The University of South Dakota will play at Lamar University today in the second round of the Women's Basketball Invitational in Beaumont, Texas.
The Coyotes defeated Utah State 77-69 in the first round of the WBI tournament. USD's Nicole Seekamp powered the Coyotes in the first round with a game-high 33 points. Lamar defeated Presbyterian 70-48 in its first-round game. The Cardinals have won 39 consecutive non-conference home games.
The USD-Lamar winner will play McNeese State in the next round of the tournament. The Cardinals are the No. 2 seed in the West Region of the tournament. The Coyotes are the No. 6 seed of the West Region.
Seekamp leads South Dakota in scoring at 14.8 points per game. Margaret McCloud averages a team-best 7.1 rebounds per game. The Coyotes shoot 40.6 percent from the field and out-rebound their opponents by an average of 6.1 boards per game.
Sully Buttes graduate Alexis Yackley is a senior point guard for the Coyotes. She had a career-high 11 rebounds to go with nine assists and two points in USD's win over Utah State. Yackley averages 3.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game.
Shauna Long of Fort Yates, N.D., is a sophomore reserve guard for the Cardinals. The Standing Rock graduate is averaging 4.5 points per game. Kalis Loyd, Lamar's all-time leading scorer, who missed the win over Presbyterian, is listed as day-to-day. Loyd has played in 126 career games, tying Trashanna Smith for the school record. Lamar senior Jasmin Henderson has played in 125 career games heading into today's contest.