Preview: North Dakota State Bison at South Dakota Coyotes

VERMILLION, S.D. (Interstat) — A surging North Dakota State team looks to continue its dominance in Summit League play when it visits the South Dakota Coyotes on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.

The Bison (18-5, 7-1 Summit) enter DakotaDome riding a nine-game winning streak, their latest an 86-58 road rout of Oral Roberts last Saturday. NDSU has not lost since Dec. 22. South Dakota (11-11, 4-4) seeks consistency after splitting its last four games, most recently a 77-69 home win over Oral Roberts on Thursday.

The matchup features a contrast in conference standing and recent history. North Dakota State handled the Coyotes decisively in their first meeting this season, an 84-61 victory in Fargo on Dec. 31.

A key player for the Bison is guard Tay Smith, who is coming off a season-high 24-point performance in 29 minutes against Oral Roberts. Over his last seven games, Smith has averaged 9.3 points. He will be supported by contributors like Noah Feddersen, who had 11 points and five rebounds in the last outing.

South Dakota will counter with high-scoring guard Jordan Crawford, who has shouldered a heavy offensive load. Crawford is averaging 21.5 points over his last six contests, including 27 points in a win at Omaha and 24 in a loss to North Dakota. His ability to score in volume will be critical for the Coyotes to keep pace.

The Bison have found success with balanced scoring and stout defense during their streak, holding opponents to an average of 68.2 points in conference play. South Dakota, averaging 78.6 points in league games, will need to solve that defense and improve its own to disrupt NDSU’s rhythm.

Saturday’s contest is the first of two scheduled meetings between the interstate rivals this season. A Coyotes upset would tighten the Summit League standings, while a Bison win would further solidify their position atop the conference.

Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. CST at DakotaDome.