'A lot of players will play this year' for South Dakota women's basketball: Media Day notes

It’s hard to compare South Dakota women’s basketball in 2021-22 to what it will be in 2022-23. The Coyotes have nine returning players, but this is a completely different team than the USD team that made a run to the Sweet 16 last March. 

South Dakota graduated its three best players, guard Chloe Lamb, guard Liv Korngable and center Hannah Sjerven. Its two other starters, guards Maddie Krull and Kyah Watson, both transferred. The Coyotes brought their three returning seniors, guard Macy Guebert and forwards Jeniah Ugofsky and Allison Peplowski, to the podium for their annual basketball Media Day on Wednesday, but this season will be a lot about mixing in the “new pieces.”

“We're meshing very well,” Guebert said.

Senior guard Madison Grange joined the returners on the podium after starting every game at Utah Valley last year. The Coyotes added two freshmen and two more transfers in addition to Grange, but even the returners have little experience on the court for past USD teams.

South Dakota will look different this year, but with a Sweet 16 pedigree and a No. 2 ranking in the preseason Summit League women’s basketball poll, there is optimism.

“We're just excited to get back on the court,” Ugofsky said, “and just show the Coyote fans what to expect for this season.”

Grace Larkins emerging as a go-to option at the end of games

The end of games are “going to look different,” South Dakota head coach Kayla Karius said.

The Coyotes lose 84% of their scoring, 77% of their minutes played and all of their starters from last year’s team. That means, when a basket is needed in a close game on a winding-down clock, the players that USD could turn to in those moments last year are no longer around.

But sophomore guard Grace Larkins has taken steps in the offseason, Karius said, and has grown into a leadership role for the Coyotes despite it only being her second year. Larkins, last year’s Summit League Sixth Woman of the Year and a preseason All-Summit League second teamer, averaged 6.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game for USD in 2021-22.

In addition to Larkins, Karius said the senior group provide a “sense of comfort” to younger players should they get the ball at the end of the games.

“That's the fun stuff we got to do in Greece and put them in those types of situations,” Karius said. “(We’re) figuring out who that is going to be, who is going to step up and confidently make a shot when we really need them to.”

Utah Valley's Madison Grange discusses her transfer to USD

South Dakota transfer guard Madison Grange wanted somewhere she could fit in, make an impact right away. She didn’t know much about USD at the time, but she saw them in the NCAA Tournament last year. It was “so much fun to watch,” she said.

“Just knowing that winning culture here is just a part of who they are,” Grange said. “(That’s) something that was important to me, to be part of winning games.”

Grange, who competed for four years at Utah Valley, has an extra year of eligibility granted to her via the shortened COVID-19 season. She chose to use it with the Coyotes after averaging 10.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists as an every-game starter for USD. She brings in a similar size profile to former South Dakota women’s basketball star Chloe Lamb as a 5-foot-11 guard.

“I just knew right away that this is where I needed to be,” Grange said. “Super excited to get going with these girls this year.”

Karius: ‘A lot of players are going to play this year’

When the Coyotes went on their foreign tour to Greece in August, they were trying some things: a motion offensive style — trying to play a little more up-tempo. It was game action for a lot of players that hadn’t gotten it together before then.

Karius sees all that the Coyotes lost from last year, but also sees a “core group” of players that should be able to contribute heavily to the action this year. From freshman to seniors, Karius said “a lot of players are going to play this year.” That was a hallmark of past USD teams, with their high-intensity man-defensive style needing a fresh group of substitutes to maintain the pace, which Karius said won’t change.

“We have zero starters returning for last year. So what does that mean?” Karius said. “That means a lot of opportunities.”

That means a lot of “new faces” and “names” will be impacting the box scores for the Coyotes this season.

Miscellaneous

• Karius said USD forward Natalie Mazurek, who played a vital role off the bench before suffering a season-ending knee injury, is "coming along." She's been back on the court and shooting during USD's practices and the Coyotes will "continue to monitor her progress."

Follow Sioux Falls Argus Leader reporter Michael McCleary on Twitter @mikejmccleary.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: 'A lot of players will play' for USD women's basketball: Notes