ST. PAUL, Minn. – Despite a career-high 21 points from senior Alyson Johnsen and a late scoring burst, University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball dropped a 75-68 decision at Concordia-St. Paul on Friday night. The Cougars fall to 18-7 on the season with a 14-7 record in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. USF's league record places them in a four-way tie in the NSIC south division with one game remaining, a 4 p.m. contest at Minnesota State on Saturday, Feb. 18.
 
A 5-foot-7 guard from Beresford, S.D., Johnsen hit three 3-pointers and scored a career-best 21 points, the first 20-point game in her career. Madi Robson recorded her second consecutive game with double-digit assists, handing out 11 dimes for a double-double with 12 points, while leading the team with six rebounds.
 
Kaely Hummel, who finished with 11 points, scored the first eight points for USF, giving them an 8-7 lead with 5:49 left in the first quarter. However, this would be the last time USF led in the game, surrendering a nine-point run from the Golden Bears (18-9, 14-7 NSIC), which led to a 19-14 lead after the first quarter.
 
Jacey Huinker and Sam Knecht scored consecutive baskets early in the second quarter and a Robson free throw cut the CSP lead to two points. A pair of 3-pointers by CSP's Mishayla Jones sparked a 10-point run by the Golden Bears and game them a 31-19 lead. Knecht scored on two more layups, but CSP maintained their double-digit lead and took a 36-23 advantage into the intermission.
 
After a layup from Knecht halted CSP's quick burst to start the third quarter, Johnsen heated up with one of her three third-quarter 3-pointers. Johnsen scored 13 points in the third quarter alone, but Concordia-St. Paul kept pace with USF's senior guard and held a 58-44 lead after the third quarter.
 
Within the first four minutes of the fourth quarter, CSP pushed their lead to 20 points, holding a 66-46 edge with 5:54 to play. Robson hit a three and followed a Brooke Smith layup with one of her own for a quick seven-point burst. Hummel connected on her second three of the game and USF converted free throws, including four straight from Smith, to trim CSP's lead to single digits. Robson hit two free throws with eight seconds left as USF used fouls to extend the game, but their deficit was too large to overcome and they suffered a 75-68 defeat.