In a game where neither team got going offensively, Winona State (5-3, 1-3 NSIC) defeated the USF (5-3, 1-3 NSIC) women's basketball team 63-60 in Winona, Minn. tonight. The Cougars shot 38.9% from the field while the Warriors made 37.5% of their field goals.

Both teams struggled mightily from the field early as they made a combined 18 shots in the first half. Neither team took a lead of more than six points in the first period as Winona State went into the break with a 29-25 lead.

The Warriors seemed to take control of the game at the ten-minute mark in the second half when a Katie Zepczyk free throw gave WSU a ten point lead. However, the Cougars answered with a 7-0 run of their own which was capped off by a Taylor Varsho free throw.

Once again the Warriors seemed to put the game on ice after Abby Busch went 1-of-2 from the stripe giving WSU a four point lead with ten seconds remaining, but  the Cougars Taylor Varsho kept USF alive late with a three-point shot of her own cutting the Warriors lead to one point. However Tara Roelofs hit both of her shots from the stripe to give the Warriors their final margin of victory.

The Warriors dominated the Cougars on the boards grabbing 40 rebounds of their own compared to 25 by the Cougars.

Taylor Varsho was a sparkplug for an otherwise stagnant Cougar offense as she led all scorers with 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting.

Sam Knecht also provided help for the Cougars on the offensive end of the court as she scored 10 points and also grabbed five rebounds for USF.

Jaicee Ulmer was the third and final Cougar player to reach double-digits as she scored 10 points on 3-of-8 shooting. Ulmer also recorded three rebounds, two steals and one assist in the game.

The Warriors had three players in double-digits and were led by Abby Busch who dropped 18 for WSU.

The Cougars will stay on the road as they take on Upper Iowa in Fayette, Iowa tomorrow at 4 p.m.