a 78-76 victory during NCC Tournament first-round action in Vermillion. Little led the sixth-ranked Sioux with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while current UND players Travis Bledsoe (10 points) and Wes Porter (eight points) also contributed to the upset win over the second-seeded Coyotes.
UND'S LAST ACTION: After consecutive overtime wins at the Betty, the Fighting Sioux had a little easier time on Jan. 19, dispatching the Mayville State Comets by the score of 82-59. Reserve G Travis Bledsoe led three Sioux in double figures with 19 points.
Reserve F Mike Mathison (Walhalla, N.D.) sparked a 23-3 second half run with a three-pointer that sealed the victory for the home team. Junior F Travis Mertens (Devils Lake, N.D.) continued his strong play of late with 14 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Mertens has reached double figures in five-straight games, the longest such streak on the team. Senior F O.J. Harrison (Danville, Ill.) chipped in with 13 points.
