VERMILLION, S.D. (Interstat) — A dominant second-half surge, fueled by a decisive advantage at the free-throw line and a stifling defensive effort, propelled the South Dakota Coyotes to a 77-69 victory over the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles in a Summit League men’s basketball game Thursday night at the DakotaDome.

The game turned decisively in the final 20 minutes. After trailing by six at halftime, South Dakota outscored Oral Roberts 46-32 after the break, flipping a 37-31 deficit into an eight-point win in front of 1,232 fans. The most critical phase of the game was a 19-4 run by the Coyotes that spanned the end of the first half and the beginning of the second, erasing Oral Roberts’ lead and establishing control that would not be relinquished.

The contest was ultimately decided at the charity stripe. South Dakota attempted 37 free throws, making 25, while Oral Roberts went just 10 of 15 from the line. The Coyotes’ 15-point margin at the foul line directly accounted for the final margin of victory. Oral Roberts also struggled with ball security, committing 10 turnovers which South Dakota converted into 14 points. The Coyotes, by contrast, gave the ball away only five times.

Uzziah Buntyn, a guard from Round Rock, Texas, led all scorers with 26 points for South Dakota, consistently attacking the rim and drawing fouls. His backcourt partner, 6-foot-10 forward Cameron Fens of Dubuque, Iowa, was a force inside, finishing with 25 points and three blocks. Their combined 51 points overwhelmed an Oral Roberts defense that had no consistent answer.

Oral Roberts was led by Ty Harper of Norcross, Georgia, who scored 23 points, and Ofri Naveh of Neot Golan, Israel, who added 17 points. The Golden Eagles started strong, building their halftime lead behind efficient early shooting, but their offense stagnated in the second half against increased defensive pressure from South Dakota. The Coyotes recorded five steals and five blocks, disrupting the Golden Eagles’ rhythm.

The first half featured back-and-forth action with Oral Roberts finding success from beyond the arc early. Connor Dow of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, hit two first-half 3-pointers to help the Golden Eagles establish their lead. However, the tide began to turn in the final minutes before halftime. South Dakota closed the first period on a 7-2 spurt, capped by a Jordan Crawford 3-pointer at the buzzer, to cut the deficit to 37-31 and carry momentum into the locker room.

That momentum exploded into the second half. South Dakota opened with a 12-4 run to start the period, seizing a lead they would never give back. The run was part of the larger 19-4 surge that transformed a six-point Oral Roberts lead into a nine-point South Dakota advantage. During this pivotal stretch, the Coyotes locked down defensively, and Buntyn and Fens took over offensively, scoring in the paint and drawing frequent fouls.

Oral Roberts made several attempts to rally. A Harper 3-pointer with just over three minutes to play cut South Dakota’s lead to 70-69, bringing the Golden Eagles within a single possession for the first time in nearly 10 minutes. But the Coyotes responded with immediate composure. On the ensuing possession, Buntyn drove for a layup to push the lead back to three. After an Oral Roberts miss, the Coyotes worked the clock and secured the victory by making five of six free throws in the final 31 seconds.

The loss extends a difficult season for Oral Roberts, which falls to 5-18 overall. South Dakota improves to 12-11 and evens its conference record. According to Interstat’s ELO system, South Dakota entered the game with an 86.8% probability to win and covered the pregame spread of -4.5 points. The total score of 146 fell under the over/under line of 153.5.

South Dakota will host North Dakota State on Saturday, while Oral Roberts travels to face South Dakota State the same day.