Career night from Bullock helps Coyote men knock off Summit leader Omaha

VERMILLION, S.D. — Dre Bullock’s career night provided the University of South Dakota men’s basketball team with its signature win of the season on Wednesday night.

Bullock, starting for just the second time this season in the place of the injured Kaleb Stewart, powered the Coyotes with 31 points in a 91-87 victory over Summit League-leading Omaha in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. ADVERTISEMENT The Coyotes trailed by 13 points at halftime but outscored Omaha 54-37 in the final 20 minutes. Bullock, a transfer from Niagara University, was averaging 9.



7 points per game entering Thursday night. "To be honest, we were just trying to get the win. But with Kaleb Stewart down, we had to have guys step up," Bullock said in a postgame interview with Midco Sports.

"That was my role, to step up and win the game." It was USD’s fourth time scoring more than 90 points in the last five games and the contest ended the Mavericks’ nine-game win streak. Isaac Bruns had 23 points on 9-for-14 shooting, while Chase Forte scored 14 points and Ashton Smith added 13 for USD, which shot 50% from the field overall and 63.

3% in the second half, including 5-for-7 on 3-pointers. Omaha led for 80% of the game time, with a 15-point lead with just under 15 minutes remaining and then as late as with 4:15 remaining. There, Isaac Bruns hit a 3-pointer to give USD an 81-79 lead and Forte added a layup on the next possession to put the Coyotes up four points.

Leading by just a point in the final minute, Bullock hit a 3-pointer with 42 seconds left that provided the needed cushion and Bullock sank two more free throws in the final seconds of the game to seal the contest. "We had to forget the first half. They're a really good team," Bullock said.

"Coach gave us a big speech at halftime and ...

we couldn't let the fans down and we had to turn it around. We just came back and fought." Omaha (13-10, 7-1 Summit) had 29 points from star Marquel Sutton and 18 points from JJ White but the Mavericks cooled off plenty from a hot first half in which they made 63% of their shots.

ADVERTISEMENT Omaha shot 38.9% overall and made only two 3-pointers on 13 tries in the second half. USD forced 16 Mavericks turnovers and gave away the ball half as many times, finishing with eight Coyote turnovers.

"We had to draw a line in the sand," USD coach Eric Peterson said about the first half. "This is our place and you can't let a team come in here and shoot 60%. .

.. And our team responded to it.

" USD (13-10, 4-4 Summit) will play next at Denver on Thursday, Feb. 6. ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies.

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