SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball team begins Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play on Tuesday, November 25, hosting (RV) Southwest Minnesota State at 5:30 p.m. inside the Stewart Center. The Cougars enter the league opener at 3–2 overall, riding a three-game winning streak after victories over Nebraska Kearney, South Dakota Mines, and Black Hills State.

This marks the first of two meetings between USF and SMSU this season, with the teams set to play again on January 3 in Marshall.

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Series Snapshot

Southwest Minnesota State leads the all-time series 23–17, and the Mustangs have won the last five matchups. The most recent meeting came on February 2, 2025, when SMSU earned a 68–62 win in the Stewart Center behind a balanced scoring effort.

Despite the recent streak in SMSU's favor, USF has historically played well at home, holding a 7–6 record against the Mustangs in Sioux Falls. The last Cougar win in the series came on January 2, 2022 (69–61 in Marshall).

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Scouting the Mustangs (2–2, 0–0 NSIC)

Southwest Minnesota State enters Tuesday with a 2–2 record after opening the season with wins over Tampa and Central Oklahoma. The Mustangs bring a balanced, experienced roster that returns multiple core contributors from last year's NCAA Central Region Tournament team.

SMSU averages 63.3 points per game while allowing 61.5, holding opponents to 40.2 percent shooting. The Mustangs are among the NSIC's top rebounding teams at 41.8 rebounds per game with a +6.8 margin, ranking second in the conference.

Three players average double figures:

• Kylan Gerads (14.5 PPG, 8.3 RPG) – shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 47.1 percent from three.

• Audrey Swanson (14.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG) – also leads SMSU with 3.0 assists per game.

• Nicole Maenke (13.3 PPG) – scoring at all three levels and averaging over 32 minutes per game.

Forward Natalie Nielsen anchors the interior with 10.0 rebounds per game and 1.0 blocks per contest, while also adding 10.0 points per game on efficient 41.9 percent shooting.

SMSU is dangerous from deep, averaging 8.3 made threes per game while holding opponents to just four made threes per contest — one of the best differentials in the league. Turnovers, however, have been an early issue, with the Mustangs committing 14.5 per game and holding a –3.8 turnover margin.

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Cougar Spotlight

USF enters conference play at 3–2 after a strong showing during the USF Classic, where the Cougars defeated South Dakota Mines (84–59) and Black Hills State (69–66). In those two games, USF shot above 50 percent from the field in both contests and showcased rising depth and confidence across the rotation.

Sophomore guard Anna Vaaler has been one of the NSIC's breakout stars, averaging 22.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per contest while shooting 50.7 percent from the field and a blistering 51.9 percent from three. She is also shooting 86.7 percent at the free-throw line.

Sophomore guard Alexis Rose adds 11.2 points per game on 46.2 percent shooting and is coming off a 16-point performance against BHSU. Junior point guard Ayla Brown continues to steer the offense, averaging 10.2 points, 5.8 assists, and 2.8 steals per game, while playing 37.6 minutes per contest.

Freshman post Krista Langager has emerged as a major interior presence, averaging 9.8 points and 5.8 rebounds, including a 22-point outing in the win over South Dakota Mines.

As a team, USF is averaging 70.8 points per game while shooting 44.0 percent from the field, 35.4 percent from three, and 68.9 percent at the free-throw line. The Cougars own a +3.0 rebounding margin and average 8.8 steals per game thanks to an active perimeter defense.

Turnovers remain a point of emphasis at 18.2 per game, but USF showed significant defensive improvement last weekend, holding BHSU to 2-of-9 shooting from three in the second half and forcing 20 turnovers.

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Numbers Game

• Vaaler's Pace: Vaaler ranks among the NSIC's leaders at 22.8 points per game while shooting over 50 percent from the field and three.
• Brown's Command: Brown accounts for nearly half of USF's assists, averaging 5.8 per game — second in the league.
• Deep Threats: USF's 35.4 percent three-point shooting ranks sixth in the NSIC.
• Glass Battle: SMSU owns one of the league's top rebounding margins (+6.8), while USF sits at +3.0 through five games.
• Arc Comparison: SMSU's 8.3 threes per game (second in the NSIC) will challenge a USF defense holding opponents to 32.5 percent from deep.
• Turnover Contrast: SMSU is –3.8 in turnover margin; USF sits at –0.6, forcing 8.8 steals per outing.

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Coach's Corner

"I feel really good heading into this matchup against Southwest Minnesota State. We're starting to figure ourselves out a little bit on the offensive end. Southwest returns a lot of players from a year ago that made the regional tournament, and they're coached very well. We're going to have to do a great job of keeping the basketball in front of us and not fouling. This should be a great matchup as we head into Northern Sun play."
- Head Coach Travis Traphagen

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Inside the Gym

• Tipoff: Tuesday, Nov. 25 | 5:30 p.m.
• Location: Stewart Center – Sioux Falls, S.D.
• Broadcast: NSIC Network
• Live Stats: usfcougars.com
• Next Up: USF remains home to host Northern State in a non-conference battle on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 3:00 p.m.

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