Latest in our series of quick looks at the start of Summit League teams’ seasons. Tonight, South Dakota Coyotes.
What have we learned
There is a ton of change on the South Dakota roster. That is some of what has people skeptical about their prospects this season. That is certainly reasonable. However, with some very early returns, there are signs of optimism. Head coach Eric Peterson has preached wanted a team that could defend from the moment he arrived on campus. The returns on that end were not what he was hoping for last year. So this year the Coyotes added a ton of length and seem to be much more athletic. Early season reviews show the transfers may have an immediate impact in the league.
What are we pleased about
UCF transfer Lahat Thioune looks like he’s going to be a really tough matchup for Summit League bigs. We all knew Thioune had great size but he’s a good athlete and has a pretty polished offensive game. Louisiana Tech transfer Kaleb Stewart has also had an early impact. He needs more shooting efficiency but seems to have the coaching staff’s trust. Has the green light as a scorer. As far as freshmen newcomers, Issac Bruns has shown some flashes. Another newcomer Utah transfer Bostyn Holt also has the look of a player who will have an instant impact. The Coyotes are off to a 2-0 start with one win against a non-division 1 opponent and put up 100 points against UT Rio Grand Valley. The offense has looked sharp and the defense solid.
What are we concerned about
Honestly, Coyote fans couldn’t have asked for a better start to their season. Yet the sample size is still very small. The Coyotes have yet to play a team that will present them with a significant challenge. UT Rio Grand Valley is a high 200 Kenpom team but again the Coyotes beat them handily at home. The Coyotes have not yet been challenged. So while there has been reason for optimism, the next couple of weeks will help us see where this team really is at. Games against Depaul and Air Force will both be a great opportunity for South Dakota to show what this team has this season.
Early Season Surprise
SR Forward Lahat Thioune
Not trying to make this an article focusing on Thioune but the senior forward in 100 career games has averaged less than 3 points and 3 rebounds. In the past we have seen Power 6 drop-down players join the Summit come in with fanfare and not do much. Especially with similar career numbers, but Thioune has made a quick impact, including a 24-point 10 rebound performance against Rio Grand Valley. It was reasonable to think Thioune would have an impact on the defensive end and rebounding but if the Yotes get consistent offensive performance, they may have bigger things ahead this season.
Need to see more
Really just need to see more. However to get more specific. How do players who are holdovers from last season fit in with the newcomers? For the most part, other than guard Max Burchill were brought in by Peterson. The match to Peterson’s style I am most interested in watching on this year’s version of South Dakota is Paul Bruns. The former Summit League freshmen of the year while at North Dakota was a highly coveted transfer this year. Many would have projected him as a future star. Yet in this version, he may fit a more specific role. Very fascinated to watch what that role looks like as the season progresses.