VERMILLION, S.D. (Interstat) — Isaac Bruns scored 29 points and South Dakota used a dominant first half to defeat Prairie View 97-85 in a nonconference men’s basketball game Saturday at DakotaDome. The Coyotes built an 18-point halftime lead, shooting 54 percent before the break. The Panthers cut the deficit to single digits in the second half but could not complete the comeback. Bruns led all scorers, while Cameron Fens added 22 points and three blocks for South Dakota. Dontae Horne scored 20 points for Prairie View. The Coyotes attempted 44 free throws, making 34, while the Panthers shot 18. South Dakota improved to 6-6. Prairie View fell to 4-6. Attendance was 1,136.

VERMILLION, S.D. (Interstat) — Isaac Bruns scored 29 points and Cameron Fens dominated the interior with 22 points and three blocks as South Dakota held off a persistent Prairie View A&M rally for a 97-85 victory in a nonconference men’s basketball game Saturday at DakotaDome. The Coyotes, who improved to 6-6, used a blistering first-half offensive display to build a commanding 18-point halftime lead and then relied on a parade to the free-throw line in the second half to secure the win after the Panthers closed the gap to single digits. Prairie View fell to 4-6. South Dakota’s first-half performance was the decisive stretch of the game. The Coyotes shot 54% from the field before halftime and capitalized on 14 Prairie View turnovers to build a 54-36 advantage. Bruns was the catalyst, scoring 19 of his points in the opening period, including a driving layup with 45 seconds left that pushed the lead to 52-36. Jordan Crawford then beat the first-half buzzer with a 3-pointer from the wing, assisted by Shey Eberwein, to send the Coyotes into the locker room with their largest lead. The Panthers, however, refused to capitulate. They opened the second half with increased defensive pressure and began chipping away at the deficit. A 3-pointer by Keeshawn Mason and a driving layup by Tai’Reon Joseph highlighted a 9-5 run that cut the South Dakota lead to 64-53 with just over 16 minutes remaining. Prairie View’s leading scorer, Dontae Horne, who finished with 20 points, then spearheaded a more serious charge. His 3-pointer with 11:26 left brought the Panthers within 72-65, marking the first time the margin was under double digits since the game’s opening minutes. The Panthers’ defense forced several Coyote turnovers during this stretch, fueling their transition game. Every time Prairie View threatened, South Dakota had an answer, primarily at the free-throw line. The Coyotes attempted a staggering 44 free throws, making 34, compared to just 18 attempts for Prairie View. In the second half alone, South Dakota went 22 of 30 from the line, consistently halting Panther momentum. After Horne’s 3-pointer made it a seven-point game, the Coyotes responded with a 9-2 run over the next three minutes. The spurt was fueled entirely by free throws, with Isaac Bruns hitting four and Cameron Fens adding two, pushing the lead back to 81-67. Prairie View made one final push. A 3-pointer by Horne and a layup by Joey Madimba cut the lead to 87-82 with 3:17 remaining, sending a ripple of tension through the crowd of 1,136. Again, South Dakota turned to free throws. Bruns sank two, and after a Madimba layup, Fens converted two more from the line. A critical block by Fens on Cory Wells with 31 seconds left sealed the game, and Fens finished the sequence with a powerful dunk at the other end for the final points. Beyond the scoring of Bruns and Fens, South Dakota received key contributions from Uzziah Buntyn with 14 points and Jordan Crawford with 12. The Coyotes won despite being outshot from the field, as Prairie View connected on 51.5% of its attempts to South Dakota’s 47.5%. The Coyotes offset that by committing only one more turnover, grabbing 14 offensive rebounds, and creating a massive 34-13 advantage in made free throws. For Prairie View, Horne’s 20 points led the way. Tai’Reon Joseph added 15 points, Joey Madimba scored 12, and Keeshawn Mason contributed 11. The Panthers’ second-half effort saw them score 49 points on 58% shooting, but they could never overcome the first-half hole or South Dakota’s relentless ability to draw fouls. South Dakota next hosts Dakota State on Wednesday. Prairie View A&M returns home to face Paul Quinn next Saturday.

VERMILLION, S.D. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum before the holiday break will meet Saturday when the Prairie View A&M Panthers visit the South Dakota Coyotes in a nonconference men’s basketball game at the DakotaDome. The Panthers (4-5) are coming off a dominant 124-62 rout of Champion Christian on Dec. 6, while the Coyotes (5-6) look to snap a three-game skid after a 106-79 loss at Wyoming on Tuesday. Prairie View’s offense runs through guard Tai’Reon Joseph, who is averaging 22.8 points per game. He scored 31 points in just 24 minutes in the team’s last outing and has topped 19 points in five straight games. Forward Cory Wells added a double-double (17 points, 10 rebounds) in the win. South Dakota will counter with its own high-scoring guard in Isaac Bruns. He has been a bright spot during the Coyotes’ recent struggles, averaging 25.3 points over his last three games, including a 28-point performance in an overtime loss at Northern Colorado on Dec. 6. Both teams have faced challenging early schedules. The Panthers’ five losses have come against high-major opponents or in narrow defeats, including a one-point loss to Tennessee-Martin. The Coyotes’ losses include setbacks to Missouri, Creighton and Wyoming. The game represents a final tune-up before each team enters a stretch of lower-division opponents. Prairie View hosts Paul Quinn on Dec. 20, while South Dakota welcomes Dakota State on Dec. 17. Saturday’s contest will be the first meeting between the programs. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Central Time at the DakotaDome.