SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Five Cougars reached double figures in points as the University of Sioux Falls improved to 3-0 with a 90-70 win over Dakota State in a nonconference game on Tuesday night.
Taylor Varsho and
Teagan Molden registered 13 points apiece, carrying the Cougars to a blowout victory.
Sioux Falls scored early and often from the opening tip. The Cougars had built a 10-point lead just more than five minutes into the game, and it was the USF reserves who were doing much of the damage.
Amber Paden came off the bench and hit two quick layups, and she was joined by Ulmer who hit a 3-pointer a minute after checking into the game. The lead reached double digits when freshman Mackenzie Dahl drilled consecutive 3-pointers for an early 12-2 lead. Paden and Ulmer finished the game with 12 points each and Dahl would sink another basket for an eight-point total.
The Lady T's would bounce back and draw within two points, led by Courtney Hulstein who hit three three-point field goals and finished with a team-high 15 points. After Dakota State's run, Ulmer reeled off five points and Varsho connected on one of her three 3-pointers. Molden added a triple of her own a few minutes, then Paden completed a three-point play, which led to a 46-28 Sioux Falls lead at the break.
Molden registered eight of her 13 points in the second half and Marie Malloy had six of her 10 after intermission, helping the Cougars sustain their large margin. Connecting on her second and third 3-pointers of the game, Molden pushed the lead to 21 points at the halfway point of the second stanza.
Another bench player who made the most of her minutes was Alison Klostergaard who registered seven points and six rebounds in just eight minutes of action. Four of her points came on second chance opportunities and twice she found Paden wide open in the lane to tally a pair of assists.
Varsho added seven assists of her own, leading the team effort which totaled 20 assists on the night, and Varsho set up Molden and Ulmer for 3-pointers to push the USF lead into the 20s multiple times. After the Cougar starters retired to the bench, USF's reserves kept the lead intact and by the end of the game, all but two Cougars scored to arrive at the 90-70 victory.
Sioux Falls concludes their nonconference schedule with a 2 p.m. game against South Dakota School of Mines ant Technology on Saturday, Nov. 22.
