Six South Dakota players scored in double figures and the Coyotes shot 54 percent from the field to defeat Oregon 88-54 in front of a crowd of 5,080 fans at the DakotaDome Wednesday night.
The Coyotes advance to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament Championship game, which will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in Vermillion.
South Dakota (31-6) held the nation’s leading 3-point shooting team, Oregon (24-11), to 5-of-14 behind the arc.
Meanwhile, more than half of the Coyotes points came from deep while shooting 15-of-21 (71.4 percent). The defining moment for USD’s 3-point shooting came with six minutes remaining in the game as senior guard Tia Hemiller threw a one-handed heave from half court as the shot clock buzzed and the ball swished through the hoop.
Senior guard Kelly Stewart and junior center Abigail Fogg each scored 14 points, tying Fogg’s career high. Hemiller added 13 points while dishing out six assists.
The Coyotes followed a 39-25 halftime lead with a 29-7 third quarter.
South Dakota hosts the winner of Thursday’s Michigan vs. Florida Gulf Coast game in the WNIT Championship at 2 p.m. Saturday in the DakotaDome.
