KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Interstat) — The South Dakota Coyotes defeated the Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos 82-75 in overtime Wednesday night in a Summit League men’s basketball game at Municipal Auditorium. UMKC led 31-23 at halftime, but South Dakota rallied in the second half to force the extra period, where it outscored the Kangaroos 18-11. Uzziah Buntyn led the Coyotes with 20 points, while Cameron Fens added 23. Chris Dockery scored 17 for UMKC. South Dakota improved to 13-12 overall. UMKC fell to 4-20. The Coyotes capitalized on 17 UMKC turnovers and shot 28 of 35 from the free-throw line to secure the road victory.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Interstat) — In a game defined by resilience and a relentless parade to the free-throw line, the South Dakota Coyotes outlasted the Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos 82-75 in overtime Wednesday night in a Summit League men’s basketball clash at Municipal Auditorium. The Coyotes, who squandered a late second-half lead, dominated the extra period to secure the road victory and improve to 13-12 overall. The Kangaroos, who fought back from a double-digit deficit, fell to 4-20. The most critical phase of the contest was unquestionably the overtime period, where South Dakota’s composure and offensive execution starkly contrasted with UMKC’s struggles. After a back-and-forth regulation that ended tied at 64, the Coyotes seized control by scoring the first seven points of overtime and never looked back. South Dakota’s overtime surge was fueled by Jordan Crawford and Uzziah Buntyn. Crawford opened the extra session with a clutch 3-pointer, and Buntyn followed with a pull-up jumper to quickly establish a five-point cushion. The Kangaroos, who had shot 50% from the field in regulation, went cold at the worst possible time, managing just one field goal in the first four and a half minutes of overtime. Meanwhile, the Coyotes iced the game at the charity stripe, making 10 of 12 free throws in the period to pull away. The game’s outcome was largely decided at the foul line, where South Dakota built a massive advantage. The Coyotes attempted 35 free throws, making 28, while UMKC went just 9 for 13. This disparity offset the Kangaroos’ superior shooting from the floor, where they connected on 50% of their attempts compared to South Dakota’s 40%. UMKC also dominated points in the paint, 48-28, and held a 20-11 edge in fast-break points, but 17 turnovers leading to 20 South Dakota points proved costly. South Dakota’s victory was anchored by standout performances from Buntyn and Cameron Fens. Buntyn, a guard from Round Rock, Texas, played a game-high 43 minutes, contributing 20 points and four assists while orchestrating the offense. Fens, a 6-foot-10 forward from Dubuque, Iowa, was a force inside, scoring 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field and a crucial 9-of-12 from the free-throw line. The Kangaroos were led by Chris Dockery of Las Vegas, who scored 17 points, and Jerome Palm of Almere, Netherlands, who added 14 points and two assists off the bench. U’Riyah Evans of Killeen, Texas, chipped in 16 points and four assists. UMKC’s interior defense was formidable, recording seven blocks, led by Senegalese center Babacar Mbengue’s five swats. The game began with UMKC asserting itself early, building a 31-23 halftime lead behind efficient offense and strong defense that held South Dakota to just 32% shooting. The Coyotes flipped the script entirely after the break, erupting for 41 second-half points. A 13-2 run midway through the period, capped by a Silas Bennion 3-pointer, gave South Dakota its first lead since the opening minutes and set the stage for the tense finish. Regulation ended in dramatic fashion. With South Dakota leading 64-62 in the final minute, UMKC’s Jamaria Clark was fouled on a drive and made two free throws with 38 seconds left to tie the game. South Dakota had a chance to win it, but a last-second shot was off the mark, forcing overtime where the Coyotes ultimately prevailed. The win keeps South Dakota in the middle of the Summit League pack as they prepare for a pivotal rivalry game at South Dakota State on Saturday. Missouri-Kansas City continues its search for consistency and will host Oral Roberts on Feb. 12.

Preview: South Dakota Coyotes at Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Interstat) — The South Dakota Coyotes look to get back to .500 in Summit League play when they visit the struggling Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos on Wednesday night at Municipal Auditorium. South Dakota (12-12, 4-5 Summit) is coming off a hard-fought 89-84 overtime loss to North Dakota State on Saturday. The Coyotes have shown resilience, alternating wins and losses over their last six games. They will rely heavily on guard Uzziah Buntyn, who is averaging 20.1 points over his last seven contests. Buntyn scored 25 points in 44 minutes against NDSU and poured in 26 in a win over Oral Roberts on Jan. 29. The Kangaroos (4-19, 1-8) are mired in a seven-game losing streak, most recently a 99-64 defeat at Saint Thomas (Minn.) on Sunday. Their lone conference win came against Omaha on Jan. 3. Guard U’Riyah Evans has been a bright spot, averaging 13.5 points and 4.8 assists per game. He scored 16 points with seven rebounds and four assists in the loss to Saint Thomas. This is a rematch of a Jan. 15 meeting in Vermillion, which South Dakota won 99-83. In that game, Buntyn had 10 points and six assists for the Coyotes, while Evans led UMKC with 14 points. The matchup pits South Dakota’s offense, which averages 78.5 points per game, against a UMKC defense that allows a Summit League-worst 84.2 points per contest. The Kangaroos also rank last in the conference in scoring offense at 70.2 points per game. For South Dakota, a win would solidify its position in the middle of the conference standings ahead of a key rivalry game at South Dakota State on Saturday. For UMKC, the game represents a chance to halt its lengthy skid and find momentum in the second half of the league schedule. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CST Wednesday.