Why the timing is right for Nebraska to play South Dakota

The time is right for Amy Williams to coach against the South Dakota program she led for four seasons before coming to Nebraska.

And the unique and intimate Sanford Pentagon is a great place to do that.

So for the first time since Williams came to Nebraska, the Huskers will play South Dakota in a neutral-court game Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Now in her ninth season at Nebraska, Williams was head coach at her home state school from 2012 to 2016.

In her second season at South Dakota, the former Husker guard brought her Coyotes to Pinnacle Bank Arena to take on Nebraska, falling to No. 19 Huskers 87-53.

Williams posted a 96-44 record in four seasons as South Dakota’s head coach, including 58-14 in her final two years before taking over at NU.

“It’s something we’ve been talking about for a while, knowing it’s a pretty cool location there at the Pentagon,” Williams said. “It’s a place we played when we were in South Dakota but hadn’t here in Nebraska.”

It’s Nebraska’s first road trip after winning three home games to start the season. The Nebraska men’s team also plays St. Mary’s on Sunday in Sioux Falls.

South Dakota is now coached by Carrie Eighmey, who was last in Idaho after successful coaching stints at Hastings and Nebraska-Kearney. As a high school student at Sandy Creek, she was a member of four state championship teams.

Eighmey’s first team at South Dakota is 0-3 to start the year, with overtime losses to Saint Louis and Loyola Marymount.

Senior guard Grace Larkins does a lot for the Coyotes, leading the team in points (23.7), rebounds (10.3), assists (18) and steals (five).

Williams has been away from South Dakota long enough that her daughter, who took some photos in the practice room before her introductory press conference in Lincoln, is now on the team.

“I knew I really wasn’t interested in playing against South Dakota when they still had players that we were coaching or recruiting,” Williams said. “At the moment we are so far away that we felt it would give us a really good opponent and a test early in the season. That went in. Obviously, every decision we make is with the idea of (the NCAA Evaluation Tool rankings) in mind and how we can best position ourselves for the postseason.

Additionally, Williams’ hometown is Spearfish, South Dakota.

“I haven’t played South Dakota since I left there, so it will be nice to see some of the old Yotes, the fans and the people,” she said.

Opened 11 years ago, the Pentagon seats about 3,000 people and hosts many events, including games for an NBA G League team. While it has some newer amenities, it also has an old-world charm.

“They do a great job of paying tribute to the history of basketball there,” Williams said. “So there are a lot of cool things, like the second-hand clocks and old streets painted on the floor (with) the narrow streets. When you walk down the hall, there is a lot of basketball history. So if you’re a basketball fanatic, it’s a really cool place and has a great atmosphere. My sisters’ team (Minnesota State) plays their conference championship there every year.”

Huskers sign high-scoring guard

Nebraska announced the signing of Utah Class 4A Player of the Year Olivia Hamlin as the lone member of the 2025 class.

Hamlin, a 6-foot-2 guard from St. George, Utah, was ranked as the No. 2 player in the state by Prep Girls Hoops and the No. 59 player in the country by Prospects Nation.

Last season, Hamlin broke out in nine 30-point games while playing in the state’s third-largest league, including a career-high 36 points in a state quarterfinal win. She committed this summer after also considering Clemson, UNLV, BYU and Virginia Tech.

USC has a record evening

New Big Ten team USC continues to gain more national attention after setting several records during a 124-39 win against CSUN (California State Northridge) on Tuesday. The Trojans led 60-13 at halftime.

It was a program record for points and the second-most points in a game in Big Ten history, behind Purdue’s 129 in 1990. The 85-point victory is USC’s largest margin of victory ever, and it also set a program record of 17 3 – directions. JuJu Watkins led No. 3 UCC with a career-high 21 points and nine assists.