MANKATO, MINN. - The Sioux Falls Cougars (6-5, 2-3 NSIC) came up just short in a tightly contested game, falling 82-79 to Minnesota State (7-5, 3-1 NSIC) on Saturday evening at the Bresnan Arena. A career performance from freshman Taylen Ashley wasn't enough to overcome a second-half Mavericks run. 

1st Half 

Sioux Falls came out of the gate firing, setting the tone with excellent ball movement and tenacious defense. Shawn Warrior got the Cougars on the board with a three, and their rhythm only grew from there. Creighton Morisch, the team's anchor on both ends of the floor, grabbed early rebounds and facilitated ball movement, including a key assist to Kyle Ingwerson for a three-pointer. 

Taylen Ashley took over offensively midway through the half, hitting back-to-back three-pointers to extend the Cougars' lead to 21-10. Anytime the Mavericks threatened to close the gap, Ashley answered with another clutch shot. He showcased his versatility, scoring in transition and shaking his defender for open looks, amassing 17 points in the half. 

The Cougars' defense was equally impressive, forcing Minnesota State into contested shots and limiting their second-chance opportunities. Morisch's rebounding prowess and defensive positioning were pivotal as he closed the half with 8 rebounds and 8 points. Sioux Falls hit 8-of-14 shots from three-point range, finishing the half up 40-34 despite the Mavericks gaining some late momentum. 

2nd Half 

Minnesota State wasted no time after halftime, drawing up an alley-oop play on the opening possession to energize the home crowd. The Mavericks followed with back-to-back three-pointers, cutting the Cougars' lead to two. Morisch responded by converting an and-one opportunity on the other end, but momentum shifted when the Mavericks mounted a 10-0 run, taking a 59-52 lead with 12 minutes left. 

The Cougars struggled to keep the Mavericks out of the paint, where they scored 34 points overall, but continued to fight back with timely three-pointers. Ingwerson hit multiple triples to keep the deficit within reach, and Warrior's clutch three-pointer late in the half trimmed the Mavericks' lead to five. 

With less than a minute remaining, Morisch snuck in for a layup to bring the score to 79-76. After Minnesota State extended the lead to four, Ashley drew a three-point shooting foul with just 23.2 seconds left. The freshman calmly sank all three free throws to cut the deficit to 81-79. However, the Cougars couldn't convert their final opportunity after the Mavericks split their free throws, sealing the 82-79 loss. 

Key Team Stats 

• Three-Point Shooting: Sioux Falls shot an impressive 44.8% (13-of-29) from beyond the arc, including 8-of-14 in the first half. 

• Rebounding Battle: The Cougars matched Minnesota State on the boards with 42 total rebounds (12 offensive, 30 defensive). 

• Assists: The team tallied 17 assists, showcasing strong ball movement throughout the game. 

• Turnovers: Sioux Falls committed just 8 turnovers. 

• Points in the Paint: The Cougars scored 22 points in the paint but struggled to contain the Mavericks, who tallied 34 in the same category. 

Key Coo 

• Taylen Ashley: Led the Cougars with 23 points on 7-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-10 from three-point range, adding 4 assists and 4 rebounds. 

• Creighton Morisch: Posted a double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 9-of-15 from the field, along with 3 assists. 

• Kyle Ingwerson: Scored 18 points, hitting 5-of-10 from beyond the arc, and grabbed 7 rebounds. 

• Shawn Warrior: Contributed 8 points while adding 6 rebounds and 1 steal. 

Up Next 

The Cougars are back in action at the Stewart Center this week, taking on (RV) Wayne State at 7:30 PM on Thursday, December 19. They'll close out 2024 with a 4:00 PM clash against (RV) Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday, December 21. 
 
 

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