SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Behind the hot shooting of Marie Malloy, the University of Sioux Falls women's basketball team easily handled Upper Iowa in an 86-56 win on Friday night. The Cougars improve to 6-0 on the season, 2-0 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference competition, which is the most wins to open a season since joining NCAA Division II for the 2011-12 season.

Malloy finished with a career-high 20 points, connecting on three of her four three-point attempts, as she led the Cougars to their second straight win to open the conference schedule. Malloy also bested her career mark in rebounds with nine boards, falling one shy of a double-double.

After holding a one-point advantage six minutes into the game, the Cougars went on a 10-2 run fueled by two of Malloy's 3-pointers. Sioux Falls pushed that lead to double digits at the seven-minute mark but the Peacocks would cut it to three points a couple minutes later.

After their lead was trimmed to 28-25, USF turned to their bench, who would lead a 13-2 run and give the Cougars a 41-27 lead at halftime. Amber Paden and Alison Klostergaard teamed up for a pair of layups and Jaicee Ulmer added five of her 10 points in the final three minutes of the half.

It didn't take long for USF to push their lead to more than 20 points with junior guard Taylor Varsho leading the second-half charge. Varsho picked Lindsay Carroll's pocket at mid court then converted a layup in the opening minute of the second period. Her two free throws capped off a seven-point burst that gave USF a 57-36 lead.

The Cougars held their lead for the next 10 minutes before handing it over to the Cougar reserves who would finish with 35 points to Upper Iowa's 12. Paige Mriden's 3-pointer made it a 30-point USF advantage and Haydn Becker's baseline jumper made it 32 points. Morgan Merritt added the ninth three-point field goal for the Cougars and Brynn Flakus converted a fast-break layup to give Sioux Falls their largest lead at 86-49.

The Peacocks would close the game on a 7-0 run to finish the game at 86-56 in favor of the Cougars. Olivia Winkler turned in an efficient night for the Peacocks, converting eight of her 13 attempts from the field to finish with 16 points.

The Cougars return to action tomorrow afternoon when they host Winona State at 4 p.m. in the Stewart Center.