Nov. 13—MANHATTAN, Kan. — The South Dakota Coyotes women’s basketball team knocked off Kansas State 72-71 on Thursday afternoon, thanks to a game-winning 3-pointer from Patience Williams with 1 second remaining at Bramlage Coliseum.
Williams hit her three from the right wing to seal the Coyotes’ first win over a Big 12 Conference team since the Coyotes beat Baylor in the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2022. It was USD’s first road win of the new season, as well, moving to 4-0 overall.
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The Wildcats, who were receiving votes in both major top-25 polls, won 28 games last season, including putting up a 17-1 home mark.
The game was a tight affair from start to finish, featuring 15 lead changes and seven ties. USD led 34-28 at halftime before Kansas State (3-1) appeared to take control in the third quarter, outscoring the Coyotes 25-13 to build a 53-47 lead. However, South Dakota answered that with a 7-0 run for the lead early in the fourth quarter.
Jenna Hopp had a go-ahead layup with 1:55 remaining for USD at 69-68, only to see K-State come back with three free throws for a 71-69 edge. The Wildcats split a pair of free throws with 8 seconds left, leaving the door open for the Coyotes to chase the win.
Tori Schlagel led a balanced Coyote attack with 15 points, including three 3-pointers. Josie Hill was also a key contributor, scoring 13 points, while Jenna Hopp and Angelina Robles each added 11 points. South Dakota’s bench played a crucial role, outscoring their counterparts 32-37.
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For Kansas State, Taryn Sides led all scorers with 19 points on 6-for-9 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds. Gina Garcia was perfect from the free-throw line, going 12-for-12 on her way to 14 points and also dishing out a game-high six assists. Ramiya White chipped in with 12 points off the bench. Despite a significant 38-26 rebounding advantage, the Wildcats couldn’t hold off the Coyotes’ late rally.
USD will visit Idaho State at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, in Pocatello, Idaho.
