Box Score SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – In their first of three games at the Puerto Rico Classic, University of Sioux Falls Men's Basketball fell to the host school University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, 56-52, on Wednesday afternoon. On the season, the Cougars fall to 2-3, but they will look to bounce back tomorrow, Nov. 24, when they take on College of Saint Rose (N.Y.) at 3 p.m. local time (1 p.m. CST).
 
In an open-air gym with hot and humid conditions, Sioux Falls struggled to shoot the ball, finishing with a 31.6 overall shooting percentage, including a 21.1 mark from three. Despite the offensive woes, the Cougars took a one-point lead into halftime, 26-25, after Tom Aase tipped in a rebound just before time expired.
 
Clint Thomas paced the Cougars in the first half, scoring eight points with two of USF's three 3-pointers in the first half. Mack Johnson, who finished with 10 points, hit USF's other three in the opening frame. UPR-Rio Piedras' Omar Font hit four three in the first half and would connect on two more in the second, helping him to a game-high 20 points.
 
After a quick burst by the Cougars, los Gallitos staged their comeback and seized control of the game as Sioux Falls hit a wall offensively. UPR-Rio Piedras built their largest lead at 43-34, but the Cougars slowly chipped away at the deficit.
 
Daniel Hurtt was able to get to the free throw line in the second half and he scored five of his nine points from the charity stripe as the Cougars clawed back. Aase, who tied with Thomas with a team-high 11 points, was also big in the second half, scoring late in the game to bring the Cougars within one possession.
 
Aase converted an and-one, finishing a layup through contact and adding the free throw to cut the UPRRP lead to two points at 52-54. However, los Gallitos would hit their free throws and USF's final three-point shot would not fall and the Cougars were handed a defeat.