Story by
The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.
Coyote men take the court with influx of new talent
- Story byThe Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.
- Coyote men take the court with influx of new talent
Nov. 2—VERMILLION — There will be a few familiar faces for the University of South Dakota men's basketball team to start the season this week.
But the new faces — 12 of them in all, 10 of them as transfers — will have a major role in forging a new path ahead for the Coyotes in coach Eric Peterson's fifth year on the bench. USD was 16-16 overall and 8-8 in league play a season ago, again decimated by injuries. Coming into 2026-27, USD was picked fifth in the Summit League preseason poll.
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"The team that we had last year, we still finished fourth with seven (healthy) guys at one point," Peterson said. "I think if you looked at the talent in the room and the guys that didn't play for us, you could see that we had a championship-caliber team. And did we quite get there? No, we're not satisfied with fourth place."
A fair amount of the attention will be on the sophomore guard Vince Buzelis, who averaged 7.1 points per game for the season and was surging late last season when he scored in double figures in six of the Coyotes' final eight games. Only 14% of USD's scoring from last year returns, with the preseason all-Summit second-team Buzelis representing the largest share of that.
Josiah Dotzler, who was on the Coyotes last season but missed all of last season with an injury, will also be one of the Coyotes to be counted on. The 6-foot-3 junior guard transferred from Saint Louis prior to last season. Other Coyote returners include forwards Ethan Kizer and Jake Brack.
"We're just trying to maintain our culture and carry it over to our new players coming into the program," Dotzler said. "As a returner, I just have been really priding myself on keeping that within the players, too, and reminding our guys of the culture that we've created and how it can help us win."
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In the Coyotes' transfer class, Cade Kelderman (Iowa State), Melo Sanchez (Central Connecticut State), Josh Townley-Thomas (Creighton), Kajus Kublickas (Pacific), Stef van Bussel (Duquesne), and Jahni Summers (Sacramento State) all made the move from other Division I programs. Summers and Sanchez were both better than 40% 3-point shooters a year ago, Peterson pointed out. Both at 6-foot-10, Townley-Thomas and van Bussel will be counted on as key defensive players for the Coyotes, and Kublickas was a member of the national champion Florida Gators in 2024 before a season with Pacific.
Kelderman, who was one of two Coyotes to represent USD at Summit League Media Day, played for former South Dakota State coach T.J. Otzelberger in Ames and played in 45 games over three seasons.
"We play a little faster here than we did there, but just definitely focusing on just being adaptable, using what I've learned there to help out this team in any way I can," Kelderman said.
In terms of the style of play, Peterson said there will be more of a hybrid approach for his roster this season. He said that means more situational press defenses while still emphasizing playing with a fast pace and getting to the free-throw line and utilizing his bench.
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"We've always played our bench and we're top-40 in bench minutes and points over the last couple of years. All that stuff's going to stay the same. Those are qualities that we look for when recruiting 12 new guys," Peterson said. "I think we're pretty old, and I think that matters. Overall, I think we have more ball handling. I think we have more shooting."
USD brings in two freshmen this season, including Pine Ridge product Marvin Richard III, who scored more than 2,600 career points in his high school career for the Thorpes.
The Coyotes play four home games in the first eight days of the season, hosting NAIA foe Mount Marty on Monday, Northern Kentucky on Wednesday, Nov. 4 and Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, Nov. 7, before welcoming Houston Christian on Nov. 9. USD plays at Drake on Nov. 13 and Nebraska on Nov. 18 in notable road games, plus at Iowa on Dec. 29.
The mix of nonconference games will give USD a chance to see what kind of team they have this year, with the hope of being healthy enough and seasoned enough to compete in March.
"I thought we had the right guys in the locker room to have a chance to cut the nets down," Peterson said. "I feel that way again this year."
