SIOUX FALLS – In a defensive battle for the NSIC/Sanford Health Women's Basketball Tournament title, University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball came up short, falling 55-52 to Northern State on Tuesday night. The Cougars sit at 22-8 and await their fate for a possible at-large bid to the NCAA Central Region Tournament.
 
Seniors Madi Robson and Sam Knecht were each selected to the all-tournament team. Robson averaged 10.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game and Knecht posted two 20-point games to finish with an average of 17.8 points and 9.8 rebounds with 10 total blocks in the four-game tournament. With the continuation of their season left in waiting, Knecht and fellow senior Alyson Johnsen have posted an 80-49 record, including a 49-14 record in the past two seasons when Robson joined their ranks.
 
USF entered Tuesday night as the conference tournament defending champions and a seven-game winning streak after 4-0 run to the title last season and winning their first three games of the 2017 version of the NSIC postseason.

Robson scored 15 in teh first half and ended with one of her stat sheet-stuffing statlines of 15 points six, assists and seven rebounds. One of the more impressive feats of the tournament was Robson played all 160 minutes possible for the Cougars, never subbed out in each of USF's four NSIC/Sanford Health Women's Basketball Tournament games. Johnsen was solid at the line when USF's offense stalled, going-4-for-4 and scoring 12 points.
 
With a blistering start to the game, USF built a near double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter. Robson was the leading force for the Cougars, scoring eight points in the first five minutes of the game to give USF a 13-4 advantage. Northern State answered, but Robson then assisted on two straight buckets, a Jacey Huinker layup and Alyson Johnsen three, for the Cougars to keep them up comfortably. With one minute remaining Andi Mataloni knocked down a 3-pointer from the right wing to put on top 21-12 at the end of the first quarter.
 
The Cougars needed every bit of cushion they built in the first quarter because they went scoreless for the first 6:40 of the second quarter and Northern State took a 23-21 lead with 11 straight points. Robson then broke USF's scoreless drought with a layup and led a 7-0 USF run with a Mataloni three and Sam Knecht jumper to take back the lead, 28-24. Each team traded three-point plays, keeping USF ahead before Robson sparked a quick run to end the half. She converted a layup then found Mariah Szymanski in the corner on an inbound pass with 0.9 seconds left and Szymanski drilled the three for a 36-27 USF lead at halftime.
 
While the Cougars were ahead of scoring pace in the first half with 36 points, the USF offense couldn't hold and Northern State connected on timely shots to pull ahead. Knecht opened the half with a jumper and Johnsen followed two NSU free throws with a 3-pointer for the Cougars' largest lead of the game at 41-29. It was two NSU three-point field goals that changed the tides for the Wolves, sparking a 10-0 run to cut USF's lead to two. Mataloni connected on a three to break the USF drought before Northern State scored the final five points in the third quarter, tying the score at 44-44.
 
As the Cougars struggled offensively in the second half, their defense kept them alive. NSU scored five out of the break and USF responded with a pair of free throws from Knecht and Johnsen each. NSU scored twice more to pull back ahead by five then Brooke Smith converted a tough layup and Johnsen hit two free throws again with eight seconds left after she was fouled and the Cougars had a chance to tie with a three. Forced to foul to extend the game, USF sent NSU to the line where Jessi Marti converted both. On the final possession, Johnsen's three-point attempt was blocked and USF would finish as runner-up.