SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball Team (0-2) will have a busy week ahead with three nonconference games in five days. The Cougars begin with the home opener against Presentation College on Tuesday at 5:30 pm. USF also plays Waldorf College at 6 pm on Thursday and Black Hills State at 3 pm on Saturday afternoon at the Stewart Center. Following the three nonconference games, USF will host Southwest Minnesota State to open the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference schedule on Tuesday at 5:30 pm at the Stewart Center.

Follow USF Women's Basketball - Broadcast - Social Media
Follow USF Women's Basketball on twitter at @USFCougars_WBB and @USF_Athletics. All USF's home and road games and NSIC contests are streamed for free through Blue Frame at the NSIC Network (schedule page, click on NSIC Network). Veteran announcer Tom Frederick will provide play-by-play for the nonconference games as part of the video streaming broadcast on Blue Frame. Live stats for home games are available at www.sidearmstats.com/wbball.  

How Things Stand
The Cougars opened at the Tip Off Challenge against two of the top teams in the Central Region. The Cougars dropped a 76-68 decision to host Missouri Western on Friday, Nov. 12. Then, the Cougars fell to No. 4 ranked Fort Hays State, 82-73 on Saturday, Nov. 13.

G1 - Missouri Western 76 USF 68: In the opener, USF had a career high 18 points from Sydney White, 13 from Danielle Schaub and 12 by Krystal Carlson but had a second-half rally fall just short in a 76-68 loss to Missouri Western (1-0) at the Tip Off Classic on Friday night (Nov. 12) to open the season. White, a sophomore from Andover, Minn., came off the bench to spur USF's second half rally in which USF had a 46-to-40 advantage. She scored 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting and knocked down both of her three-point shots. In her first game at USF, graduate transfer Danielle Schaub had 13 points as she hit 6-of-6 from the field and her only three-point shot. Senior Krystal Carlson added 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting. She also had four rebounds and a steal. Also contributing was junior Dallie Hoskinson with five points and a team-high 10 rebounds to go with two steals and an assist. Freshman guard Megan Fannin added seven points while freshman Brecli Honner had six points, six rebounds and two assists in her debut at USF. Overall, USF was 29-of-58 from the field for 50 percent. After hitting just 9-of-23 shots in the opening half, USF was 20-of-35 for 57.1 percent. The Cougars made 5-of-13 from three-point range but was hurt at the foul line by converting just 5-of-15 for 33.3 percent. In addition, the Cougars had 26 turnovers and lost the rebound battle, 46-39.

G2 - No. 4 Fort Hays State 82 USF 73: In game two, USF had a career-high 26 points by Megan Fannin but dropped an 82-73 decision to No. 4 ranked Fort Hays State on Saturday afternoon at the Tip-Off Classic. Against one of the top-ranked teams in DII, USF battled all night and made several runs at the Tigers. USF's efforts were led by Fannin, a freshman guard from Watertown, S.D., who hit 9-of-18 shots, including a career-best 5-of-8 from three-point range and added three foul shots. She also had three rebounds, and an assist in 32 minutes on the floor, also for USF, senior forward Krystal Carlson had 15 points, two rebounds, and five steals in 24 minutes. Freshman Olivia Gamoke had a career-best 10 points in her second game at USF. She added five assists, three rebounds, and two steals while hitting 4-of-7 shots from the floor, Additionally, USF had 10 points and four rebounds from Kiara James and nine points and three rebounds from junior guard Dallie Hoskinson. Overall, the Cougars hit 24-of-59 shots for 40.7 percent and made 10-of-24 shots from the three-point range for 41.7 percent. The Cougars improved their free-throw shooting from game one with 15-of-18 conversions for 83.3 percent. 
 
A Look Inside at Numbers – '
Through two games, USF is averaging 70.5 points and allowing 79.0 points per game. The Cougars have hit 53-of-117 field goals for 45.3 percent and hit on 15-of-37 from three-point range for 40.5 percent. They are 20-of-33 from the foul line. The Cougars have been outrebounded, 40-.5 to 33.5 and USF is averaging 12 points off turnovers. In addition, USF is averaging 2.0 blocks and 8.5 steals per game.

Leading the way for USF is freshman guard Megan Fannin, who is averaging 16.5 points through two games. She also has hit 6-of-13 from three-point range. Senior forward Krystal Carlson is averaging 13.5 points and 3.0 rebounds along with 3.0 steals per game. She is hitting 50 percent from the floor on 9-of-18 shooting. Also for USF, sophomore guard Sydney White has come off the bench to average 9.0 points and made 58.3 percent from the field. Junior guard Dallie Hoskinson is averaging 7.0 points and a team-best 6.5 rebounds.  Freshman Olivia Gamoke is also averaging 7.0 points while dishing 3.5 assists, recording 2.0 steals and 3.0 rebounds per game.
 
Quick Look at Opponents
Presentation College – The Saints is led by former USF assistant coach Carley Jeffery, who is in her first year as head coach. PC stands 1-5 on the season to this point. Brittiney Seymour leads in scoring at 9.3 ppg and rebounding at 3.8 rpg. PC averaged 47.8 points and allows 71.5 ppg. They have a win over Mount Marty, 53-50, at the Pentagon Classic in early November.

Waldorf College, which is directed by eighth year head coach Katie Schutjer, is 3-4 this season. The Warriors advanced to the NSAA Tournament quarterfinals a year ago. On Nov. 13, they won their second straight with an 81-65 win over Beloit College and a 99-38 win over Mount Marty on Nov. 12.

Black Hills State, directed by head coach Mark Note, the school's career wins' leader at 319 victories, sit 1-1. They have a 55-52 loss and a 56-55 win over Minot State. Danica Kocer leads the team in scoring with 15.5 per game. She had 18 in the opening game loss and 13 in the win over MiSU.

History - Series Notes – USF leads Presentation College, 7-0
USF stands 7-0 against Presentation College in a series that dates to 2009. The Cougars took a 98-46 decision on Nov. 27, 2018. In the win, USF was led by Kaely Hummel with 18 while Krystal Carlson had 11 points and four rebounds. In fact, USF forced Presentation College into 31 turnovers, recorded a season-high 16 steals, and limited the Saints to 34.6 percent shooting. USF, which now has registered double-digits in steals four times this season, had a 52-to-30 rebound edge and pulled down 23 offensive boards. USF also shared the ball with 23 assists on 35 baskets.

Cougars to play Waldorf for the first time and hold a 1-0 series lead over BHSU
Against Waldorf, USF will meet them for the first time. USF will face Black Hills State for the second time as the Cougars took a 75-70 win in on Nov. 22, 2013. In that win eight years ago, USF Head Coach Travis Traphagen won his 100^th game and Laura Johnson had 20 points as she reached 1,000 points in her career.   

HC Travis Traphagen begins 14th season
In his 14th season at USF, he has established the career wins mark of 251 with six 20-win seasons, NSIC Tournament title, two tournament final appearances, and a pair of NCAA DII Tournament berths.
 
As he begins season 14, Travis Traphagen has established the career wins mark of 251 with six 20-win seasons, NSIC Tournament title, two tournament final appearances, and a pair of NCAA DII Tournament berths. In his 12 plus seasons at the helm of the USF Women's Basketball program, Traphagen owns a 251-125 (.677) overall record, with six 20-win seasons, two NCAA DII Central Regional berths (2015-16, No. 7 seed; 2019-20, No. 3 seed) and a NSIC South Division title. He has had back-to-back 20-win seasons twice at the DII level, including the 2019-20 (26-6) and 2018-19 (23-8) seasons. He also had back-to-back 20-win campaigns in 2015-16 and 2016-17 with the first NCAA Tournament berth in USF Women's Basketball history in 2015-16.

At the DII level, he has had four 20-win seasons with at least 22 wins each year. The 27 wins in the 2015-16 season is the most by USF at the DII level.