WINONA, MINN. -  The Sioux Falls Cougars battled until the final buzzer but came up short in a 71-65 loss to (RV) Winona State on Friday night at McCown Gymnasium. Despite tying the game late, the Cougars were unable to overcome a pair of clutch three-pointers by the Warriors in the closing minutes.

1st Half 

The game began with both teams battling for control. Sioux Falls struck first with a tip-in from Shawn Warrior, but Winona State quickly found their stride, leveraging hot shooting from the perimeter and fast-break opportunities to take an early lead. 

Winona State's offense was sharp, shooting over 50% from the field in the opening half and hitting six three-pointers. They capitalized on Sioux Falls' turnovers, converting them into 13 points. Their transition game was also effective, netting eight points on the fast break. 

Despite these challenges, Sioux Falls stayed competitive by dominating the paint and getting key contributions from their bench. The Cougars scored 18 points inside and tallied 10 second-chance points, thanks to their effort on the boards. Kyle Ingwerson was hitting from downtown, going 3-3 from deep en route to 11 first half points, while the bench contributed 16 points in the opening half. 

Sioux Falls trimmed the deficit to four with a Ingwerson's three-pointer late in the half, but Winona State closed strong, extending their lead to 40-33 at the break. 

2nd Half 

Sioux Falls came out of halftime with a focus on limiting Winona State's offensive efficiency. The Cougars' defense improved significantly, holding Winona State to 32.4% shooting in the second half. 

Offensively, Sioux Falls shared the scoring responsibilities, with 8 different Cougars scoring. Creighton Morisch had a strong showing, getting 8 points to fall while grabbing 7 rebounds this half alone. 

However, the Cougars struggled to sustain their momentum due to turnovers and missed opportunities. Sioux Falls committed seven turnovers in the second half, which Winona State turned into valuable points. Despite their efforts, Winona State's timely team play and ability to convert in key moments allowed them to maintain control. 

Sioux Falls made a late surge, tying the game at 65-65 with 2:51 left on a layup by Morisch. However, the Warriors capitalized on a key baseline out-of-bounds play to sink a corner three, followed by another three-pointer shortly after, securing a 71-65 lead that held as the final score. 

Key Team Stats 

• Paint Scoring: Scored 30 points in the paint, showcasing a strong presence inside. 

• Second-Chance Opportunities: Recorded 19 second-chance points off 8 offensive rebounds. 

• Bench Contributions: Bench added 29 points, highlighting key contributions for everyone. 

• Turnover Struggles: Committed 17 turnovers, leading to 16 points for Winona State. 

Key Coo 

• Creighton Morisch: Posted a double-double with 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks. 

• Kyle Ingwerson: Scored 13 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and hit 3 three-pointers. 

• Josh Baker: Contributed 5 points, 5 rebounds, and key hustle plays off the bench. 

Up Next 

The Cougars will travel to Mankato tomorrow night, December 14, for a 7:30 p.m. showdown against the Minnesota State Mavericks. 

For all things USF Men's Basketball, be sure to download the USF Cougars app as well as follow along on Instagram and Twitter!