Official Athletic Web Site of the University of South Dakota CoyotesMen's Basketball

Jan. 20, 2001

VERMILLION, S.D. - The University of South Dakota men's basketball team (14-2, 8-1 in the NCC) received strong performances from its three seniors in holding off visiting Morningside College (11-6, 5-4 in the NCC), 77-73, in North Central Conference basketball Saturday night at the DakotaDome.

South Dakota, which retained first place in the NCC with an 8-1 mark, received 22 points from senior forward Jeremy Kudera, including seven of 10 from three-point range. Kudera, who has struggled at times from long range this season, found his stroke tonight. His seven three-point baskets were just one away from a school record and he now has 185 three-point baskets in his Coyote career. Kudera also grabbed seven rebounds. Senior center Jason Barrow just missed a double double with 18 points and nine rebounds. His presence inside was a key factor in the Coyote win. He hit seven of 14 field goals. And, record-breaking senior point guard Nate Tibbetts set a new Coyote school record in career assists. He dealt out nine assists to move past Rick Nissen (1972-76) and into first place with 599 career assists. He set the Coyote single season mark a year ago with 216.

The Coyotes improved their all-time record with Morningside to 110-77. The Coyotes have now won 16 of the past 21 meetings between the schools. With Dave Boots at the South Dakota basketball helm, the Coyotes have a 20-8 series advantage over Morningside. The Coyotes have won nine of the last 11 games vs. the Mustangs and 10 of the last 11 at the DakotaDome. Boots is now 263-102 (.720) at South Dakota and his Coyotes' teams have a 158-30 (.841) mark at the DakotaDome.

On a cold night outside, the game inside was hot. Both teams shot the ball extremely well Saturday night. The Coyotes hit 27 of 49 field goals for 55.1 percent and Morningside made 30 of 54 for 55.6 percent. Led by Kudera, the Coyotes hit 10 of 19 (.600) three-point baskets and the Mustangs hit six of 15 for 40 percent. The Coyotes were less torrid from the free throw line making 13 of 21 for 61.9 percent and Morningside was seven of 11 for 63.6 percent.

All in all, it was a battle from the opening tip-off until the final buzzer sounded. After the Coyotes jumped to a 2-0 lead on a lay-up by Barrow, the Mustangs answered with consecutive three-point baskets from Heath Orvis for a 6-2 lead at the 17:00 mark. A three-point basket by Kudera gave the Coyotes an 11-10 lead with 15:07 to play.

Matt Schneiderman, who hit all eight of his field goal attempts and tallied a team-high 19 points for Morningside, hit a jumper to give the Mustangs a 17-13 lead with 13:48 left in the half. The Coyotes answered with a 7-2 run, as Barrow scored inside for a 20-19 lead at the 10:13 mark. But the margin would not grow very large for either squad in the opening half. The Coyotes moved ahead 27-22 when Steve Anderson scored on an offensive rebound and putback with 4:36 left to play. Morningside hung tough, grabbing a 30-29 lead at the 1:42 mark on a jumper by Derek Paben. Lay-ups by Jimmie Foster and Paul Marshall gave the Coyotes a 33-32 lead at the break. In the opening half, the Coyotes hit 13 of 26 field goals for 50 percent, including four of nine (.444) from three-point range. Foster had 11 points and Kudera added nine to lead South Dakota. The Mustangs also hit 50 percent from the field, connecting on 14 of 28 shots. They were three of eight from three-point range. Paben had nine points and Scheiderman added seven to lead the Mustangs.

Both teams traded baskets early in the second half before the Coyotes went on a 5-0 run to grab a 42-36 lead with 15:23 to play. Kudera hit a three-pointer to key the Coyote charge. Once again, the visitors fought back. They pulled within 42-41 when Schneiderman knocked home a three-point basket at the 13:45 mark. The Coyotes answered with an inside basket from Barrow and a lay-up by Tibbetts for a 48-43 lead with 12 minutes to play. A little over a minute later, Marshall hit a three-point basket as the Coyotes grabbed their largest lead of the game, 53-45. A lay-up and free throw by Justin Van Meeteren pulled Morningside within 55-50 with 9:26 to play before the Coyotes took off an another run. South Dakota outscored Morningside, 8-0 to move ahead 63-50 at the 7:56 mark of the second half.

In the rough and tumble NCC, leads can be hard to hang onto. That proved itself on Saturday night as the Mustangs took off on a 15-1 run to grab a 65-64 lead at the 3:31 mark. Paben hit a jumper to give Morningside its first lead since the opening seconds of the second half. Another Paben jumper and a free throw moved the margin to 68-65 at the 3:00 mark. But the Coyotes, who improved their home record to 8-0 on the season, rallied with a three-pointer by Marshall to tie the game (2:41) and another three-pointer from Kudera to grab a 71-68 lead with 1:42 to play. A free throw by Tibbetts gave the Coyotes a 72-68 lead with 53 seconds left to play. Dusty Wadlington, Morningside's quick 5'5 guard, drove inside for a lay-up with 40 seconds left as the Mustangs cut the lead to 72-70. However Morningside was forced to foul and free throws by Kudera and Marshall gave the Coyotes a 75-70 lead with 18 seconds left. Two foul shots by junior guard Eric Hickenbottom gave the Coyotes a 77-70 lead with five seconds left. Wadlington hit a three point basket with three seconds left to close out the scoring.

The Coyotes received 14 points from Marshall, who with Kudera hit three-point baskets for the 16th straight game. Foster had 13 points and four steals. For Morningside, Paben chipped in with 18 points by hitting seven of 12 shots from the field. Wadlington had 12 points, five assists and three rebounds by Andrew Drevo had 11 points. The Coyotes won the rebound battle, 30-28.