CHADRON, NEB. – Sioux Falls (3-1, 0-0) claimed victory this evening at Chadron State (2-3) with a 91-76 performance. Taylen Ashley lead the Cougars, hitting 6 three-pointers en route to 24 points while Noah Puetz added in 20 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and hit all 7 of his free throw attempts.
1ST HALF
The USF Cougars' dominance was evident from the opening possession, as Kyle Ingwerson set the tone by draining a three-pointer off a well-placed feed from Creighton Morisch. While the Eagles managed to counter with two baskets off ball screens, Ingwerson wasn't done, answering with another triple to reclaim the lead at 9-7.
The Cougars' early energy was on full display when Taylen Ashley crashed the offensive glass, earning himself a trip to the free-throw line where he converted. What followed was the Shawn Warrior show – a personal 6-0 run that showcased his versatility. Warrior first utilized a ball screen for an easy layup, then calmly sank two free throws before capping his burst with an impressive finish over two defenders on a baseline cut.
Though Chadron State kept things close with timely baskets, the Cougars' offense continued to hum. Ashley benefited from pristine ball movement, finding himself open in the corner for a three that pushed the advantage to 19-15. The parade continued as Jacoby Mehrman's explosive drive forced a goaltending call, and Ingwerson's hot shooting opened up driving lanes, leading to a smooth pull-up jumper from the middle of the lane.
The Cougars' offensive flow was on full display as Ashley used an Ingwerson handoff to drain another three-pointer. Hrncir and Ashley connected on the next possession with a textbook give-and-go that extended the lead to 28-20 before the second media timeout arrived with 7:22 left in the half.
Coming out of the break, Noah Puetz began to leave his mark on the game. After converting a turnaround jumper from the baseline, he facilitated for others, finding Morisch for a bucket. The Eagles tried to disrupt the Cougars' rhythm with four quick points, but Puetz responded by calmly sinking two free throws. Morisch followed suit at the line, helping push the lead to double digits at 35-25 with 3:48 remaining.
As Chadron State attempted to mount pressure, the Cougars' composure shone through. Their crisp ball movement found Puetz for a mid-range jumper from the short corner, while Ingwerson's hustle led to a putback layup. Brandon Hrncir got into the act, converting from the free-throw line before finding Puetz for a three-pointer from the top of the key.
With the first half winding down, the Eagles' full-court press proved futile against the Cougars' precision passing. Three quick passes was all it took to find Hrncir for an easy layup. Though Chadron State managed a final basket with 30 seconds remaining, the Cougars had built a commanding 46-30 halftime advantage.
2ND HALF
The Cougars picked up right where they left off after halftime, building on their 46-30 lead when Ingwerson scored a quick layup. Their defensive pressure continued to create opportunities, as Warrior's steal led to a free throw which he converted.
Ashley's sharp shooting proved to be a constant problem for the Eagles. He connected on a three-pointer with 17:24 remaining to extend the lead to 53-34, and when Chadron State showed signs of life, Ashley quieted them with a smooth stepback three. The Cougars continued to handle the Eagles' press effectively, with Warrior finding space along the baseline for an easy bucket. Ashley struck again shortly after, coming off a screen for another three-pointer. Though the Eagles responded with a three of their own and called timeout trailing 61-48, they couldn't fully close the gap.
Chadron State managed to string together 5 straight points before Puetz stopped their run with two free throws, maintaining a double-digit lead at 63-53. The Cougars' offense kept rolling as Warrior drove straight down the lane for a basket, followed by Puetz getting an uncontested finish off a well-executed backscreen.
Puetz continued to make his presence felt, completing a three-point play after drawing contact at the rim. He then found Mehrman for a three-pointer from the wing. While the Eagles kept fighting, the Cougars had an answer for every run. Ashley added to the lead with a layup and followed it up with a banked three-pointer, pushing the score to 82-69 with 6:02 left to play.
In the closing minutes, Morisch, Ingwerson, and Puetz cleaned up on the offensive glass, converting second chances into points. The Cougars' defense remained solid, with Ashley adding a free throw and Warrior capping off the scoring with a layup in the final minute. Despite Chadron State's late efforts, the combination of Morisch's rim protection and Warrior's defensive plays secured the Cougars' victory, 91-76.
Key Team Stats
Key Coo
Up Next
USF stays on the road for their next matchup in Spearfish, where they'll take on the Black Hills State Yellow Jackets at 7:00pm (ct) on Saturday, November 23rd in the Donald E. Young Center.
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