SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Sioux Falls Cougars (12-10, 8-8 NSIC) went toe-to-toe with No. 13 Southwest Minnesota State (18-4, 13-3 NSIC) but ultimately fell 88-81 in a competitive battle at the Stewart Center. Despite the loss, the night was highlighted by Noah Puetz reaching the 1,000-point milestone for his career, finishing with 15 points. Creighton Morisch posted another standout performance with 20 points and nine rebounds, while the Cougars fought through 13 lead changes and 10 ties in the contest. 

1st Half  

Sioux Falls came out firing, establishing momentum early. Kyle Ingwerson set the tone, knocking down back-to-back three-pointers in the opening two minutes to give the Cougars a 6-0 lead. The Mustangs answered, but Creighton Morisch provided an immediate response, grabbing an offensive rebound and tipping in a put-back layup to push the lead to 8-3. 

The first half remained tight, with neither team gaining a significant edge. Morisch continued to be a force, scoring inside and hitting a three-pointer at the 9:08 mark to push USF ahead 21-17. Shawn Warrior capitalized on a second-chance opportunity with a put-back layup moments later to maintain the lead. 

A three-pointer from Taylen Ashley with 5:34 left in the half briefly gave USF a 28-27 lead, but SMSU kept responding. Puetz then reached his milestone moment with a big floater that just beat the buzzer, sending the Cougars into halftime trailing 42-41 at halftime. USF shot 55.2% (16-of-29) in the first half, including 4-of-8 from deep. 

2nd Half 

SMSU opened the second half with a quick basket to extend their lead, but Puetz kept the Cougars close with a driving layup at the 18:07 mark. The Cougars would soon go on a 7-0 run, highlighted by Ashley and Morisch knocking down a pair of threes to go up 52-50. 

Despite their resilience, USF struggled to slow down SMSU's inside attack, as the Mustangs capitalized in the paint and on second-chance opportunities. The Cougars kept battling, with Ingwerson and Warrior draining threes to bring USF within three with 15 seconds remaining. However, SMSU closed out the game at the free-throw line, securing the 88-81 win. 

Key Team Stats 

• Field Goal Percentage: USF shot 47.5% (28-of-59) from the field, while SMSU finished at 57.4% (31-of-54). 

• Three-Point Shooting: The Cougars shot 45.5% (10-of-22) from deep, led by Ingwerson's four triples. 

• Rebounding Battle: SMSU held a slight edge, outrebounding USF 29-27. 

• Points in the Paint: The Mustangs outscored USF 50-34 inside. 

• Lead Changes: The game saw 13 lead changes and 10 ties in a back-and-forth battle. 

Key Coo 

• Creighton Morisch: Led USF with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists, shooting 7-of-11 from the field. 

• Noah Puetz: Scored 15 points, including his 1,000th career point, while adding 5 rebounds and 3 assists. 

• Kyle Ingwerson: Tallied 17 points, hitting 4-of-8 from three, along with 2 assists and a block. 

• Taylen Ashley: Contributed 14 points, 3 assists, and 3 rebounds, hitting three three-pointers. 

• Shawn Warrior: Added 13 points, 6 rebounds, and a steal.  

Up Next 

The Cougars have another split weekend ahead, starting with an away game at Concordia-St. Paul on Thursday at 5:30 PM. They will then return home to face Minnesota State on Saturday at 3:30 PM in the Stewart Center. 

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