Saturday night showdown

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The funs gets underway at 6 p.m. in the DakotaDome tonight.

That’s when the USD women’s basketball team tips off with MSU-Mankato.

The Coyotes, winners of 16 straight games (18-1) will put their win streak and perfect 4-0 North Central Conference record on the line while the Mavericks (16-4, 2-3 NCC) are coming off losses at Augustana (87-63) last Saturday and North Dakota (84-69) Thursday.

The fourth-ranked Coyotes, who are also the top team in the North Central Region, get a Mavericks team who is No. 16 in the national poll and sixth in the Region rankings.

This is a huge game for the Mavericks because they are looking to avoid going 3, 2, 1 out of the NCC championship race after facing the top league teams in that order.

The Mavericks use a line up that looks very much like USD’s. They have three guards, each around 5-foot-8 and two forwards at 5-foot-11 and 6-foot.

Tiffany Johnson is one player who the Coyotes will have to keep an eye on. The 5-foot-8 junior guard averages 16.5 points per game.

From seeing what Augie and UND did to the Mankato, I don’t think USD should have much of a problem handing the Mavericks.

Certainly, USD doesn’t want to get beat on their home floor. And, it is a chance for USD to basically make it a three team race with UND and Augie for the top three spots in the league standings.

Speaking of UND and Augie, they have a big game today at the Sioux Center in Grand Forks.

I expect the Coyotes to be able to pick up a 20-15 point win tonight and continue their win steak and perfection in the NCC.

After the women’s contest, the Coyote men take on the MSU-Mankato men. The Coyotes come in with an 18-1 record and a 3-1 mark in the NCC. USD is the fourth-ranked team in the National Poll and is third in the Region.

The Mavericks, who lead the NCC with a 4-0 mark and are 16-4 overall, are not ranked in the National Poll, but at No. 4 in the Region.

The match up of the Coyotes and Mavericks has become one of the best games year in and year out in the NCC. I don’t expect tonight’s game to be any different as Mankato is starting to high their stride.

The Coyotes need to get off to a quick start as Mankato usually does. Last Saturday, the Mavericks got up on Augie 24-7 and never really looked back on their way to a 91-78 victory.

Again, these are two teams that look to match up very well, but the Coyotes, as usual, usually have a height advantage and they do with the starting five. But, at times, this will be a very well matched game.

Here is a look at the starting five of each squad through the league:
Mankato USD
Jesse Clark, 6-foot point guard Nick Morrell, 6-foot-2 point guard
Preston Whitaker, 6-foot-3 guards Dylan Grimsely, 6-foot-6 guard/forward
Jake Morrow, 6-foot-4 guard Eric Hall, 6-foot-6 forward
Mitch Gosson, 6-foot-7 forward Tyler Cain, 6-foot-8 forward
Atla Santos, 6-foot-10 center Steve Smith, 6-foot-11 center

Morrow is a guy to watch. He averages a team-high 15.7 points per game, which is up to 18.8 in five league games.

Santos is averaging 15.1 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game. The Northern Iowa transfer has upped his stats to 16.8 points per game and 10.2 rebounds per game.

Jadee Jones, a D-I transfer from Furman, is the spark off the bench, similar to what Jesse Becker and Mitch Begeman have been for the Coyotes this season.

Jones averages 14.3 points and has hit 53 3-pointers.

This one will be awesome tonight and a back and forth battle is to be expected. You have a great big guys inside for both teams and good guards and forwards on the perimeter who can also get to the rim.

Hopefully, the Dome will be packed tonight. If you are free tonight, come to both games as these should be outstanding basketball contests.

Check with the volanteonline.com and this blog for post games reactions and stories.

– Vance Janak

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Filed under Coyote Men's Basketball, Coyote Women's Basketball, North Central Conference Commentary