South Dakota tops Bellevue 78-52, loses Hagedorn for season

VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) — Cody Kelley scored 18 points, Tyler Peterson added 17 on 8-for-10 shooting, Triston Simpson 11 with six assists and South Dakota cruised past NAIA-member Bellevue University 78-52 on Wednesday night.

Kelley scored 14 points in the first half when South Dakota shot 60 percent (18 of 30) to build a 42-26 halftime lead. The Coyotes (5-5) finished shooting 59 percent from the field, 32 of 54, including six 3-pointers and had 21 assists.

Bellevue University grabbed a 5-4 lead on a Josh Lindsey-Hunter 3-pointer, but held it for just 14 seconds. Simpson sparked an 11-3 run over the next 3:39 and the Coyotes pulled away from there.

Lindsey-Hunter scored 11 points to lead the Bears, who were held to 37-percent shooting, 21 of 57. The disparity inside was telling as the Coyotes outscored Bellevue 46-18 in the paint.

South Dakota had seven steals, outscored Bellevue 6-0 on fast-break points and scored 14 points off 13 turnovers.

South Dakota announced senior Tyler Hagedorn (13 ppg, 5.9 rebounds), sidelined all season by a torn plantar fascia, will redshirt.