CROOKSTON, Minn. – With a dominant fourth-quarter performance from senior center Sam Knecht, University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball held off a later charge to defeat Minnesota Crookston, 69-63 on Saturday. The fifth consecutive win by the Cougars improves their overall record to 14-2 on the season and keeps them tied for the south division lead in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference at 10-2 in league play.
 
Sam Knecht was efficient all night, scoring a season-high 27 points on 12-for-7 shooting, including 5-for-6 shooting in the fourth quarter to score 11 points. Andi Mataloni helped the Cougars build a lead in the first half, scoring 11 of her 13 points with three 3-pointers. Brooke Smith, who scored all four of her points in the fourth quarter, grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds. Madi Robson handed out seven assists and Alyson Johnsen dished out five as the Cougars totaled 19 assists on 27 field goals.
 
Back and forth to start the game, USF used Knecht's low-post presence to stick with Minnesota Crookston. Knecht scored on three layups and Jacey Huinker added another to break a 6-6 tie, and the Cougars would build a double-digit lead in the first quarter. Mataloni connected on two threes to push USF's lead to eight, 16-8, and Knecht put it into double digits with another layup. Moira Duffy scored the last three Cougar points to close the quarter with USF on top 21-10.
 
After Minnesota Crookston scored the first basket of the second quarter USF stretched their lead to 16 and wouldn't let the Golden Eagles to drop their lead below 10 points. Mataloni continued her strong first half with a layup and Knecht followed to reach double digits in the game. Johnsen started a five-point burst with a three and Mariah Szymanski followed with a layup. Duffy and Mataloni answered each of UMC's scores with baskets on three different occasions. A Crookston three on the final possession brought the halftime score to 37-24 in favor of the Cougars.
 
Knecht scored six straight for USF to open the second half and give the Cougars their largest lead of the game, 43-24, just two minutes into the third quarter. Despite the near-20 point lead, Minnesota Crookston clawed back with a pair of runs. A six-point burst trimmed their deficit to 13 points before Mataloni stopped the run with a layup. Minnesota Crookston scored on their next four possessions and pieced together an 11-0 run before Augusta Thramer scored on a Duffy-assisted layup. Johnsen hit a jumper, but UMC recorded the final basket with a three and USF's lead had shrunk to 49-44 by the end of the third quarter.
 
A 3-pointer to open the final period dropped that USF advantage even further, cutting it to two points for the first time since the first quarter. Thramer hit a three throw and Knecht started her fourth-quarter tear with a layup. She answered each Minnesota Crookston basket with a layup then converted a basket through contact and hit the ensuing free throw for a 57-51 USF lead.
 
Knecht's fourth straight bucket for the Cougars put them up eight with six minutes to play. Minnesota Crookston trimmed their deficit to five points again before Brooke Smith hit a pair of layups and Knecht added her fifth score of the quarter for a 66-56 advantage. UMC managed to cut the Cougar lead in half with five straight points then USF hit three free throws to hold off the Golden Eagles for a 69-63 victory.
 
Sioux Falls returns to the Stewart Center next, beginning a four-game home stand with Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota State on Jan. 20 and 21.