SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Courtesy of South Dakota Athletics) - A defensive slugfest broke out at the Sanford Pentagon Wednesday night, with the South Dakota women’s basketball team taking down regional foe Creighton 54-49.

The Coyotes managed just 34.1% from the field offensively, but it was the Coyote defense that shined. Creighton was just 13-57 (22.8%) from the field and 5-24 (20.8%) from three in the game. The Coyotes didn’t force a large number of turnovers, just 14, but was steady at forcing tough shots.

That stout defense showed up early as South Dakota jumped out to a 9-2 lead and led 12-5 after one quarter. Creighton went just 1-11 from the field in the opening quarter. All eight of USD’s first quarter points were scored in the paint, with the other four coming at the free throw line, where South Dakota attempted 32 shots on the night, converting 24 of them. 

Creighton made a comeback in the second quarter, using an 8-0 to cut a 20-11 lead down to just a single point, but after a USD timeout with 3:54 to play in the half, neither side scored for the remainder of the half. 

The Coyotes came out firing in the third quarter, scoring six straight to get the lead back to seven, four points coming from Tori Schlagel at the free throw line. A lay-up plus a shooting foul to get the old-fashion three-point play for Latazia Williamson stretched the lead back to 10 with 5:53 to play in the quarter.

Creighton responded with a run of their own to get back within three, 31-28, just two minutes later. A 40-34 USD lead was carried into the final frame.

Livi Downs opened the fourth quarter scoring for USD with a deep three-pointer, and a pair of Molly Joyce free throws had the Yotes back in business up by nine. The lead hovered between six and 10 points and with just four minutes to play, the Coyotes were comfortably ahead 48-38 in the low-scoring bout. 

Creighton brought out their full-court trap at that point, and a couple of 10-second calls turned into Creighton points and the lead was just five, 50-45, with 1:23 to play. The Coyotes managed the pressure in the final minute, breaking the press for a Williamson layup, and doing it again to get Joyce to the line for a pair of free throws. 

Joyce led USD with 14 points, but eight of those came at the charity stripe. Williamson recorded her first double-double of the season tallying 12 points and 11 rebounds. Downs tallied seven points and six rebounds. She also made the only two three-pointers for South Dakota. Bri Robinson was 5-for-5 at the free throw line and finished with seven points. 

Next up for the Coyotes is a home showdown with Idaho State. Last season at Idaho State, the Coyotes prevailed on a last-second three-pointer from Angelina Robles.

• South Dakota is 3-0 on the season and 1-0 in neutral site games this season.

• The Coyotes nearly doubled up Creighton in rebounding, 44-24.

• Joyce led USD with 14 points.

• Williamson recorded her first double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

• Downs and Robinson scored seven points each. Downs made USD’s lone two made three’s and Robinson was 5-for-5 from the charity stripe.

• USD has attempted 25-or-more free throws in all three games this season after reaching that total in just six games last season.