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Coyotes continue climb, up to No. 15 in USA Today Coaches Poll

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VERMILLION, S.D. (GoYotes.com) —South Dakota women’s basketball continues its climb up the USA Today Coaches Poll to No. 15 in the latest poll announced Tuesday.

No. 15 South Dakota (24-2, 13-0 Summit League) is one of 12 teams in the nation that remain undefeated in conference play this season. The Coyotes are one win away from clinching a share of the regular season title and two from winning it outright.

Last week’s slate included an 88-51 win over Western Illinois and a 77-73 road victory at Oral Roberts.

South Dakota’s placed five or more players in double-figures for three-straight games. Junior guard Chloe Lamb scored a career high 24 points in Saturday’s hard fought win at Oral Roberts. Junior Hannah Sjerven paced the Coyotes with 18 points on Thursday against Western Illinois. Senior forward Taylor Frederick, senior guard Madison McKeever, senior guard Ciara Duffy and junior guard Monica Arens also reached double-digits.

Both of South Dakota’s rankings this week – No. 20 in the Associated Press poll and No. 15 in the USA Today Coaches poll – mark program highs.

This marks South Dakota’s 12th consecutive week in the USA Today Coaches Poll, while the Coyotes have been ranked in the AP Top 25 for eight weeks this season.

The 2019-20 Coyotes have put together the second-most appearances in a season by a Summit team. The 2008-09 South Dakota State women’s basketball team spent 14 weeks in the USA Today Coaches Poll and 10 weeks in the Associated Press poll.

South Dakota hosts North Dakota State in its annual Pink Game at 7 p.m. Thursday inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. The Coyotes are auctioning off four jerseys, matching the numbers of the four Coyote seniors, with funds raised to be donated to the Dakota Hospital Foundation. Visit GoYotes.com/auctions to place your bids.