SIOUX FALLS -- On Feb. 19-20 at the Stewart Center, the University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball Team (7-4, 7-4 NSIC), will close the regular season by hosting Southwest Minnesota State (8-4, 6-4) in a two-game series that will determine each team's postseason fate. USF and SMSU play at 6 pm on Friday night and then at 4 pm on Saturday as part of Seniors Weekend.

On Saturday prior to the start of the USF and SMSU game at 4 pm Saturday, USF will honors its seniors and their parents, including Anna Goodhope, Amanda Dagostino, Emily Petersen, Lauren Sanders and KaSandra Springer. 

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 USF-SMSU' home game on KELQ-Radio.. Live stats for home games are available at www.sidearmstats.com/wbball.  

Cougars and Mustangs meet for 36th and 37th time

USF, which has received votes in the WBCA National Poll twice this year, will try and end a two-game slide as they face SMSU for the 36th and 37th time in a series that dates to 1969-70. A year ago, USF defeated SMSU, 100-77, at Sioux Falls and 74-71 at Marshall, Minn. 

NSIC South is a close race with five teams owning shot at NSIC Tourney
As things stand right now, USF owns a half-game lead over SMSU. Therefore with the winning percentage the critical advancing measure, USF needs one win in the two games this weekend. Five teams remain in the mix for the NSIC Sanford Health Postseason Tourney in the South Division. USF is tied with Minnesota for third at 7-4 with SMSU in fifth at 6-4. Augustana, which defeated USF, 76-68 and 80-74 on Feb. 12-13 at Pentagon, leads the NSIC South at 8-3 (9-4 overall) and is followed by Concordia-St. Paul at 8-4 (10-4 overall).  The Vikings travel to face Wayne State at 5-7 while CSP has to go to Minnesota State to face the Mavericks. In essence, USF and SMSU could finish anywhere from first in the South to out of the tournament in fifth, depending on the outcome of games this weekend. The teams with the four best winning percentages from each the North and South will advance. The No. 4 teams from the South/North will face the No. 1 teams for the  South/orth. The No. 2 team in the South faces the No. 3 team in the North while the No. 2 teams in the North matches up with the No. 3 in the South. 

USF listed in NCAA DII First Regional Rankings
The University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball Team (7-4, 7-4) is ranked in the first edition of the NCAA Division II women's basketball regional rankings that were released today. Four of the teams represent the NSIC and four come from the MIAA. This is the first of three rankings to be made by the NCAA DII Basketball Committee. The NSIC and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) make up the NCAA Central Region this year.  The top six teams in the region advance to the NCAA Regional Tournament on March 12-13, 15. Automatic bids are granted to the winners of the NSIC and MIAA postseason tournaments, with the remaining four spots being awarded on an at-large basis. The NCAA Women's Basketball Selection Show is set to air on NCAA.com at 9 p.m. (CT) on Sunday, March 7. The NCAA Elite Eight will take place on March 23-26 at the Great Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. Due to the disparity of games played this season and the limited data available, the schools below are listed as "under consideration" for championship selection in alphabetical order for this regional ranking. The team (listed with overall record and regional record include: Augustana, 9-4, 9-4; Central Missouri, 16-2, 16-2; Concordia St. Paul, 10-4, 10-4; Emporia State, 14-4, 14-4; Fort Hays State, 16-2, 16-2; Minnesota Duluth, 9-0, 9-0; Nebraska-Kearney, 16-2, 16-2; and Sioux Falls, 7-4, 7-4.

USF-SMSU among top teams in league in several stat categories
Both USF and SMSU are among the top teams in the league in several statistical categories. SMSU is in the top-5 in 10 categories and lead the NSIC in free throws at 79.4 percent; made three-pointers at 8.0 (tied with Augustana); three-point field goal percentage defense at 23.2 and rebound average at 46.3. The Mustangs, directed by fifth-year head coach Tom Webb, are led in scoring by Meleah Reinhart at 14.6 ppg and 18 three-pointers. Sadie Stelter averages 12.8 and has a team-best 31 assists and Jenna Borchers is averaging 12.3 with a team-best 35 three-pointers. 

USF, which is led by Anna Brecht, second in the league at 18.6 points per game, leads USF, which is ranked in the top-5 in eight categories. USF is third in offensive rebounds at 12.7 per game; third in rebounds at 41.4; fourth in scoring at 72.4 ppg, third in made threes at 7.6 and third in free throws at 77.6 percent.

  
Series shows USF with 18-17 all-time lead - 14-2 in NSIC play
USF leads overall series 18-17, dating to the first game in 1969-70. However, since the two teams have competed in the NSIC, USF has won 14-of-16 games including both match ups in 2019-20. USF placed five players in double digits including Anna Goodhope with 22 and Kaely Hummel with 20, in a 100-77 victory at the Stewart Center on Nov. 20, 2019. Then in the return matchup, USF, then ranked No. 18 in the country, registered a 74-71 victory as Hummel led with 20 points. Jacey Huinker added a double double of 12 points and 11 rebounds while Meleah Reinhart had 25 and Abuk Akoi, 22 for the Mustangs.  In SMSU last win overall and in Sioux Falls on Dec. 30, 2018, the Mustangs took a 77-61 decision. Caleigh Rodning had 16 points while Reinhart and Jenna Borchers supplied 13. In NSIC play, USF holds a 6-2 advantage at home and is 8-0 in Marshall, Minn. The Cougars have won 15 of the last 17 match ups. In a series that began in 1969-70, USF won the first matchup, 42-31 at Marshall, Minn., and a 36-25 decision in 1970-71 before SMSU won their first game in the series, 45-27 in Sioux Falls. Before USF and SMSU moved into the NSIC, SMSU held a 15-3 margin. Since that USF leads, 15-2. Overall, SMSU leads 11-7 at Sioux Falls but trails the Cougars, 11-6 at their home court. The Cougars have won nine of the last 10 match ups.

Year-by-Year Series Record

 1969-70 -- USF42 SMSU 31 @ Marshall

1970-71 – USF 36 SMSU 25 @ Marshall

1971-72 – SMSU 45 USF 27 @ Sioux Falls

1973-74 – SMSU 55 USF 25 @ Sioux Falls

1986-87 – SMSU 71 USF 69 @ Sioux Falls

1987-88 – SMSU 105 USF 80 @ Marshall

1988-89 – USF 90 SMSU 68 @ Sioux Falls

1989-90 – SMSU 66 USF 50 @ Marshall

1990-91 – SMSU 72 USF 53 @ Sioux Falls

1991-92 – SMSU 77 USF 47 @ Marshall

1992-93 – SMSU 79 USF 47 @ Marshall

1992-93 – SMSU 66 USF 54 @ Sioux Falls

1993-94 – SMSU 63 USF 58 @ Sioux Falls

1994-95 – SMSU 73 USF 46 @ Sioux Falls

1995-96 – SMSU 95 USF 68 @ Marshall

1995-96 – SMSU 81 USF 78 @ Sioux Falls

1996-97 – SMSU 74 USF 69 @ Sioux Falls

2002-03 – SMSU 86 USF 76 @ Marshall

11/12/2011 – USF 76 SMSU 58 @ Marshall

12/1/2012 – USF 77 SMSU 66 @ Marshall

1/15/2013 – SMSU 66 USF 52 @ Sioux Falls

11/30/2013 – USF 70 SMSU 60 @ Sioux Falls

12/21/2013 – USF 66 SMSU 53 @ Marshall

11/25/2014 – USF 91 SMSU 50 @ Marshall

12/20/2014 – USF 67 SMSU 45 @ Sioux Falls

11/24/2015 – USF 74 SMSU 42 @ Sioux Falls

12/19/2015 – USF 88 SMSU 72 @ Marshall

11/26/2016 – USF 75 SMSU 40 @ Marshall

12/17/2016 – USF 63 SMSU 47 @ Sioux Falls

11/25/2017 – USF 76 SMSU 58 @ Sioux Falls

12/16/2017 – USF 69 SMSU 54 @ Marshall

12/1/2018 – USF 69 SMSU 51 @ Marshall

12/30/2018 – SMSU 77 USF 61 @ Sioux Falls

11/20/2019 – USF 100 SMSU 77 @ Sioux Falls

12/21/2019 – USF 74 SMSU 71 @ Marshall

USF Player Notes - Brecht ranks 2nd in scoring and Hoskinson leads in boards
Twice in her career, including on Jan. 18 of 2021, Anna Goodhope has been named  the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) South Player of the Week. Goodhope helped guide the Cougars to a 2-0 weekend against Winona State. Goodhope, who prepped at Sioux Falls Washington, averaged 18 points, hit 56 percent from the field, and grabbing seven rebounds per game in playing 63 combined minutes against WSU this past weekend.  In a 67-61 win over WSU on Saturday, Jan. 16, she had 16 points and six rebounds with three assists. Then she scored 20 points with eight rebounds, assist and a steal in a 73-67 win. Goodhope, who also earned the NSIC Player of the Week honors on Nov. 19, 2019, is averaging 10.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game for USF. Goodhope is 14-of-28 for 50.0 percent from three-point range. She  owns 95 threes at USF in her career with 115 total (20 at NDSU). She has 30 double-digit games at USF and 33 in her career. In that total, Goodhope has seven 20-point games and three double doubles. She is averaging 11.3 points and 5.6 rebounds in 10 games with two starts.

Anna Brecht, a 6-0 transfer from Wisconsin/Green Bay and former Sioux Falls, S.D., native, has opened her career by averaging 18.6  points - 2nd in the NSIC - and 5.6 rebounds. Brecht has 11 straight double-digit games in scoring with 20 points or more six times. She set a career-high with 25 points against Wayne State on Feb. 5. Brecht has 14 double-digit games in her career at USF and Green-Bay. She registered her first-ever double double with 15 points and 12 rebounds against Augustana on Feb. 13. 

Junior guard Dallie Hoskinson, a 5-6 junior transfer from Johnson City Community College, leads the NSIC in rebounding at 8.2 per game. Hoskinson, who scores 8.6 points per game, has recorded double-digit rebounds in five of 11 games (15, 13, 12, 11, 10) with a high of 15 vs Upper Iowa on Jan. 9. She recorded double-double twice this season with 10 points and 10 rebounds against Wayne State on Feb. 6 and had 12 points and 12 rebounds against Concordia St. Paul on Jan. 22. She has three straight double-digit scoring games with her career-high 18 vs Augustana on 2-13-21. She has five total in double-digits scoring.

Senior guard Lauren Sanders, who is averaging 6.3 points per game and has made seven starts in 11 games, hit her 100th career three against Concordia St. Paul. She has recorded  111 career threes.  She has 428 career points. Sanders has 13 career double-digit games with three of 20 points or more.

In making three starts at USF in 11 games, senior Amanda Dagostino has averaged 3.6 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. In her first start, she came up big for USF.  She was 4-of-4 from the floor Jan. 9 against Upper Iowa with a career-best eight points, five rebounds and career-highs in blocks with three and assists with three. 

Newcomer Emily Petersen, who is averaging 3.1 points, also had a double-digit points game for USF for the first time. In the win over Winona State, she hit her first two threes with USF and had 10 points in 14 minutes. Against CSP in a 83-68 win, she hit three straight threes and finished with nine points to help the Cougars to a win. She has two starts in nine games.

Krystal Carlson, a junior forward, has made  averaging 10 starts in 11 games and is averaging 7.4 ppg, 4.1 rebounds and has three double-digit scoring game on the season - 10 in her career. She ihad a career 23 points and eight rebounds in the loss to MSU on Jan. 27.