Sjerven Leads Coyotes Past Shockers 71-59

The Coyotes won one of three games in the U.S. Virgin Islands last week, with all three games being against Power Five Conference opponents. Entering Saturday’s game with the Shockers, the Coyotes had the number one strength of schedule in the nation according to Nolan Analytics.

“We want to get better every game, every day,” Lamb said. “Our schedule has given us a lot of opportunities to do that. It’s been really tough, but we’re hoping that helps us down the line.”

The Coyotes were led by a career high 35 points from Hannah Sjerven. The senior had 25 first half points.

“I think our team just made some really good reads,” Sjerven said. “That’s the best part about playing in this offense is every night everyone has the same opportunity to score. Tonight it was me.”

Sjerven also drew 15 Shocker fouls and converted 12-of-15 from the free throw line. She added seven rebounds in the win.

“I thought she played an incredible basketball game and then to come back after getting stitches (in the third quarter), that can be a very emotional thing and I thought she really kept her composure and played really well down the stretch,” USD head coach Dawn Plitzuweit said.

Joining her in double figures Saturday afternoon was Lamb, who tallied 14 points and eight rebounds, and Liv Korngable, who scored 12 points.

The Coyotes outscored Wichita State in each of the first two quarters to hold a 43-29 lead going into halftime. Wichita State outscored USD by one in the third quarter as Hannah Sjerven was held in check relative to the first half. Sjerven took an elbow to the mouth, causing her to go back to the locker room and miss a portion of the quarter.

“It was just a basketball play but her elbow happened to catch me in the mouth and I split my lip open, got some stitches quick and we’re good,” Sjerven said.

Sjerven returned to the bench with roughly 30 seconds left in the third and received an ovation from the USD crowd. Sjerven checked into the game with 22 seconds left in the quarter and played 32 minutes in the game.

Jane Asinde recorded a double-double for Wichita State, tallying 20 points and 11 rebounds. Mariah McCully added 13 points and the Shockers out-rebounded USD 44-24.

“I think we’ve got to go back and look at some area where we can continue to get better,” Plitzuweit said. “...We have to look at some opportunities to keep teams away from the offensive glass a little bit more. We’ve got to look at different ways late in the game we took some kind of early shots that we didn’t have to and then when we started trying to work the clock a little bit more, took some shots we didn’t score.”

The Coyotes stay home to host Bradley Monday night at 7 p.m.

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WICHITA STATE

Asia Strong 4-9 0-0 8, Jane Asinde 8-12 3-3 20, Mairah McCully 4-14 2-2 13, Carla Bremaud 0-2 0-0 0, Seraphine Bastin 3-10 3-4 9, Trajata Colbert 2-3 0-0 4, DJ McCarty 0-5 3-4 3, Shamaryah Duncan 0-1 0-0 0, Ella Anciaux 1-1 0-0 2, Carla Budane 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 22-57 11-13 59.

SOUTH DAKOTA

Hannah Sjerven 11-17 12-15 35, Liv Korngable 4-8 2-2 12, Chloe Lamb 6-15 0-0 14, Kyah Watson 1-5 0-0 2, Maddie Krull 2-8 0-0 4, Natalie Mazurek 1-2 0-0 2, Grace Larkins 1-4 0-0 2, Jeniah Ugofsky 0-0 0-0 0, Allison Peplowski 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 26-59 14-17 71.

WSU 16 13 19 11 –59

USD 24 19 18 10 –71

Three-Pointers: USD 5-23 (Korngable 2-6, Lamb 2-7, Sjerven 1-2, Larkins 0-2, Krull 0-2, Watson 0-4), WSU 4-19 (McCully 3-10, Asinde 1-1, Strong 0-1, Bremaud 0-2, Bastin 0-2, McCarty 0-3). Rebounds: WSU 44 (Asinde 11), USD 24 (Lamb 8). Assists: USD 17 (Korngable 5), WSU 10 (Bastin 3). Steals: USD 9 (Sjerven 2, Korngable 2, Lamb 2, Krull 2), WSU 7 (Asinde 3). Blocked Shots: WSU 2 (Anciaux, Budane), USD 1 (Sjerven). Turnovers: WSU 25, USD 12. Personal Fouls: WSU 25, USD 13.