SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball team closed out the USF Classic with a hard-fought 69–66 victory over Black Hills State on Saturday afternoon inside the Stewart Center. In a game defined by runs, foul trouble, and late-game resilience, the Cougars found a way to finish strong and push their record to 3–2 heading into Thanksgiving week.
USF shot an efficient 52 percent from the field, knocked down eight threes, and leaned on a balanced scoring attack with four players recording at least eight points. The Cougars also weathered 21 turnovers and extended stretches of foul pressure to earn back-to-back wins to close the Classic.
Game Summary
The Cougars built a 35–28 halftime lead behind efficient shooting and interior scoring, then saw Black Hills State claw back with a 19-point third quarter. USF entered the fourth up 51–47 before delivering several key shots and defensive stands to close it out.
Anna Vaaler led the way with 18 points on 7-for-10 shooting, while Alexis Rose added 16 points and two threes. Ayla Brown posted 9 points to go with 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals, and the Cougars got 18 total bench points — a key difference on a night where foul trouble forced extended rotation minutes.
Black Hills State was led by Sawyer Stoebner's 15 points and Emily Cooper's 14, but the Yellow Jackets shot just 41.1 percent overall and 33.3 percent in the fourth quarter, allowing USF to hold on.
Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown
1st Quarter — USF 17, BHSU 13
USF opened the game shooting 7-for-11 (63.6%) and scored 12 points in the paint, while forcing seven early turnovers. Vaaler and Langager set the tone offensively as the Cougars took a four-point lead.
2nd Quarter — USF 35, BHSU 28
The Cougars again shot 7-for-11 in the quarter and knocked down two threes while holding BHSU to 15 points. Rose, Traphagen, and Vaaler provided steady scoring, and USF entered the break up seven.
3rd Quarter — USF 51, BHSU 47
Black Hills State generated its best quarter of the afternoon, scoring 19 points on 6-for-11 shooting and going 6 of 9 from the FT line. USF managed 16 points in the frame, including big baskets from Rose and Murtaugh, and held onto a four-point lead.
4th Quarter — USF 69, BHSU 66
USF went 6-for-12 from the field and hit three threes in the final frame, including a key make from Minsaas and another from Rose to extend the margin. The Cougars' defense held BHSU to 6-for-18 shooting, sealing the win despite late pressure.
Coach's Corner
"What a great weekend for USF. I thought tonight we played a very tough Black Hills State team. They really pressured us and got us in foul trouble early in the game. I thought we had some kids really step up and play well. I hope this game prepares us as we move into conference play and adjust to different styles throughout the weekend. I'm very proud of our kids' grit to finish the game. We had three subs on the floor at the end. I hope this takes us into Tuesday's game against Southwest with a lot of positive momentum."
— Head Coach Travis Traphagen
Key Coo
- Anna Vaaler – 18 points (7-10 FG), 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 threes
- Alexis Rose – 16 points (6-11 FG), 4 rebounds, 2 threes, 2 steals
- Ayla Brown – 9 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals
- Dani Minsaas – 6 points, 1 three, strong defensive minutes
- Gracie Traphagen – 8 points, 2 threes, 2 assists
Key Team Stats
- Paint Production: USF held a 34–26 edge in paint points, consistently generating high-value looks around the rim.
- Shooting Edge: The Cougars shot 52.1 percent from the field and 40 percent from deep (8-20), maintaining efficiency in all four quarters.
- Turnover Balance: USF committed 21 turnovers but forced 20, limiting BHSU to just 11 points off giveaways.
- Rebounding Moments: USF finished with 28 rebounds to BHSU's 33 but secured 12 in the fourth quarter to close defensive possessions.
- Bench Support: The Cougars got 18 bench points, highlighted by Traphagen and Murtaugh hitting timely threes.
- Defensive Timeliness: USF recorded 10 steals and held the Yellow Jackets to 2-for-9 from three in the second half.
Up Next
The Cougars return to action Tuesday, November 25, hosting Southwest Minnesota State at 5:30 p.m. inside the Stewart Center to open a three-game homestand.
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