U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The first road trip of the 2024-25 season has arrived for the South Dakota women’s basketball program as they travel west to Colorado Springs and the United State Air Force Academy for a battle with the Falcons.
South Dakota (0-1) and Air Force (1-0) are meeting for just the second time, and the first time since the 1988-89 season. The Coyotes pulled out the victory at Air Force the first time around and will look to do the same thing Friday afternoon. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. Central Time (4 p.m. MT) in Clune Arena.
HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
The Coyotes and Falcons will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network. You can also listen live to Jerry Palleschi, the voice of Coyote women’s basketball, on KVTK 1570 AM in Vermillion or on the Varsity Network App.
LAST TIME OUT
• In South Dakota’s season opener Monday, it fell to Saint Louis 85-83 in overtime.
• The Coyotes overcame a 17-point third quarter deficit to force overtime.
• Three Coyotes set career-highs in minutes played: Carley Duffney (42), Coral Mason (23), and Addison Klosterbuer (15).
• Cassidy Carson played in her first game since March 5, 2023, tallying nine points and a career-high 5 rebounds.
• South Dakota lost an overtime game for the first time in over a year (Feb. 2023), having won three straight OT games prior to Monday.
TAKING A STEP FORWARD
• Carley Duffney (Jr., Green Bay, Wis.) ended the 2023-24 on a hot streak, scoring in double-figures in five straight to close the year. She carried that momentum over the offseason and into Monday’s game against Saint Louis.
• Duffney scored 18 points in a career-high 42 minutes of action, her sixth straight double-digit scoring effort.
• She is one of two Coyotes with 20-point scoring efforts in a USD uniform, totaling five 20-point scoring games (Grace Larkins has 21 after Monday).
• Duffney was inserted into the starting lineup late in the 2023-24 season, starting the final 10 games of the year.
• Her 11 consecutive starts after Monday’s opener is the second longest active streak behind Larkins’ 67.
HITTING THE ROAD
• The Coyotes play a road game for the first time this season Friday at Air Force. It is the first of 14 games away from the Sanford Coyote Sports Center during the 2024-25 season.
• In the last 10 seasons, the Coyotes are 5-5 in their first game away from Vermillion.
• Last season, the Coyotes fell at No. 22/23 Creighton 81-55 in their first road game of the season.
• This is the Coyotes second trip to the United States Air Force Academy, but is the first time in nearly 36 years.
INSIDE THE AIR FORCE SERIES
• The Coyotes and Falcons meet for the second time in series history.
• The Coyotes won the lone previous meeting between the two programs, a 85-77 win at Air Force during the 1988-89 season.
• Three Henry Heider Coyote Sports Hall of Famers were on the team that defeated the Falcons in 1988: • Jodi (Pipes) Altenburg, Diane (Lutz) Wilquet, and Stacy (Kracht) Huber.
• The time between meetings is 35 years, 11 months, and six days (Dec. 2, 1988-Nov. 8, 2024).
YOTES VS. THE MOUNTAIN WEST
• Since becoming a Division I member, the Coyotes have played 11 games against five different Mountain West members.
• USD is 7-4 against the conference.*
• The Coyotes are undefeated against two MWC foes: San Jose State (2-0) and Utah State (1-0).
• South Dakota has faced Wyoming (2-1) and Colorado State (1-2) more than any other MWC team.
• USD takes on two MWC teams this season, Air Force and Wyoming (Dec. 15).
*The first meeting between USD and Air Force doesn’t count towards these records as the MWC was founded in 1999.