University of South Dakota’s men’s basketball team will host Florida Gulf Coast University at 7 p.m. on Dec. 28 at the Sanford Pentagon.
It will be the first meeting between the two programs and the seventh Division I men’s basketball game in the Pentagon since it opened in 2013.
Tickets go on sale Tuesday at 11 a.m. at ticketmaster.com and the Pentagon box office.
Both teams played before sellout crowds at the Pentagon a year ago. FGCU defeated South Dakota State 71-58. South Dakota fell to UNLV 75-61.
The game becomes part of a bustling week of basketball at the Pentagon, which also hosts the Mike Miller Classic on Dec. 29 and the Boys’ Sanford Pentagon Classic on Jan. 2.
“The University of South Dakota travels well, so we are expecting a lot of red and another sellout,” said Eric Larsen, general manager of the Sanford Sports Complex. “It was a pleasure hosting Florida Gulf Coast last season, and the opportunity to bring that program back to face one of our local teams was too good to pass up.”
USD went 17-16 last season under first-year head coach Craig Smith. The Coyotes’ 9-7 record in the Summit League tied them for fourth in the final 2014-15 standings and the team advanced to the semifinals of the Summit League Tournament.
“The Pentagon is a world class venue,” said Smith. “Our players and everyone involved with our game last year in the Pentagon had a fantastic experience. This game in Sioux Falls is a great way to play in front of our largest alumni and donor base.”
FGCU finished 22-11 in 2014-15 and was the Atlantic Sun’s regular-season runner-up with an 11-3 mark. The Eagles accepted an invitation to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament after advancing to the semifinals of the Atlantic Sun Tournament.
