MANAKTO, Minn. – An all-around effort helped University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball build a substantial lead and inevitably hold off Minnesota State's comeback efforts in a 74-71 win on Friday night. The Cougars win their third straight game and improve their record to 12-5 overall with a 9-4 record in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. USF's 9-4 league record pulls them into a three-way tie for second in the NSIC south division and 5.5 games ahead of fifth-place Minnesota State (5-13, 3-9 NSIC) – the top four teams in each division will host the first round games of the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament.
 
Kaely Hummel, Jacey Huinker and Lauren Sanders all reached double figures in scoring, but it was USF's balanced effort that had 10 players score. Hummel led the Cougars with 18 points, including a late 3-pointer that helped stop MSU's run. Huinker added 15 points and 13 rebounds, her second career double-double. Sanders reached double figures for the first time in seven games scoring 12 points off the bench.
 
While USF shot a season-high 53.3 percent from the field, turnovers limited their scoring opportunities as they committed 22 on the night. With their once-17-point lead dwindling to three late in the game, the Cougars came up big at the free throw line, hitting 20 of their 24 foul shots for an 83.3 percent mark.
 
USF's defense played a key role in the victory, despite allowing 35 points in the fourth quarter – the Mavericks scored 20 points on free throws in the fourth quarter alone – as they held MSU to 38.5 percent from the field, extending their record to 11-1 when holding their opponent to less than 40 percent shooting. The Cougars also forced 19 turnovers, which they turned into 23 points. Individually, Moira Duffy continues to be a defensive force in the paint where she blocked seven MSU shots while adding six points and five rebounds.
 
Sioux Falls opened the game slowly on the offensive end and MSU took advantage, racing out to a 12-4 lead. The Cougars clawed their way back into the game with Sanders scoring seven points in the final four minutes of the first quarter to help USF cut Minnesota State's lead to 16-13 after the first period.
 
USF's defense tightened up and their offense began to roll over the next two frames. The Cougars outscored MSU, 40-20, over the next 20 minutes of game time, including an 18-9 edge in the second quarter. Layups by Augusta Thramer and Duffy cut the MSU lead to one on two occasions and Hummel tied the game at 22-22 with just less than six minutes to play before halftime.
 
Andi Mataloni gave the Cougars their first lead, knocking down a 3-pointer on a Hummel assist for a 25-23 advantage. Thramer and Huinker followed with layups for a quick seven-point run and Huinker knocked down a 15-foot jumper from the baseline for a 31-25 advantage at halftime.
 
Out of the intermission, Hummel started to heat up and help the Cougars push their lead into double figures. Her first 3-pointer of the game sparked a 14-5 run for USF. She hit a pair of shots to put USF up eight points, then Duffy and Mataloni combined for five points to put the Cougars up 45-32. Huinker reached double figures with a layup before Sanders and Mariah Szymanski sank four straight free throws. On the final possession of the third quarter, Taylor Volesky connected on a baseline floater for USF's 53-36 lead, their largest of the game.
 
With a seemingly comfortable lead entering the fourth quarter, USF's turnovers and foul troubles opened the door for Minnesota State to make a comeback. USF turned the ball over 11 times and 15 fouls sent the Mavericks to the line for 23 free throws in the final period alone. In the opening four-and-a-half minutes of the fourth quarter, Huinker and Duffy were the only Cougars to score while MSU posted 12 points, seven from the free throw line, and cut USF's lead to 57-49.
 
Hummel hit a jumper to top a near three-minute scoring drought and Huinker two free throws put the Cougars back on top by 12 points. Over the next 90 seconds, MSU strung together another free throw-fueled run, hitting six more foul shots to bring them within five points of USF. However, USF's leading scorer Hummel connected on a big 3-pointer as Sanders found her teammate open at the top of the key and Hummel knocked down the triple for a 65-57 advantage.
 
With both teams in the bonus, USF's free throws became their final hope of holding onto their lead. Claire Jordan converted and and-one opportunity following three free throws from USF to pull the Mavericks within four points with 50 seconds left in the game. Lexi Saugstad became the 10th Cougar to score in the game when she hit two foul shots, but MSU answered again in the final minute.
 
The game seemed in hand when Thramer hit two free throws to push USF's lead back to eight points, 72-64, with 26 seconds remaining, but MSU responded with five straight for a one-possession game, 72-69. After three Cougars fouled out, Volesky found herself at the free throw line and the redshirt sophomore made two big free throws with seven seconds remaining to ice the game. MSU's Clair Ziegler, who scored 20 points, made a layup as time expired to bring the final score to 74-71 in favor of the Cougars.
 
Sioux Falls continues their four-game road trip with a 4 p.m. game at Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday, Jan. 20 in St. Paul, Minn.