VERMILLION, S.D. (USD) — Shey Eberwein scored a career-high 15 points in 21 minutes off the bench Sunday evening, as the South Dakota men’s basketball team earned a 77-47 win over Mount Marty. The Coyotes completed a 3-0 week at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center with today’s win and start the season 3-0 for the first time since the 2019-20 campaign.
Eberwein went 5-for-9 from the field and 3-of-6 from deep on his way to 15 points. Isaac Bruns and Dre Bullock notched their third straight game in double-figure scoring. Bruns scored 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting with five rebounds and two steals, while Bullock had 10 points on 3-of-6 shooting, four boards and three steals. Nine Coyotes scored five or more points in the contest.
Max Burchill got the day going with a 3-pointer on the Coyotes opening possession, and the Yotes would hold onto the lead throughout the entirety of the game. The Bruns brother gave the Coyotes their first double-digit lead of the day, as Paul Bruns came away with a steal at the 14-minute mark and found Isaac Bruns cutting for an easy fast break bucket that put USD up 17-6. Cameron Fens scored four straight, a pair of free throws and a layup, that pushed USD to its largest lead of the first half, 20. South Dakota went into the locker room with an 18-point advantage (40-22) after Paul Bruns connected on a layup at the buzzer.
Isaac Bruns led the Yotes in scoring in the first half with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting and was followed by Eberwein and Fens’ six points.
The Coyote lead stayed above 20 points for the majority of the second half, with it growing to as many as 30 points following a pair of Ashton Smith free throws with 3:16 left. Eberwein scored nine of his 15 points in the second half, connecting on 3-of-6 attempts with one trey. The Coyotes shot 36.4 percent from the field in the second frame but held the Lancers to 25 points on a .290 shooting percentage.
South Dakota scored 32 points in the paint, 25 off Mount Marty turnovers, 26 on fast break and received 41 points from the bench unit. USD won the rebounding battle 46-32 with 16 offensive rebounds. Paul Bruns was the Yotes leading rebounder for the second straight game with six with four of those coming off the offensive glass.
South Dakota will hit the road for the first time this season, as they travel to Iowa City, Iowa for a meeting with Iowa Tuesday at 8:00 p.m.
Notes
- South Dakota is now 3-0 on the season and at the SCSC
- USD last started with a 3-0 record in the 2019-20 season
- Shey Eberwein scored a career-high and led the Yotes in scoring for the first time with 15 points
- Isaac Bruns and Dre Bullock have scored in double-figures in all three games. Bruns had 11 points and Bullock tallied 10
- Paul Bruns led the Yotes in rebounding and assists for the second straight game with six boards and five helpers
- USD forced a season-high 24 turnovers with 11 steals and scored 25 points off turnovers
