GLENDALE, Ariz. (USD) -– South Dakota (3-2) had a career-high 18 points from Max Burchill, but Purdue Fort Wayne’s second half performance was too much as the Coyotes fell 93-81 in the championship game of the Arizona Tip-Off.  

Purdue Fort Wayne (5-0) is off to its best start in its Division I era, improving to 5-0 with the win. The Mastodons had five score in double-figures, led by Jalen Jackson’s 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Quinton Morton-Robertson added 17 points in his 36 minutes of action and Rasheed Bello had 15 points. The Mastodons held Lahat Thioune, who had three-straight double-double performances and was averaging 18.3 points per game, to just eight points on the afternoon.  

Burchill’s 18 led a group of four Coyotes who scored in double-figures, making that four of USD’s five games that at least four Yotes scored in double-figures. Bostyn Holt followed with 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field and Felix Broström tied his career-high with 11 points.  

The Mastodons led by as many as eight in the first half, but a pair of threes from the Bruns brothers spurred a Coyote run that would give them a five-point lead heading into the break. South Dakota shot just over 50 percent from the field in the first half and knocked down four three pointers.  

Purdue Fort Wayne came out of the break and went on a big 22-9 run to take a 58-50 lead with just over 12 minutes to go in the game. Burchill drained a triple to cut the lead back down to three with six minutes to play, Broström followed up with a huge block on defense, but a dead ball technical called on Burchill spurred a series of unfortunate events for the Yotes. The Mastodons took advantage and went on a 7-0 run to extend the lead back out. South Dakota had no choice but to foul in the final minutes and Purdue Fort Wayne took advantage at the free-throw line, going 14-of-16 in just the second half.  

Kaleb Stewart was named to the all-tournament team after putting together two double-digit performances in the two days.  

Arizona Tip-Off All-Tournament Team  

Most Valuable Player – Quinton Morton-Robertson, Purdue Fort Wayne 

Brennan Watkins, VMI 

Trent McLaughin, NAU 

Rasheed Bello, Purdue Fort Wayne 

Kaleb Stewart, South Dakota 

South Dakota returns home for a three-game home stretch before hitting the road again. The Coyotes host Northland College on Nov. 22 at 1 p.m., Air Force on Nov. 26 at 12:30 p.m., and Waldorf on Nov. 28 at 7 p.m.