Fourteen different Cougars scored and five different USF players registered three or more assists to break the record the team set in their season-opening win over Nebraska-Kearney on Nov. 13 earlier this season. Amber Paden scored a career-high 18 points as Taylor Varsho dished out a game-high six assists in the 41-point win.

The Cougars featured a balance offensive attack that placed just three scorers in double figures, but had nine score four or more points. Varsho added 12 points and Alison Klostergaard had 10 behind Paden's career night.

Sioux Falls entered the night averaging 21 assists through two games this season, assisting on 69 percent of their made baskets this season. On Tuesday night, Sioux Falls registered and assist on 29 of their 39 field goals, a 76.3 percent mark. Behind Varsho's six helpers, Madi Robson had five, and Alyson Johnsen and Marie Malloy had four each. Haydn Becker had three in just eight minutes of action while six more Cougars found a teammate for a basket.

The Cougars struggled to gain separation early in the game, but a Klostergaard three from the corner helped USF start a run. Teagan Molden converted an and-one before Varsho hit a three for a 15-9 lead. Sam Knecht connected on a jumper from 10 feet out and Klostergaard hit another layup to push the lead to eight. Robson broke into the scoring category with a tough left-handed layup then set up Klostergaard for another easy bucket to give USF a 10-point lead. Dakota State closed with three points in the final minute of the first quarter to bring the score to 23-16.

Sioux Falls was quick to expand on their lead in the opening minutes of the second quarter and they out-scored DSU 31-9 in the second stanza. Paden started her mid-game scoring tear with a layup a minute into the quarter and converted a pair of free throws after a Robson layup.

Malloy's full-court pressure forced a turnover she turned into a layup of her own and followed it with another steal and an assist to Varsho for two more of USF's season-high 19 fast break points. Johnsen answered a brief three-point spurt by the Lady T's with a triple from the right wing. Molden and Moira Duffy followed with layups and Jacey Huinker was the recipient of a Malloy assist for a fast break layup to bring the USF advantage to 29 points, where it would stay at the half, 53-24.

The Cougar lead hovered around 30 points with Paden adding four points on layups off passes from Robson and Molden. Sioux Falls continued their assault in the paint, pushing their lead with two more Paden layups and a Varsho fast break bucket. To close the third quarter, USF Knecht imposed her will inside, hitting a layup with 22 seconds left and followed a missed free throw to beat the buzzer on a putback for a 77-37 lead at the half.

The Sioux Falls reserves made the most of their time on the floor. Payton Keeney scored six straight points, the benefactor of two Becker assists. Huinker scored on another layup and Duffy added a second lay-in of her own before Becker scored on a three before Huinker scored again with a jumper to bring USF to their 95-point total for the win.

Sioux Falls continues their five-game home stand to open the season with a 4 p.m. game against Presentation College on Saturday, Nov. 21, in the Stewart Center.