Larkins, USD women defeat South Carolina State

SIOUX FALLS — Grace Larkins loaded the stat sheet, and the South Dakota women's basketball team beat South Carolina State 72-52 on Saturday afternoon at the Sanford Pentagon.

Larkins was 5-of-5 shooting for a team-high 16 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Tori DePerry added 12 points and four rebounds, and Alexi Hempe and Olivia Kieffer each notched nine points.

The Coyotes shot 50 percent from the field, made 10 3-pointers, and held South Carolina State to 40.9 percent shooting.

USD finished the first quarter on a 9-0 run to lead 22-13. After going up by 17 points in the second quarter, the Coyotes sustained a double-digit lead for the game's duration.

Jordan Releford had a team-high 11 points for the Bulldogs, while Taniya McGowan and Cassandra Colòn each tabbed 10 points.

The Coyotes (4-3) host Northern Iowa in a game at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Vermillion.