This wasn’t the kind of test the Coyote men’s basketball team wanted. Or needed, for that matter.
The USD Athletic Department said Wednesday that starting point guard Dustin Little will be out indefinitely after having surgery on a broken bone in his right hand.
The senior guard suffered the injury in a practice earlier this week. Little had started all 14 games this season and was leading the team in assists. He is averaging 6.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game for the unbeaten Coyotes (14-0).
Little becomes the second USD starter to go down with an injury this season. At the beginning of the season, junior center Steve Smith suffered a foot injury and missed three games.
Coyote head coach Dave Boots said Wednesday that junior reserve Jesse Becker will start in Little’s absence. Thanks to a deep and talented bench, the Coyotes have the luxury of bringing in someone of Becker’s ability to fill in for an injured starter. Becker has started 31 games in his career and has won 21 of those.
With Becker in the starting lineup, USD will have one less option off the bench — but still, the Coyotes easily have the most potent bench in the North Central Conference. Mitch Begeman, Rane Mergen, Nick Morrell, Nate David and Ben Kreklow are capable of competing with any second (or first) unit in the NCC.
Little’s size, composure, experience and knack for hitting big shots will be sorely missed, but the Coyotes have the kind of team that can bounce back from injuries.
— Jeremy Hoeck
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