Women's Basketball Report: February 8
Augustana 75, North Dakota 67
Grand Forks, N.D. -- A first-half scoring draught doomed North Dakota at Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. The Sioux lost to Augustana 75-67. It's the second straight loss for the Fighting Sioux.
The Sioux jumped out to a lead early in the first half and had a comfortable lead for much of the time. However, after taking a 25-17 lead on a jumper by Kierah Kimbrough with 6:49 remaining, the Sioux scored only two more field goals the rest of the half. UND trailed 36-29 at halftime.
UND made a number of short runs in the second half, but could not tie it. Augustana always seemed to have an answer.
Kimbrough hit a jumper in the paint with 14:21 left to pull the Sioux within 46-43. On Augustana's next possession, however, Amy Puthoff score two of her 11 points off the bench.
Later at the 13:21 mark, Carissa Jahner nailed a three-pointer to pull the Sioux within two points. But once again, the Vikings had an answer. Chelsea DeVeille hit two free throws and Amanda Ahrendt hit a jumper, her only two points of the game, and Augie's led was back at 54-48.
A few minutes later, Kayla Bagaason scored five straight points - a three-pointer and a jumper - to pull the Sioux within 56-55 at 10:36, but Augie's Alison Adamson answered with a three-pointer a14 seconds later. On the Vikings next possession, Whitney Hofer drilled a three. The Sioux only pulled within four points the rest of the way.
Kimbrough led the Sioux with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Ashley Langen also had a double double, scoring 13 points and 10 boards. Jahner also added 11.
Augustana wa led by Hofer's 20 points and Adamson's 19.
South Dakota 77, Minnesota State 59
Vermillion, S.D. - Jeana Hoffman scored 23 points to lead South Dakota to a 77-59 win over Minnesota State on Thursday night before 2,223 at the DakotaDome.
USD won its fifth game in the past six outings. With the win, USD swept the season series from MSU after the Coyotes defeated the Mavericks, 66-63, on Jan. 27 in Mankato, Minn.
The Coyotes made 10 three pointers (27 attempts) for the ninth time this season and every time USD has won the game. South Dakota, the NCC's leading free throw shooting team, had an off-night by making just 13-of-22 shots from the foul line. Still, USD hit 27-of-61 field goals for 44.3 percent.
Hoffman recorded her fourth 20-point game of the season, tallying 23 points on 8-of-17 shooting from the field. She hit 5-of-11 from three-point range and was 2-of-2 from the foul line. In addition, she had four steals, three rebounds and an assist. In all, the Coyotes had four double digit scorers. Joining Hoffman in double figures was Shannon Daly, who had 12 points. Bridget Yoerger, had 13 points and nine rebounds while Natalie Carda added 10 points and five rebounds. Jenna Hoffman had 10 rebounds, nine points, and six assists.
MSU was led in scoring by Joanna Noreen with 14 points while Alex Andrews had 11 points and seven rebounds. Overall, MSU hit 27-of-63 field goals for 42.9 percent, including 2-of-9 from three-point range. MSU was 3-of-8 from the foul line.
St. Cloud State 69, Nebraska-Omaha 67
Omaha, Neb. -- Kayla Rengel's short jumper with 1.4 seconds remaining gave St. Cloud State a 69-67 win over Nebraska-Omaha at Sapp Fieldhouse.
The Mavericks led the entire first half and held a 29-25 lead at the intermission, despite shooting only 34.5 percent. Karen Thies had 11 points with four rebounds. St. Cloud State hit 42.9 percent, but its biggest weapon, Erika Quigley, was held to four points on 2-of-7 shooting by UNO's frontcourt of Ashley Nelson, Jill Wolf and Lacey Geitzenauer. The teams combined for 25 turnovers in the first half, with the Huskies committed 14.
UNO managed to maintain a lead through most of the second half, led by Alyssa Green, scoring 17 of her team-leading 19 points after the break. A layup by Rengel with 5:10 remaining gave the Huskies its first lead of the game. Green answered with a 3-pointer to put the Mavs back in front, but St. Cloud's Jackie Carlson hit a three of her own to regain the advantage.
Carlson led all scorers with 25 points, and tied for the team lead in rebounds with 11. She hit all of her first seven free throws in the half to keep up the Huskies' narrow lead in the final minutes. But with St. Cloud leading 67-65 with 14 seconds left, she missed her last one. Geitzenauer got the rebound, then drew a foul from Quigley, her fifth. She left the game with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Geitzenauer hit both free throws to tie the game. Thies blocked
a shot by Shannon Francis out of bounds with three seconds left,
but Rengel was able to convert off the inbounds pass from Francis
for the winner.