Conrad Krutwig

Games 20 & 21
Opponent: Houston Baptist & Texas-Pan American
When: Thursday, Jan. 28, 7:30 p.m. CT
When: Saturday, Jan. 30, 4:30 p.m. CT
Where: Sharp Gym, Houston, Texas
Where: UTPA Fieldhouse, Edinburg, Texxas
Live Chat: HBUHuskies.com (Thursday)
Live Audio: B1027.com
Live Stats: UTPABroncs.com (Saturday)
Television: None

On the Slate
After claiming its first road win of the season last weekend at North Dakota, the South Dakota men’s basketball team (10-9, 2-1 GWC) travels to Texas this weekend to face the two squads leading the Great West Conference standings. The Coyotes tip off against first-place Houston Baptist (3-15, 2-0 GWC) at 7:30 p.m. CT on Thursday in Houston, Texas, before facing second-place Texas-Pan American (3-18, 2-0) at 4:30 p.m. CT on Saturday in Edinburg, Texas.

A live chat for Thursday’s contest is available through Houston Baptist’s web site at HBUHuskies.com. Live stats for Saturday’s game can be found on UTPA’s web site at UTPABroncs.com, while live audio for both games can be followed at B1027.com. Links for all three can be found above.

Scouting the Opponents
Long-time head coach Ron Cottrell has started his 19th season at Houston Baptist with a 3-15 overall record, but is tied for first in the Great West standings at 2-0. HBU began the 2009-10 campaign with a 1-12 mark after facing the likes of Michigan, Boise State, Creighton and Memphis, but is 2-3 in its last five contests. The Broncs began conference play with back-to-back home wins over Chicago State (66-56) and New Jersey Tech (75-62). HBU lost in its most recent action in an 84-73 game at UT Arlington.

Individually, junior forward Andrew Gonzales leads three Huskies averaging in double figures with 15.8 points per game. Senior guard Mario Flaherty averages 13.5 points and 8.4 rebounds and has 22 blocks on the season, while senior guard Wendell Preadom averages 11.8 points. Junior guard Michael Moss has a team-high 30 steals on the season and 3.2 assists per game. As a team, HBU averages 65.9 points per game while allowing 78.7. The Huskies have a minus 3.3 turnover margin.

Texas-Pan American and head coach Ryan Marks enter the weekend with a 3-15 overall mark, but also are currently tied for first in the league standings at 2-0. UTPA started the season 1-16 after facing several powerful programs, including three Big 12 schools, but has rebounded to win two of its last four contests. The Broncs opened league play with a 66-53 win over New Jersey Tech and followed with a 63-42 victory against Chicago State. In its latest action, Texas-Pan American lost 66-51 to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Monday.

Sophomore guard Jared Maree averages 9.3 points per game with a team-high 41 percent (14-of-34) from behind the arc. Senior forward Luis Valera adds 8.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game and leads the team with 11 blocks on the season. Junior guard Nick Weiermiller has 69 assists. As a team, the Broncs average 57.0 points per game and allow 72.4. UTPA has a minus 9.4 rebounding margin and plus 0.6 turnover margin.

Coyote History versus the Opponents
This weekend’s games against Houston Baptist and Texas-Pan American will be the first meeting for the Coyotes against both squads.

Last Time Out: Thomas Takes Coyotes Past Sioux, 82-64
Freshman guard Jake Thomas posted 27 points and senior forward Tyler Cain earned his fifth consecutive double-double to help the South Dakota men’s basketball team claim a regular-season sweep of North Dakota with an 82-64 win last Saturday night at the Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Thomas earned 27 points courtesy of five threes and a 12-of-12 showing from the free throw line, while Cain had 17 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard Roman Gentry contributed 19 points and sophomore guard Louie Krogman had a team-high five assists. USD shot 54 percent (27-of-50) from the field, including 68 percent (17-of-25) in the second half, to UND’s 38 percent (23-of-60) for the game.

Neither team found the basket easily in the first five minutes, as the teams went a combined 2-of-13 to open the game. Gentry got the Coyotes on the board and senior center Steve Smith hit a three to put USD up at the 14:34 mark, but UND hit back-to-back treys to spark a 14-6 run and took a 16-11 lead with 9:45 left. A Thomas trey and Cain layup tied the game at 16, before the two squads exchanged the lead three times over the next four minutes.

Smith knocked down two free throws and back-to-back deep threes from Thomas put the Coyotes on a 10-3 run in the last 4:12 to give USD control with a 29-23 halftime lead. Thomas had 14 points in the first half thanks to four threes, while Smith added five points and Cain had nine rebounds. USD shot 40 percent (10-of-25) from the field in the first frame compared to 25 percent (8-of-32) for UND. The Coyotes hit 67 percent (4-of-6) from the charity stripe, but committed 11 turnovers.

UND (3-16, 1-2 GWC) hit a quick three to open the second half and pull within three, but a Cain basket and back-to-back buckets from Gentry put the Coyotes up 35-26 with 16:03 left. Another Sioux trey broke South Dakota’s run, before Cain made a layup and free throws from Thomas ran the USD advantage to as many as 10 twice in the first six minutes of the half.

An improved USD defensive effort forced 12 UND turnovers in the second period and Gentry capitalized with the next seven points to lead USD on a 14-3 run at put the Coyotes in commanding control at 55-34 with 9:58 left. South Dakota pushed its lead to as many as 23 in the final seven minutes behind 17 points from Gentry in the second half. Cain and Thomas both had 13 in the second.

Cain Named Great West Athlete of the Month
USD men’s basketball player Tyler Cain was named the Great West Conference Athlete of the Month for December, the league office announced on Monday.

A native of Rochester, Minn., Cain earned the honor after averaging a double-double (13.8 points, 10.6 rebounds) in five games during the month. The 6-8 senior forward shot 56.9 percent from the field and had 13 assists and had team highs of 10 blocks and eight steals. Cain keyed USD in an 89-77 win over 2009 NCAA qualifier Binghamton with 14 points and eight rebounds. He was named the GWC Preseason Player of the Year in late October.

The Midway Point
Fifty percent seems to be the key to a USD victory so far this season. The Coyotes have shot above 50 percent in seven of their 10 wins, while the South Dakota defense has held its opponents below 50 percent in all 10 wins.

Free Points
The Coyotes made a staggering 52 trips to the free throw line in a 74-64 win over North Dakota on Jan. 23, and connected on 36 attempts. The mark was just five made free throws short of the single-game record, which is 41 set against Augustana during the 1995-96 season.

For the complete notes, click on the link above.