KSFY News - Sioux Falls, SD News, Weather, SportsCoyotes fall to Texas St. in Sears BracketBusters contest, 93-92

Senior guard Louie Krogman tied a career-high with 37 points, but the South Dakota men's basketball team's rally in the final minutes fell short as Texas State edged the Coyotes, 93-92 in an Sears ESPN Bracketbusters game Saturday night at the DakotaDome in Vermillion, S.D.  The Coyotes fell to 9-17 on the year with the loss, while Texas State improved to 11-15 with the nonconference victory.

Krogman (White River, S.D.) finished with 37 points, hitting 13-of-21 field goals, including 6-of-12 from three-point range. Krogman also added six assists and four steals.  Sophomore post Trevor Gruis (Ellsworth, Minn.) also had a strong night, finishing with 23 points and a career-high 15 rebounds.  Senior guard Charlie Westbrook (Milwaukee, Wis.) added 18 points and five rebounds.

Down by 12 with 3:41 left, the Coyotes mounted their rally, scoring seven straight points – with five coming from Krogman – to cut the lead to 82-77 with 2:10 left. Moments later, sophomore Steve Tecker (Brule, Wis.) hit the first of back-to-back threes to cut the lead to 86-82 with 1:34 left. His second three cut the lead to 88-85 seconds later.

Krogman's layup brought the Coyotes within 90-89 with 25 seconds remaining; and after Texas State's Reid Koenen hit 1-of-2 free throws, South Dakota faced a two-point deficit with 23 seconds left.

Krogman again came up big, converting an old-fashioned three-point play with 14 seconds left to give the Coyotes their first lead since early in the second half at 92-91.

However, Brooks Ybarra hit a pair of free throws with four seconds left to give Texas State the lead at 93-92. The Coyotes' desperation attempt bounced off the front of the iron, leaving their comeback one point short.

The game was tied at 5-5 just 2:11 into the game before the Coyotes went on a 15-2 run over the next 5:28 to build a 20-7 lead. Krogman sparked that spurt with seven points while Westbrook and Gruis added four each.

Texas State came back to cut the lead to 39-36 with 3:12 left in the half, but the Coyotes answered with eight straight points – with four different players contributing two points each – to take a 47-36 lead  with 56 seconds left in the half. Texas State scored the final four points of the half to cut the Coyote lead to 47-40 at the break.

Krogman started 6-of-6 from the field – including 3-of-3 from three-point range – and finished the first half with 17 points, while Westbrook had 16.

Texas State opened the second half on a 15-7 run to take a 55-54 lead with 16:43 left. A Gruis free throw tied the game at 55-55, and seconds later, Westbrook drained a jumper to put the Coyotes up 57-55 with 15:40 left.

However, that two-point advantage proved to be the last lead of the night for the Coyotes, who went more than three minutes without a point. Texas State capitalized with a 7-0 run to push the lead to 64-57 with 13:19 left.

The Coyotes were within three at 69-66 after junior Jordan Boots (Vermillion, S.D.) hit a pair of free throws with 8:51 left.  However, Texas State responded with a crucial 13-4 run over the next 5:10 to push the lead to 82-70 with 3:41 left before the Coyote started their rally.