SIOUX FALLS— Following a 1-1 start at the Southwest Baptist Invitational, the University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball Team will travel to the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (0-0) on Friday, Nov. 16 for a 6:30 p.m., game. They will then turn around and face Chadron State (1-1) on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m., in Chadron, Neb.
 
In their first-ever matchup with Ouachita Baptist, USF produced 90 points for the first time since a 90-56 home win over Presentation College on Nov. 14, 2017 and defeated OBU, 91-44. Returning All-NSIC junior guard Kaely Hummel led USF with 17 points, four rebounds and three assists in the contest. Redshirt freshman guard Jasmine Harris had 13 points and did not miss a shot as she was 5-of-5 from the floor and made all three of her three-point shots. Jessie Geer had 11 points with two assists and two steals in her first game with the USF program since transferring from Utah State.
 
In their second game of the tournament, USF fell to Henderson State, 75-63, despite a double double of 15 points and 10 rebounds from freshman guard Hannah Jones. In the first-ever meeting between these two teams, USF lost despite outscoring HSU, 34-26 in the paint and owning a 14-10 advantage in bench scoring. Junior forward Gloria Mulumba finished with 13 points and five rebounds. She made 4-of-10 shots from the field and 5-of-6 free throws. In addition, Mulumba had a steal and a block in the contest.
 
Hummel leading USF in scoring at 14.0 points per game
So far in the 2018-19 season, USF has shot 40.1 percent from the field (55-of-137), while also recording 19 made three-point shots on 57 attempts for a 33.3 three-point percentage. USF has outscored their opponents 154-to-119 so far this season while also outrebounding their opponents by 32 (100-to-68).
 
Hummel leads the team in scoring averaging 14.0 points per game on 50.0 percent shooting (11-for-22) from the field. Mulumba is second on the team in scoring at 10.0 points per game while shooting at a 35.7 percent clip. She also has accumulated 12 total rebounds (six per game), which also ranks second on the team. Hannah Jones, who is averaging 8.5 points per game, leads USF in rebounding with 7.5 per game and 15 total on the season.
 
USF picked first in NSIC Preseason Poll
In the NSIC South Division Poll, USF, which finished 16-13 a year ago, was also the favorite after they received five of eight first place votes and totaled 47 ballot points. The Cougars, who finished third in the NSIC South and seventh overall a year ago, finished ahead of CSP, which had two first place votes and 40 ballot points.  
 
Inside the opponent—South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Led by sixth-year head coach Ryan Larsen, the South Dakota School of Mines Women's Basketball Team begins this season with high expectations as they return a solid four-guard rotation from a team that finished 16-13 last year. The Hardrockers, which has only played two exhibition games so far (two losses), return plenty of scoring pop from last season, with top four returning scorers Anna Haugen, Taylor Molstad, Sami Steffeck and Cooper Courtney all coming back.
 
Inside the opponent – Chadron State
Following their 6-22 season last year, Chadron State returns nine members from last season's roster. The Eagles have opened with a 1-1 record with a 55-51 win over Texas A&M International and a 61-37 loss to Texas A&M Kingsville. Jessica Lovitt leads the team in scoring at 8.0 points per game while grabbing 4.0 rebounds per game.  Head coach Janet Raymer leads Chadron State in her third season with the team.
 
Series Histories
                                USF leads South Dakota School of Mines, 3-0
USF has played the Hardrockers three times and have come away with victories in each game. USF started their series by traveling to South Dakota School of Mines in 2013 and recording a 76-51 win. In 2014, USF hosted the Hardrockers and recorded a 69-55 victory. Most recently the two teams played in 2016 in Sioux Falls where USF registered a 70-54 win. In the 2016 victory, Hummel finished with 19 points as USF shot 40.9 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc.
 
                                USF leads Chadron State, 1-0
In their only meeting, USF recorded a 78-60 victory on Dec. 19, 2017 at the Stewart Center. In the victory, Hummel led the team with 17 points and four rebounds while Lauren Sanders added 16 points . Augusta Thramer added a career-best in points with 12 and steals with six.
 
Traphagen leads USF Program
Travis Traphagen is in his 11th season as the head coach of the University of Sioux Falls women's basketball team. In his 10 seasons at the helm of the USF Women's Basketball program, Traphagen owns a 195-104 overall record which makes him the school's career leader. He has led USF to four 20-win seasons and recorded back-to-back 20-win campaigns in 2015-16 and 2016-17. In 2015-16, he led the program to their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth in USF Women's Basketball history. Traphagen, who has directed USF to four straight winning seasons, has twice guided the Cougars to the NSIC Tournament title game. The 2015-16 team won the tournament to earn USF's first trip to the NCAA DII National Tournament.