VERMILLION, S.D. (Interstat) — The South Dakota Coyotes used a dominant defensive performance and a balanced scoring attack to remain undefeated, cruising to a 73-41 victory over the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Lady Golden Lions in a non-conference women’s basketball game Tuesday night at the DakotaDome.

The Coyotes improved to 7-0 on the season, while the Lady Golden Lions fell to 1-5.

South Dakota’s defense was the story of the game, holding Arkansas-Pine Bluff to a frigid 26.9 percent shooting from the field. The Lady Golden Lions managed just 14 made field goals on 52 attempts and compounded their offensive woes by converting only 7 of 16 free throws. The Coyotes were far more efficient, shooting 51 percent from the floor and a crisp 82.6 percent from the foul line.

The game was never in doubt as South Dakota established control from the opening tip. The Coyotes led 16-10 after the first quarter and extended their advantage to 32-22 by halftime. Any hope of a second-half comeback for the visitors was quickly extinguished as South Dakota outscored them 18-11 in the third quarter and put the game fully out of reach with a 23-point fourth quarter.

Angelina Robles, a 5-foot-5 guard from San Diego, led all scorers with 21 points for South Dakota. She also dished out five assists in 31 minutes of action. The Coyotes showcased their depth with three other players reaching double figures. Patience Williams, a 6-1 forward from Minneapolis, scored 11 points and blocked a shot, while fellow 6-foot forward Elise Turrubiates of Hobbs, New Mexico, also added 11 points and three assists. Josie Hill, a 6-1 post player from Rapid City, South Dakota, provided a strong presence off the bench with 10 points. Molly Joyce of Algona, Iowa, rounded out the key contributors with 10 points.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff struggled to find consistent offense throughout the contest. Indiya Bowen, a 5-9 guard from Horn Lake, Mississippi, was the lone bright spot, finishing with a team-high 15 points. The Lady Golden Lions were hampered by 18 turnovers, which South Dakota converted into 21 points. South Dakota also dominated inside, outscoring Arkansas-Pine Bluff 30-14 in the paint.

South Dakota’s offense, which scored 73 points on 70 possessions for an offensive rating of 104.4, proved too much for an Arkansas-Pine Bluff squad that managed an offensive rating of just 58.9 on the same number of possessions.

The announced attendance was 1,160 at the DakotaDome.

The victory extends South Dakota’s strong start to the season, which includes notable road wins at Kansas State and Idaho State. The Coyotes will look to continue their winning ways on the road at Wyoming on Saturday. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, which has lost five straight since a season-opening victory at Memphis, will try to regroup on the road at North Alabama on Monday.