USD basketball teams schedules announced

The Sanford Coyote Sports Center (SCSC) will see plenty of action this winter as both the South Dakota men’s and women’s basketball teams prepare to open their 2026-27 seasons.

The two programs will combine for 19 home non-conference games, giving Coyote fans several opportunities to see both teams in Vermillion before Summit League play begins.

Both teams open their seasons Nov. 2 at home. The men’s team will face Mount Marty, while the women’s team will take on York University.

South Dakota’s men’s basketball team will play 18 non-conference games, including 11 at the SCSC Eight of those home games will come during November.

The Coyotes begin the season with four consecutive home games against Mount Marty, Northern Kentucky, Cal State Fullerton and Houston Christian. Their first road game will be on Nov. 13 against Drake in Des Moines, Iowa.

The schedule also includes two road matchups against Big Ten opponents. USD will travel to Lincoln, Nebraska to face the Cornhuskers on Nov. 18 before taking on Iowa in Iowa City on Dec. 29.

South Dakota will also play Utah Tech at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls on Nov. 22.

The team will close nonconference play Jan. 2 against Ozark Christian at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center before beginning Summit League play Jan. 7 at Oral Roberts.

The women’s basketball team will play a 16-game nonconference schedule, including eight games at the SCSC. The Coyotes open with three of their first four games in Vermillion, facing York University, Texas Rio Grande Valley, and Idaho State. They will also travel to Sioux Falls on Nov. 11 to face off against Creighton at the Sanford Pentagon.

Their first true road game comes Nov. 18 against Chicago State, followed by a Nov. 20 matchup at Valparaiso. 

USD will close November with a home game against Nebraska Wesleyan before traveling to Jacksonville, Florida, for games against North Florida and Abilene Christian.

December includes home matchups against Waldorf, Bradley, Drake and Bellevue, along with road games against Lindenwood, Montana and Boise State.

The women will finish non-conference play Dec. 31 at Boise State before beginning Summit League play Jan. 7 against Oral Roberts.