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USF Women's Basketball Weekend Preview
The University of Sioux Falls women's basketball team, 11-2, will host in-state rivals in South Dakota School of Mines & Technology Friday and Black Hills State University Saturday in what has been labeled the "South Dakota Showdown".
Follow the Cougars: Visit the "media" section of the USF women's basketball schedule for links to follow live stats, listen to the broadcast on KWSN 1230 or watch a live stream.
The Series
Friday's matchup will be the fourth between USF and South Dakota School of Mines & Technology in the last 10 years. The Cougars have not beat SDSM&T since 2002, as they have dropped their last 3 contests to the Hardrockers with the latest coming in 2007.
USF and Black Hills States' game Saturday will be their first encounter since 2008, when the Yellow Jackets held off the Cougars for a 58-55 OT win in Sioux Falls, S.D. BHSU has claimed the last three meetings.
State Champs
USF now sits 2-0 on the season versus in-state opponents, winning the Prairie Spirit Challenge against Augustana College and Tuesday night's matchup with Dakota State University. They face two more in-state competition this weekend in SDSM&T and BHSU.
Got Range?
After starting just 1-10 from beyond the arc against DSU, USF finished with 10 treys on the night to post its fourth consecutive double-digit 3-point total in four games. The Cougars are averaging nine 3-point makes per game this season.
Sharing the Load
USF's bench play has been stellar, as the Cougars' bench has outscored the opponents bench in each of their last four games. The Cougars reserves tallied a season high 35 points in Tuesday night's win over DSU.
Stingy D
Through 13 games, the Cougars' stingy defense has yet to allow an opponent to shoot better than 43.6% from the field. USF's defense is holding opponents to 36.1% shooting from the field this season with just two opponents reaching the 40% mark.
She's a Shooter
Sophomore guard Bailey Bouman has continued to establish herself as a valid scoring threat this season. She flexed her shooting muscles Tuesday, when she scorched the Trojans for a career high 17 points, finishing 5-7 from downtown.
Catching Stride
After a rough patch of losses, SDSM&T has picked up wins in five of their last seven games, including victories over Morningside and Rocky Mountain College.
Common Opponent
Like USF, the Hardrockers played host to NAIA No. 16 Jamestown College (N.D.) this season (1/6). They actually lead at the half and stuck around the entire game, but JTC left Rapid City, S.D. with a 56-51 win. JTC proved to be the Cougars first victim at home this season, as USF turned up their intensity in the second half to record a 83-66 win over JTC (12/8/11).
In Transition
The Yellow Jackets are also in their final year of transition from the NAIA to the NCAA Division II. As USF heads to the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in 2012-13, BHSU will join the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
Coach Felderman
With the start of the 2011-12 season, SDSM&T head coach, Barb Felderman began her 29th season at the helm for the Hardrockers. During her tenure, she has accumulated 444 of the program's 531 wins. She enters Friday with an overall record of 444-376.
Diverse Roster
The Hardrockers roster consists of members from well beyond the North Midwest region of the country. With only one South Dakota Native, SDSM&T's players reign from as far west as Arizona and as far east as Ohio.
Dakota State Factor
All three teams playing in the Stewart Center this weekend have either face DSU or will face DSU by the conclusion of the week. USF handed DSU a 74-46 loss, while the Trojans finish their week with matchups with BHSU Friday and SDSM&T Saturday.
Cracking the Top 10
Senior forward Jamey Hofer has been on the brink of cracking USF's top 10 scoring lineup for a few weeks and there is a strong possibility she will this weekend. Hofer, who is second on the team in scoring (9.6ppg), needs just six points to become the Cougars' tenth all-time scorer.
No Stranger to Success
Last season BHSU head coach Mark Nore led his team to an impressive 26-8 record and a second consecutive trip to the Elite Eight in the NAIA National Tournament where they loss to the eventual National Champions, Morningside College.
2008 Player of the Game
Although it was in a losing effort, Jamey Hofer, who was just a freshman the last time these two teams met, made a case to be named the best player on the floor that night. She scored a game-high 20 points, going 5-10 from the field and 10-13 at the free throw line, where she drained USF's 50th point to force overtime. Hofer also added the game's highest rebound total with seven boards.
Two Different Teams
USF returns two significant contributors from the last game in Hofer and Elizabeth Hildreth. Hildreth, also a freshman in 2008, chipped in eight points and five rebounds in 26 minutes of play. BHSU does not return a single player from their 2008 roster.
Cracking the Top 10
Senior forward Jamey Hofer has been on the brink of cracking USF's top 10 scoring lineup for a few weeks and there is a strong possibility she will this weekend. Hofer, who is second on the team in scoring (9.6ppg), needs just six points to become the Cougars' tenth all-time scorer.
