SIOUX FALLS – Kaely Hummel scored 22 points and Jessie Geer provided 14 to ignite an offensive explosion by the University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball Team (14-7, 9-6 NSIC) in a 95-47 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference cross divisional victory over Bemidji State (5-14, 3-12 NSIC) Friday night at the Stewart Center.

With her 22 points, Hummel, a junior from Cherokee, Iowa, became the 19^th player in USF Women's Basketball history to surpass 1,000 points in her career. Hummel, who was 8-of-12 from the floor and 5-of-8 from three-point range, needed five points for the milestone as the night began. With her point total, she now has 1,017 in her career. Additionally, Hummel registered her 11^th 20-point game of her career and 56^th game with double-digit points.

"I think we put together one of our best efforts of the season," said USF Head Coach Travis Traphagen, who ran his career win total to 208 at USF. "We had great energy and really played hard all night. I thought our offense and defense was in attack mode and it made a difference," he said. "It was great to see everyone share in this victory."

In one of her best floor games of the season, Geer, a junior from Gillette, Wyo., had 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting and added eight rebounds plus a career-best eight assists. Redshirt freshman guard Jasmine Harris had 12 points as she scored 11 points in the third quarter when the Cougars opened up the lead against BSU. Harris, who had 3-of-5 from three-point range, also had a steal and rebound in 15 minutes. She recorded her fourth double digit scoring game of the season.

For the fourth time this year, USF scored 90 points or more in a game and the 48-point margin was the second highest of the season (98-46 vs Presentation College). USF defeated BSU for a seventh straight time and moved into sole possession of third place in the NSIC South. The Cougars sit at 9-6 and two games back of Concordia St. Paul and Augustana, who both are 11-4.

The Cougars, which hit 54.9 percent from the floor on 39-of-71 shooting, came out fast against BSU. The Cougars opened up a 24-11 advantage after one quarter. With its aggressive defense and strong shooting, USF built a 42-23 lead by halftime. Then, with a 28-14 advantage in the third quarter opened up a 70-37 lead through three quarters. USF also controlled the fourth quarter, outscoring BSU, 25-10.

USF, which had a 46-to-20 edge of points in the point and 17-to-8 advantage in second chance points, hit 48 percent from three-point range on 12-of-25 shooting. The Cougars defense was the key as they forced 16 turnovers which they turned into a 20-to-7 margin in points off turnovers. With Harris leading the way, USF, which had 22 assists on 39 made baskets, had a huge 42-to-10 advantage in bench points. 

Sophomore guard Lauren Sanders, who had eight points and three rebounds in her first start of the season, started things off on the right foot for USF. Sanders hit jumper to tie game at 7-7 with seven minutes to go.  It was also a start of a 10-0 run, leading to a 15-7 advantage after a Krystal Carlson basket with four minutes to play.  USF, which hit 55.6 percent (10-of-18) in the first quarter, took a 20-9 lead after a lay-up from Geer and a free throw from Harris. Geer's lay-up with 41 seconds left helped the Cougars open up a 24-11 advantage at the quarter break.

The Cougars also had a solid shooting effort in the second quarter as they hit 7-of-14 field goals. A jumper by Hummel enabled USF to double up BSU at 28-14 at the 7:48 mark. From there, USF had a 14-2 run with Hummel's triple providing USF with a 42-16. BSU closed the second quarter on a 7-0 finish as they cut the lead to 42-23 at the break.

As would be the case in every quarter of the game, USF made over 50 percent from the floor in the third quarter. USF was 11-of-20 as they put together a 28-14 advantage. In the quarter, Harris had her 11 points and a trio of threes while Hummel had six points and Geer four points and four assists. After BSU cut the USF lead to 46-32 with 7:12 on the clock, the Cougars took off. Off the final 6:06 of the quarter, USF outscored BSU, 21-to-5 and used four three pointers in the stretch to push the lead out to 70-37 at the break.

In the final quarter, USF made 11-of-19 field goals for 57.9 percent and had 25 points from six different players, including six points by Gloria Mulumba and five by Andi Mataloni and Abby Slater. In fact, USF outscored BSU, 18-to-2 with points in the paint and 8-to-0 with points off turnovers. USF opened the quarter on a 13-0 run to take a 83-37 lead at the 5:57 mark on a three by Mataloni. Amanda Dagostino's lay-up with two minutes to go provided USF with its biggest lead of the game at 50 points (93-43).

 On Saturday, USF will host another North Division foe in Minnesota Crookston with game time set for 4 p.m. at the Stewart Center.