SIOUX FALLS - Behind an explosive third quarter led by Alison Klostergaard's career-high 25 points, University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball raced past Northwest Missouri State, 76-54, on Saturday night. The Cougars improve to 2-0 on the season, opening the 2015-16 on a five-game home stand.

Klostergaard was a catalyst for the Cougars on both ends of the floor, achieving her career-best scoring output on 9-of-10 shooting while racking up five steals and grabbing six rebounds. Madi Robson directed the Cougar offense to the tune of 45.3 percent shooting as she handed out nine assists, half of the Cougars' 18 dimes.

Taylor Varsho battled through a tough night of outside shooting to finish with 14 points and Teagan Molden was again a force off the bench, hitting a pair of 3-pointers to record 18 points, one off her career-high. Varsho, Molden and Klostergaard were named to the USF Classic all-tournament team, with Varsho collecting MVP honors after averaging 18 points in two Cougar victories.

To open the game, both teams traded buckets to a 6-6 tie, but USF opened a sizeable lead behind a 14-0 run. Robson hit Klostergaard in the post to tie the game at 6-6 and Varsho followed with a steal and layup to continue the run.

Klostergaard and Varsho then combined for consecutive two three-point plays -- Klostergaard's coming off a layup and free throw and Varsho's her only 3-pointer of the night -- to push their lead to eight points. Amber Paden was on the receiving end of a Varsho assist for the 12th straight Cougar basket and Molden capped the run with a jumper to put USF up 18-6.

After Northwest Missouri State (0-2) trimmed the Cougar lead to single digits, Paige Mriden hit a three from the left baseline. Klostergaard answered a Bearcat free throw with two of her own to give USF a 23-10 lead after the first quarter.

Sioux Falls overcame a physical second quarter to maintain a comfortable lead into halftime. NWMSU scored the first five points of the second quarter, all from Tember Schechinger, but USF responded with a Molden layup. The six-foot senior forward out of Clara City, Minn. pushed the lead back to double digits with one of her two 3-pointers following a NWMSU layup.

Molden connected on her second triple of the game 30 seconds later to put USF up 31-19 with six minutes left in the half. Both teams pieced together runs and NWMSU's offense began to chip away at the Cougar lead. The Bearcats first cut into the deficit behind five points from Tanya Meyer, who finished with a team-high 22 points, but Varsho brought the Cougars back up with five points of her own. However, Northwest would end the half on a 7-2 run behind Jasmin Howe's five points to reach the 38-31 halftime score.

Klostergaard then imposed her will in the opening minutes of the second half. After a Sam Knecht layup on the first possession, Klostergaard grabbed an offensive board and found Robson for a layup. Klostergaard notched one of her career-best five steals, which led to one of her two threes of the game. On their next possession, Klostergaard found Varsho on an entry lob, which the USF guard converted into an easy layup, and USF was up 12 points, 47-35.

Molden was the recipient of a pair of Robson assists to build the lead to 16, and Molden kept the Cougars up with two free throws a minute later. Back in the lineup, Klostergaard closed the third quarter in furious fashion, swiping a NWMSU pass and converting two free throws after being fouled on her layup attempt. She answered a Meyer three with a lay-in on the next possession then used a bit of good fortune for a quarter-ending three -- the ball bounced five feet up off the back of the rim and fell straight through the net in the final second of the period.

Sioux Falls quickly expanded on their 61-44 lead at the start of the third quarter. Klostergaard grabbed another steal and converted the ensuing layup then was the benefactor of another Robson pass for a layup to keep USF's lead at 19 points. Paden hit two free throws after a Howe jumper for Northwest and Molden pushed USF's lead into the 20s with a jumper at the six-minute mark.

Continuing to build on their lead, Klostergaard had her hand in the next USF burst. She took a Robson assist in for a layup then dished one out to frontcourt teammate Knecht to put USF up 73-50. For the final bucket, Lexi Lee scored her first points as a Cougar, hitting a 3-pointer off a Haydn Becker pass to give USF their largest lead of the game, 76-52. After a Northwest layup in the final 10 seconds, USF had reached the end with a 76-54 advantage for their second straight win to open the season.

USF continues their season-opening home stand with a 7 p.m. contest against Dakota State on Tuesday, Nov. 17, in the Stewart Center.