Mount Marty College vs South Dakota prediction: South Dakota's whistle-drawing offense gets an NAIA tune-up from Mount Marty
The Coyotes host an in-state NAIA program on Nov. 2, and the real question is whether last season's defensive holes show up even against lighter competition.
- South Dakota should control a Division I vs. NAIA mismatch at home, with the margin depending on how much its defense has improved since last season.
- South Dakota's foul-drawing offense, sixth nationally in free throw rate last season, against a Mount Marty team picked fifth in its own league.
- No spread or total is posted yet; South Dakota played at the 56th-fastest pace in Division I last season.
A rebuild with a familiar foe
Eric Peterson's Coyotes host Mount Marty, an in-state NAIA program, on Monday, Nov. 2, in Vermillion. The teams played last season too, and South Dakota won 85-61. This one carries no conference stakes. It is a chance for a roster with new pieces to find its rotation before the schedule stiffens.
That roster matters. The Coyotes list freshmen Marvin Richard III and Michael Nee along with several incoming transfers, so last season's numbers are a rough guide at best. South Dakota finished 16-16 in 2025-26.
Living at the line
The clearest strength South Dakota carried out of last season was getting to the foul line. Its free throw rate (free throw attempts per field goal attempt) was 44.8%, sixth of 365 Division I teams. Against a smaller NAIA frontcourt, that attack should translate.
The Coyotes also pushed the pace, averaging 70.5 possessions per 40 minutes, 56th in the country. More possessions against a lower-division opponent usually means a wider final margin.
The defense is the question
South Dakota's problem last season was stopping people. Opponents made 55.7% of their twos, which ranked 336th, and the Coyotes blocked shots at the 350th-best rate in Division I. They gave up 80.2 points per game, 332nd nationally. Their adjusted net efficiency, points per 100 possessions adjusted for opponents, finished at -11.4, 287th.
Mount Marty, picked fifth in the GPAC coaches' poll under coach Collin Authier, can't be measured against Division I numbers. Its roster includes freshmen such as Ashton Paulsen and Landan Stowater and junior transfer Mande Wanlemvo from Pierce Community College. How easily the Lancers score inside will say a lot about whether South Dakota's interior defense has changed.
Numbers that matter
| Free throw rate (2025-26) | 44.8% | Sixth in Division I last season, South Dakota's most reliable edge. |
|---|---|---|
| Opponent 2-point % (2025-26) | 55.7% | Ranked 336th last season, the weakness Mount Marty's interior players will test. |
| Pace (2025-26) | 70.5 | Possessions per 40 minutes, 56th nationally, which points toward a higher-scoring game. |
| Last meeting | 85-61 | South Dakota's margin over Mount Marty last season. |
Mount Marty College vs South Dakota: quick answers
When is Mount Marty College vs South Dakota?
Monday, November 2, 2026 at 12:00 AM ET.