MBB: Coyotes improve to 8-0 in Summit with wins over Omaha

VERMILLION, S.D. (GoYotes.com) —Stanley Umude scored 22 of his game-high 32 points in the first half to lead South Dakota to an impressive 91-59 win against Omaha Friday inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.

Umude was simply fantastic in logging his third 30-plus effort of the season. He made seven shots in a row, including two triples, and totaled 20 points in all during a nine-minute span that gave South Dakota a 37-13 lead with six minutes left in the first half.

And he had help.

Big man Tasos Kamateros had 11 points and nine boards in the opening stanza while Kruz Perrott-Hunt totaled 11 more and assisted on two other buckets. Combined, the trio of Kamateros, Perrott-Hunt and Umude were 16-of-23 from the field in the first half and USD took a 54-20 advantage into the break.

The defense on the other end was equally impressive. Omaha (2-13, 0-5) shot just 26 percent (8-of-30) in the first half, made one free throw and was outrebounded 24-10. La’Mel Robinson made two of Omaha’s three 3-pointers in the first half. He went on to lead the Mavericks with a game-high 11 points.

Omaha made an adjustment on its offensive end, but South Dakota point guard A.J. Plitzuweit made a better one, scoring a career-high 37 points and adding eight assists in a highly-entertaining 97-93 win Saturday.

Plitzuweit on from start to finish in this one, making 14 of 23 from the field, including 5 of 10 from downtown, and setting up his teammates for open looks. Five of his season-high eight dimes were on 3-point buckets and USD made 12 of 24 from beyond the arc. USD is now 1-of-2 schools to have two different players score 37 or more points in a Division I game this season.

Stanley Umude backed up a 32-point performance Friday with 24 points, eight boards and five assists in this one. He was 10 of 15 from the field. South Dakota shot a season-best 60.7 percent overall (37 of 61).

The Coyotes (10-6, 8-0 Summit) are 8-0 to start conference play for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. They’ve won nine in a row dating back to late December, the program’s longest streak in 11 seasons. It’s the second season in a row South Dakota has swept its series with Omaha. It also sets a new conference win streak of eight straight conference wins which bests last years’ seven game win streak in conference play.

It sets up a showdown in Brookings next weekend with preseason Summit League favorite South Dakota State, the only other unbeaten team in the league at 4-0. Every other team has at least two losses at the midpoint of the Summit slate.