Dylan Grimsley scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds in USD's 71-61 win over Minnesota-Duluth.

VERMILLION, S.D. -- Despite having to overcome a cold first half shooting performance, The University of South Dakota men’s basketball team rallied for a 71-61 win over the University of Minnesota-Duluth. A 10-0 run midway through the second half helped spark the 4th-ranked Coyotes to their 13th-straight home win, dating back to the 2006-07 season.

USD (18-1, 3-1 NCC) shot just 25.0 from the field in the first half, but thanks to 12-of-14 shooting from the foul line they trailed by just one going into halftime. Minnesota-Duluth’s (8-13, 1-5 NCC) 1-2 scoring punch of Jordan Nuness and Brian Sykora were responsible for 20 of the team’s 30 first half points.

It looked as though the Coyotes’ shooting woes were going to continue in the second half, as they came out of the break still in their first half shooting slump. It wasn’t until the 15:21 mark that nation’s fourth-ranked team made a second half field goal. However, from that point on the Coyotes would regain their shooting touch.

Dylan Grimsley’s (Jr., Sioux City, Iowa) layup at the 15:21 mark sparked a string of three-straight baskets without a miss by South Dakota. Tyler Cain (So., Rochester, Minn.) made a pair of layups to give the team its biggest spark of the game.

Minnesota-Duluth would stay with USD for the next five minutes, not allowing the lead to get larger than six. The Bulldogs would come back to within one at the 9:31 mark by outscoring the Coyotes 7-2. Nuness hit a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer to bring the score to 45-44, USD.

After the two teams traded baskets, Dustin Little (Sr., Castlewood, S.D.) broke free for a layup that ignited the game clinching 10-0 run. Eric Hall (Sr., Huron, S.D.) followed Little’s layup with one of his own and then buried a 3-pointer to put USD up by nine. Shortly after Hall knocked down his three, Jesse Becker (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.) put one down of his own as the team went up by 12 with 6:13 to play.

Once UMD snapped the 10-0 run, the Coyotes refused to let them back in the game as they answered every Bulldog basket with a score of their own to close out the game.

Hall led the team with 19 points on the night. He made three 3-pointers and was 6-of-7 from the foul line. He also added six rebounds and three assists.

Becker and Grimsley each had 16 points for the Coyotes. Becker made a season-high six free throws as he was perfect from the charity stripe. Grimsley was also a perfect 6-of-6 from the foul line and scored all five of his field goals in the second half. He finished the night with eight rebounds.

Cain led USD in rebounding with nine rebounds while also adding six points and four blocked shots.

South Dakota made up for its poor first half shooting by making 57.7 percent of its second half shots. They were 15-of-26 from the field in the final session and finished the night at 40.7 percent. Free throws were a big key for USD. The Coyotes came into the game shooting just over 70 percent from the foul line, but converted 21-of-25 against Minnesota-Duluth.

Nuness and Sykora finished up with 48 combined points for the Bulldogs. Sykora led all players with 27 points and 14 rebounds. Nuness had 21 points on 4-of-6 shooting from behind the arc.

#4 South Dakota will have a huge North Central Region matchup on Saturday, February 2 against Minnesota State. In the first region ranking that was released on Wednesday, USD was third with Minnesota State right behind them at four. MSU is the only team remaining that is undefeated in NCC play. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.