SIOUX FALLS – With first place in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference at stake, (RV) University of Sioux Falls Men's Basketball Team (18-5, 14-3 NSIC) made clutch shots on offense and defended to lift the Cougars to a 68-61 win over (RV) Northern State (17-6, 13-4 NSIC) on Friday (Feb. 7) at the Stewart Center. With the win, USF ended an 11-game slide to NSU, which dates back to the 2002-03 season.

The victory helped USF improve to a DII-program best 18-5 record with its 14-3 mark in league play also the best mark in USF's DII era through 17 games. And, by defeating North Division leader NSU, USF took over the overall NSIC lead by a game with five to play. Additionally, they also own a three-game advantage in the NSIC South after Upper Iowa (11-6) fell at U-Mary, 85-71.

"We really guarded tonight. We made them earn their points and kept them off the foul line while keeping them from hitting a bunch of threes," said USF Head Coach Chris Johnson, whose team held NSU to 21 points below its league-leading points per game average (82.0). "We shot it well in the second half and Troy Houghton played the best game he has ever played here. Jack (Thompson) really defended and came up big for us with clutch shots and free throws. But I thought everyone that played for us was locked in and did a great job," said Johnson, whose team will host MSU Moorhead on Saturday at 5:30 pm at the SC.

To Johnson's point, playing pivotal roles in the USF victory was freshman guard Jack Thompson, who had a team-high 18 points, including a career-high 10-of-10 from the foul line. He made six straight free throws in the final minute. Sophomore guard Troy Houghton had career-highs in points with 16 and rebounds with seven while adding three assists and a blocked shot.

USF had four players double digits for the 11^th time – all victories. Joining Houghton and Thompson was sophomore guard Chase Grinde with 12 points, six rebounds and five assists while junior forward Teathloach Pal had 10 points, seven rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot.

USF strength for much of the season has been the play inside the paint and it was a factor in the win over NSU. The Cougars had a 32-to-22 edge in points in the paint. And with a 31-to-24 margin in rebounds, USF was able to hold a 14-to-4 margin in second chance points. In addition, USF forced NSU into 16 turnovers which resulted in a 20-15 margin in points off turnovers.

Down the stretch, the Cougars made plays, including a three from Troy Houghton as the clock was winding down with 1:58 to play for a 58-54 lead. And, the Cougars forced two turnovers on NSU in the final minute as the game was still up for grabs. Plus, USF, which was 17-of-21 (81.0 percent) from the free throw line on the night, hit their last nine straight free throws. Given that USF ranked 14^th in the league in foul shooting at 69.5 percent, the performance at the line was critical to the win.

After opening with a 7-0 spurt, USF and NSU played to a near-even first half. NSU took a 28-26 lead to the break with a late 12-5 run. In the second half, USF, which was 13-of-23 for 56.5 percent in the second half, held a 42-33 margin to secure the victory.

USF has been a solid second half team all season. In conference play, USF is shooting more than six percentage points higher in the second half (49.4 percentage) than the first half (43.2 percent).  

Overall, USF hit on 23-of-49 field goals for 46.9 percent and made 5-of-9 from three-point range. Meanwhile, NSU, which was 14-of-26 for 53.8 percent in the second half, finished 23-of-50 for 46 percent and knocked in 6-of-16 from 3-point range as well as 9-of-11 from the foul line. The Wolves were led by Gabe King with 19 points while Cole Dahl had 12 off the bench. NSU's Parker Fox, who was averaging 20.9 ppg, was held to nine points and five rebounds before fouling out.

Scoring Summary
Early in the first half, Grinde hit a three and the Cougars scored the first seven points to take a 7-2 lead over NSU five minutes into the game. When USF's Trevon Adams hit a three with his only shot of the game, the Cougars had a 10-2 lead (14:38).

A little later, Houghton connected on a jumper as the Cougars held a 11-6 margin with 12:25 to play in the opening half. USF extended the lead to 21-16 on a Grinde basket at the 7:05 mark. Then, NSU made its run. Over the final seven minutes of the half, they outscored USF, 12-5, to take a 28-26 lead to halftime. NSU scored the go-ahead basket on Dahl's jumper with 1:40 on the first half clock.

In the first half, both teams struggled shooting as USF was 10-of-26 for 38.5 percent while NSU was 9-of-24 for 37.5 percent. Dahl and Fox each led NSU with seven points. Grinde had seven to lead USF, which held a 14-8 mark in the paint in the opening half.

After the break, USF opened fast as it had in the opening minutes of the game. USF had a 9-4 run to lead 35-32 with 14:52 to play when Thompson hit a triple. For most of the second half, USF continued to stave off the visitors which drew within 38-37 with 11:40 to play. After NSU crawled within one, the Cougars had an 8-0 run with baskets from Grinde, Austin Slater, Pal and two Thompson foul shots for a 46-37 advantage with 9:59 to play.

But in what would prove to be a back-and-forth affair between division leaders, NSU drew within 48-45 on a three from King at the 7:54 mark. Once again, USF responded when Pal scored inside and Slater made a foul shot for a 51-45 margin. Again, NSU rallied as King's three at the 5:01 mark cut USF's lead to 53-52. 

USF continued to maintain a slim lead until Houghton scored inside at the 1:02 mark and Grinde hit a pair of foul shots for a 62-56 advantage with 48 seconds left.

Dahl cut the deficit in half by connecting on a three with 39 seconds left as NSU trailed just 64-61. But the home-standing Cougars staved off NSU by making critical defensive plays and converting four straight foul shots in the final 30 seconds to earn their first win over NSU as a member of the NSIC.