SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -
Jaicee Ulmer sank five 3-pointers as the University of Sioux Falls women's basketball team moved to 4-0 on the season with 69-55 win over South Dakota School of Mines and Technology on Saturday afternoon. The Cougars finished the nonconference schedule undefeated and now enter Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference competition beginning with a trip to Marshall, Minn. to take on Southwest Minnesota State on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 6 p.m.
The Cougars were carried once again by their trio of guards, Ulmer, Taylor Varsho, and Marie Malloy, who combined for 43 points. The defense of the Cougars also helped squash any hopes SDSMT may have had in leaving Sioux Falls with a win.
USF forced 17 turnovers by the Hardrockers and limited SDSMT to 33.3 percent shooting from the floor. The Cougars didn't shoot much better, finishing with a 37.9 percent mark, but they converted on 11 of their 24 three-point attempts to provide an extra boost.
The Cougars nursed an early advantage by the Hardrockers would fight back to take their only lead at the midway point of the first half after Alicia Gallagher hit a 3-pointer to put SDSMT up 15-13. From there, USF would hold the Hardrockers scoreless for more than four minutes.
During the SDSMT scoring drought, Ulmer hit two 3-pointers to begin her assault from deep and pushed the Cougar lead to eight points. Varsho would connect on two more triples after SDSMT tried to chip away at the lead, but the Cougars would expand their lead to 15 on Alison Klostergaard's putback.
The Cougars managed to fend off the Hardrockers' late push in the first half, and Malloy sank a 3-pointer in the waning seconds to give USF a 39-28 advantage entering intermission.
Each team traded baskets in the early stages of the second half, but Malloy hit her second 3-pointer and followed it up with a layup to give USF a 15-point advantage again. The Cougar lead reached its summit when Amber Paden sank a layup after Ulmer's fourth triple of the afternoon to put USF up 18 points, 62-44.
The Hardrockers would get no closer than 12 points, with that coming near the five-minute mark after Megan Rohrer connected on one of her five threes. Rohrer hit another deep three to give her a game-high 19 points, but USF comfortably finished with a 69-55 victory.
Malloy continues her early season scoring binge with 14 points and Varsho pitched in with 12 and five assists. Teagan Molden reached double figures with 11 points and Paden secured a game-high 11 rebounds.
