USD WBB: Coyotes invited to Puerto Rico Classic

VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota women’s basketball has accepted an invitation to compete in the 2018 Puerto Rico Classic held Dec. 19-21 at Mario Morales Coliseum in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. 

Joining the Coyotes in the four-team tournament are the Big Ten’s Indiana, the West Coast Conference’s Loyola Marymount and the SWAC’s Grambling State. 

South Dakota (29-7) returns 10 players from a team that swept the Summit League regular season and advanced to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals. The Coyotes return 64 percent of their scoring from a season ago, including all-Summit League first team guards senior Allison Arens and junior Ciara Duffy. 

Indiana (23-14) returns 11 of 13 players who led the Hoosiers to a WNIT title in 2018. Indiana’s roster this season features eight underclassmen, highlighted by 2017-18 Big Ten All-Freshman guard Jaelynn Penn. 

Loyola Marymount (19-11) won its first seven games last season as the Lions recorded the program’s highest win total in 11 seasons. LMU lost just one senior to graduation. Senior Gabby Green, a transfer from the Pac 12’s California, garnered the West Coast Conference Newcomer of the Year award and earned all-WCC honors. 

Grambling State (19-14) advanced to the 2018 NCAA Tournament after knocking off the top-two seeds in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament. Grambling fell to second-seeded Baylor in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Senior guard Shakyla Hill became only the fourth player in NCAA women’s basketball history to record a quadruple-double during a game. Hill earned all-SWAC first team honors. 

Puerto Rico Classic Schedule 

Dec. 19 

Grambling State vs. South Dakota 

Loyola Marymount vs. Indiana 

Dec. 20 

Grambling State vs. Indiana 

South Dakota vs. Loyola Marymount 

Dec. 21 

Loyola Marymount vs. Grambling State 

Indiana vs. South Dakota