Box Score

The University of South Dakota women's basketball team drive for a national title ended in a 63-58 loss to Northern Kentucky in the NCAA Division II Championship game on Saturday night before 3,067 in attendance at the Health and Sports Center in Kearney, Neb.

Northern Kentucky, which improved to 28-8 on the season, won the school's second national title (71-62 OT, North Dakota State, 2000). The Norse ended the season with a six-game winning streak including wins over USD, as well Wingate (78-65) and ninth-ranked Alaska Anchorage (57-54) at the Elite Eight national tournament.

The Coyotes led 49-40 with 5:52 to play before the Norse outscored the Coyotes, 23-9, down the stretch to win the title.

The third-ranked Coyotes, the North Central Region champions, had a 31-game winning streak snapped and they finished 33-2 on the season.

A welcome home party for the history making women's basketball team will be held on Sunday, March 30. USD invites all fans to welcome home the team at the DakotaDome parking lot. The team is estimated to arrive back in Vermillion at 3:00 p.m.

This was the Coyotes' first-ever appearance in the Division II championship game. The careers of four Coyote seniors - Jeana Hoffman, Jenna Hoffman, Ashley Robinette and Shannon Daly - ended with tonight's game. It was also the final game of USD coach Chad Lavin's coaching career. He finished with an overall record of 448-301 (.559), including 273-141 (.660) at USD.

South Dakota, which won the NCC with a 12-0 mark, had not been suffered a defeat since a 83-79 loss to Adams State on November 23, 2007. This was the Coyotes' eighth appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs and first-ever trip to the Elite Eight Championship.

All-American Jeana Hoffman (Sr., Mitchell, S.D.) and Bridget Yoerger (Jr., Hinton, Iowa) were named to the Elite Eight All-Tournament Team. Angela Healy of Northern Kentucky was named the Most Outstanding Player and was joined on the all-tournament team by teammate Cassie Brannen. Healy had 14 points and 13 rebounds and Brannen scored 18 points against USD.

Hoffman led the Coyotes in scoring with 19 points while hitting 5-of-17 shots from three-point range. She finished the season with 615 points, which is the third best total in school history. Hoffman, who had her 65th double-digit scoring game, finished with 127 three-point field goals, which is the most in school history.

Yoerger had a team-high nine rebounds while also scoring four points. Jenna Hoffman (Sr., Mitchell, S.D.) had nine points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. She finished the season with 79 steals and tied Ann Pancoast (1983-84) for fifth on the USD season chart. In addition, Robinette (Sr., South Sioux City, Neb.) had eight points and six rebounds. Freshman Amber Hegge (Crofton, Neb.), who had seven points and two assists, broke USD's single season record for blocked shots with 54 (Mandy Koupal, 53, 2003-04)

The Norse, the Great Lakes Region champion, utilized the foul line to gain an advantage against the Coyotes. They made 23-of-33 for 69.7 percent while USD was 13-of-19 for 68.4 percent. South Dakota, the nation's top three-point shooting team at 9.5 per game, made just 7-of-30 attempts for 23.3 percent from long distance. In addition, USD was just 19-of-59 for 32.2 percent from the field. Northern Kentucky did not shoot much better from the field at 35.4 percent (17-of-48) while they were 6-of-14 for 42.9 percent from three-point range.

Despite struggling through a tough shooting first half, the Coyotes closed out the first half on a 12-2 run to take a 26-23 lead at the break. Jeana Hoffman, who had 10 points in the half, scored on a drive to the basket in the closing seconds to give USD a three-point lead. The Coyotes made just 4-of-16 shots from three-point range and recorded the second lowest point total for the first half this season (California Dominquez Hills, 20 points, 12/7/07).

Hoffman's three-point field goal at the 18:40 mark provided The U with a 3-2 lead. Jenna Hoffman also had a three-point shot as USD led 8-5 with 16:15 left in the half. Northern Kentucky responded with a 6-0 run and led 11-8 at the 13:33 mark of the half. Jeana Hoffman's three-point shot at the 12:04 mark tied the game at 13-13. However, Northern Kentucky answered with a long range three-point shot for a 16-13 lead. They eventually went ahead 21-14 with six minutes to play after Healy scored on an inside basket. The Coyotes had a 9-1 run to take the lead at 23-22 when Daly hit a three-point field goal with 2:33 left in the first half. That was all the scoring until Jeana Hoffman scored as time expired in the half. It was the second straight game that Hoffman made a shot as the time ended in the first half.

The Coyotes opened the second half on a 12-3 run to grab a 38-26 lead with 14:30 to play in the game. Jasmine Mosley's (So., Bellevue, Neb.) layup provided USD with the 12-point lead. However, Northern Kentucky responded with a 7-0 run to cut the lead to 38-33 at the 13:02 mark when Danyelle Echols hit a pair of free throws. Yoerger made 1-2 of free throws on the ensuing possession to end the run by the Norse and give USD a 39-33 advantage. The Norse received a three-pointer from Echols to cut the lead to 39-36 with 10:54 to play. Mosley's jumper at the 9:53 mark moved USD's advantage to 41-36. After Jeana Hoffman hit a three-point shot, Mosley again converted on a drive to the basket for a 46-38 lead at the 8:11 mark of the second half.

Jenna Hoffman scored on a drive to the basket and made a free throw to give USD a 49-40 lead at the 5:52 mark of the second half. Northern Kentucky answered with a 5-0 run as Jessie Slack hit a pair of field goals, including a three-point shot, to pull the Norse within 49-45 at the 4:37 mark. Hegge's free throw ended the run and helped USD to a 50-45 advantage with 4:16 left on the clock.

From there, Brannan took over as she scored nine straight points to give Northern Kentucky a 54-52 lead with 2:08 left on the clock. Hegge's free throw at the 1:13 mark cut the lead to 54-53. However, Healy answered with a basket for a 56-53 lead and the Coyotes were unable to convert on offense and were forced to foul. The Norse built the lead to 62-55 before Jeana Hoffman hit a three-point shot with seven seconds left to pull the Coyotes within 62-58. A foul shot by Echoles, who had 12 second half points, increased the lead to 63-58 and the Coyotes were out of time.

--Courtesy USD Sports Information