December 17, 2025
MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) played their second exhibition game against NCAA Division I Summit League member, South Dakota, Wednesday evening at Sanford Coyote Sports Center. Despite grabbing a 39-33 halftime lead, the Trojans were outscored by the Coyotes 47-32 in the final twenty minutes as USD earned an 80-71 victory.
It was the second exhibition game that the Trojans held the NCAA Division I Summit League member into single digits (South Dakota State 68-62 on Nov. 6).
Dakota State remains at 11-1 overall record, while South Dakota improved to 7-6 overall record.
Game Summary
Dakota State came out of the gate with momentum, using a hot start to build an early lead. The Trojans shot efficiently in the first half, hitting 53.1 percent from the field (17-of-32 field goals), and led 39-33 at intermission.
Nathan Ojukwu led DSU's first-half offense with a big performance, scoring 18 of his team-high 27 points before the break. He was efficient all night, finishing 11-of-22 from the floor. Other contributors included
Kaleel Sutton-White with 10 points and
Ryan Beckwith with six points.
However, South Dakota turned the tide in the second half, outscoring the Trojans 47-32 over the final 20 minutes. The Coyotes' offense found a rhythm, particularly at the free-throw line, converting 23 of 39 attempts and improving their scoring efficiency.
The game was knotted at 61-61 with under eight minutes to go as the Coyotes closed the game with a 19-10 run.
Isaac Bruns led USD with 23 points, shooting 5-of-10 from the field and 12-of-16 at the free-throw line. Jordan Crawford added 15 points, while Cameron Fens contributed 13, giving South Dakota a balanced scoring attack that proved difficult for DSU to contain.
Key Performances
Dakota State Trojans
South Dakota Coyotes
- Isaac Bruns: 23 points (5-of-10 FG, 12-of-16 FT)
- Jordan Crawford: 15 points and 5 rebounds
- Cameron Fens: 13 points, 11 rebounds
Team Stats & Notes
- Shooting: DSU finished with a solid 49.2 percent overall field goal percentage (30-of-61 field goals), while South Dakota shot 49.1 percent (26-of-53 field goals).
- Free Throws: The Coyotes' edge at the line with 23-of-39 free-throws compared to the Trojans' 7-of-10 free-throws.
- Rebounding: USD outrebounded DSU 37-32 on boards.
- Lead Changes, Ties, Largest Lead: There were a total of eight ties and two lead changes in the game. Dakota State held the lead for 17 minutes and 16 seconds compared to South Dakota 21 minutes and 19 seconds. DSU's largest lead of the game was at nine points (39-30 with less than 40 seconds in the first half). USD's held the biggest lead of the game at 12 points (75-63 with 3:28 remaining).
Up Next
Dakota State heads into their Christmas break and returns to action on Sunday, Dec. 28 in another exhibition game with NCAA Division I Summit League member, North Dakota. The game is set for 1 p.m. at Betty Engelstad Sioux Center in Grand Forks, N.D.
