Women’s basketball announces non-conference slate
Dawn Plitzuweit and the USD women’s basketball team have announced their full non-conference schedule for the 2021-22 season, and there are a handful of 2020 rematches in the opening few weeks of the season.
The defending Summit League Tournament champions will open the season with back-to-back games against Power Five Conference foes in South Dakota’s borders. Both opponents are teams the Coyotes lost to during the 2020 season.
USD hosts Oklahoma Nov. 9 to open their regular season at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. The Coyotes lost at Oklahoma 80-73 last December. This time around the Sooners will travel up to Vermillion to open the season.
The Coyotes will face a Southeastern Conference foe for the third straight season and the second straight year in Sioux Falls. The Coyotes will take on South Carolina in a neutral site game played at the Sanford Pentagon Nov. 12.
Last season, USD opened its season with a 81-71 loss to the then No. 1 Gamecocks as a part of the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic at the Sanford Pentagon.
The first true road game will be Nov. 15 in Des Moines, Iowa. USD plays a regular non-conference foe, Drake. USD is 5-6 all-time against Drake, defeating the Bulldogs 102-94 in overtime in the two squads’ last matchup in 2019 in Vermillion.
The Coyotes have one final game before a Thanksgiving trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands when they host Briar Cliff Nov. 18. USD then takes on three teams in three days as a part of the Paradise Jam Nov. 25-27.
USD’s three opponents at the Paradise Jam are all Power Five Conference teams. The Big10’s Northwestern, SEC’s Texas A&M and ACC’s Pittsburgh will take the hardwood to face the Coyotes. Northwestern will see the Coyotes Nov. 25, Texas A&M Nov. 26 and Pitt Nov. 27.
After Thanksgiving, the Coyotes return home for three games within a week of each other. USD hosts Wichita State Dec. 4, Bradley Dec. 6 and Valparaiso Dec. 10.
The Coyotes defeated Wichita State 62-54 in 2020 and leads the all-time series with the Shockers 4-3. USD faced Bradley for the first time in school history in 2020, winning 84-68 at Bradley. The Coyotes haven’t faced Valparaiso since 2014, where the Coyotes won 81-62.
One of the most common non-conference foes USD has faced in recent years will end USD’s non-conference schedule. The Coyotes travel to Omaha, Nebraska to face Creighton Dec. 16. USD has won five straight games against the Bluejays, including a 72-65 win in 2019. USD leads the all-time series 13-12.
Four days later, the Coyotes will open conference play in Tulsa, Oklahoma against Oral Roberts, but until then, the Coyotes have one of the busiest and strongest non-conference schedules in recent years.
