South Dakota's Uzziah Buntyn stole the show at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center, scoring 26 points to lead the Coyotes to a 77-69 victory over Oral Roberts. The win marked a strong performance by South Dakota, who improved to 12-11 on the season. CHD Scout's pre-game prediction had South Dakota winning by 10.8 points, and while the margin was slightly narrower, the Coyotes' victory was a reflection of their strength.
The first half saw Oral Roberts take an early lead, with the Golden Eagles heading into the break up 37-31. However, South Dakota came out strong in the second half, with Buntyn and Cameron Fens leading the charge. Fens, who finished with 25 points and 13 rebounds, was a force to be reckoned with in the paint, while Buntyn's scoring prowess from the perimeter proved difficult for Oral Roberts to contain. Jordan Crawford added 11 points for the Coyotes, helping to seal the win.
Oral Roberts' Ty Harper put up a valiant effort, scoring 23 points and grabbing 5 rebounds. Ofri Naveh and Connor Dow also contributed significantly, with 17 points and 7 rebounds, and 10 points and 9 rebounds, respectively. Despite their best efforts, however, the Golden Eagles were unable to overcome South Dakota's balanced attack.
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Final
The Coyotes' victory was a significant one, as it marked a Quad 4 win for the team. While it may not have been the most high-profile matchup, the win will still be an important one for South Dakota's tournament resume. With a current NET ranking of 285, the Coyotes must continue to rack up wins in order to improve their chances of making a postseason push.
For Oral Roberts, the loss was another tough pill to swallow. The Golden Eagles, who fell to 5-18 on the season, are now firmly entrenched in Quad 4 territory. With a NET ranking of 326, it's unlikely that they will be able to make a significant push for the tournament. However, they will still look to play spoiler in their remaining games, and will hope to catch some of their opponents off guard.
In the end, South Dakota's strong performance was too much for Oral Roberts to handle. With Buntyn and Fens leading the way, the Coyotes were able to secure a hard-fought win and improve their tournament chances. As the season wears on, they want to build on this momentum and make a push for a postseason berth. The win over Oral Roberts may not have been the most glamorous, but it was an important one - and South Dakota will hope to use it as a springboard for the rest of their season.