KEARNEY, Neb. – The University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball team opened the 2026–27 season with a hard-fought 63–60 road victory over Nebraska-Kearney, overcoming a halftime deficit and holding off a late Loper rally. Anna Vaaler led the Cougars with 23 points and nine rebounds, while Kami Wadsworth reached the 1,000-career-point milestone in her return to the floor, finishing with 15 points. USF improved to 1–0 on the season behind a strong second-half defensive effort and timely scoring down the stretch.
Game Summary
Sioux Falls finished the evening shooting 41.0 percent from the field (25-of-61) and 28.6 percent from three-point range (6-of-21), while Nebraska-Kearney connected on 45.1 percent of its attempts (23-of-51). Despite being outrebounded 37–33 and outscored 42–30 in the paint, the Cougars created opportunities through their defensive pressure, forcing 22 Loper turnovers and converting those mistakes into 27 points. USF also recorded 11 steals and held Nebraska-Kearney to just 1-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc.
Vaaler paced the offense with 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including three triples, while collecting nine rebounds. Wadsworth made her season debut memorable with 15 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals, reaching 1,000 career points in the process. Alexis Rose added 15 points and a game-high six steals, providing a defensive spark that helped the Cougars overcome their early offensive struggles. The trio combined for 53 of USF's 63 points in the victory.
How It Happened
1st Quarter
Nebraska-Kearney established an early advantage, but the Cougars stayed within striking distance behind 6-of-14 shooting (42.9 percent) and four assists on six made baskets. USF forced six Loper turnovers and turned those into nine points, helping offset Nebraska-Kearney's 12–8 advantage in the paint. Both teams finished with six made field goals, but two Loper free throws provided the difference as USF trailed 14–13 after the opening period.
2nd Quarter
The Cougars continued to battle offensively, shooting 6-of-16 (37.5 percent) from the field while connecting on one three-pointer and one free throw. Nebraska-Kearney was more efficient, going 5-of-10 from the floor and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe to score 15 points in the quarter. The Lopers also held a 10–7 rebounding advantage in the period, limiting USF's second-chance opportunities. Nebraska-Kearney edged the quarter 15–14, taking a 29–27 lead into halftime.
3rd Quarter
Sioux Falls came out of halftime with renewed energy, delivering its strongest offensive quarter of the game. The Cougars connected on 9-of-20 attempts (45.0 percent), including two three-pointers, while scoring 14 points in the paint. Defensively, USF forced seven turnovers, recorded four steals and converted those mistakes into nine points. The Cougars also generated eight fast-break points in the period, helping them outscore Nebraska-Kearney 21–12 and turn a two-point halftime deficit into a 48–41 advantage entering the final quarter.
4th Quarter
Nebraska-Kearney made one final push, outscoring Sioux Falls 19–15 in the fourth behind 6-of-13 shooting and a perfect 6-of-6 effort from the free-throw line. The Cougars struggled to find the same offensive rhythm, shooting 4-of-11 from the field, but connected on two timely three-pointers and generated four steals to help protect their advantage. USF also earned 10 free-throw attempts in the final period, converting five, and forced five Loper turnovers. Despite the late pressure, Sioux Falls held on for a 63–60 season-opening victory.
Key Team Stats
- Defensive Pressure: Sioux Falls forced 22 Nebraska-Kearney turnovers, collecting 11 steals and converting those extra possessions into 27 points.
- Third-Quarter Surge: The Cougars outscored the Lopers 21–12 in the third quarter, shooting 45.0 percent from the field while forcing seven turnovers and scoring eight fast-break points.
- Perimeter Defense: USF limited Nebraska-Kearney to just one made three-pointer on 10 attempts (10.0 percent), while the Cougars connected on six triples of their own.
- Rebounding Battle: The Lopers won the rebounding battle 37–33, but the Cougars collected 12 offensive rebounds to help create additional scoring opportunities.
- Scoring Trio: Vaaler, Wadsworth and Rose combined for 53 points, accounting for 84.1 percent of Sioux Falls' offense in the victory.
Key Cougars
- Anna Vaaler: 23 points, nine rebounds, 9-of-15 shooting and three made three-pointers.
- Kami Wadsworth: 15 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals, reaching the 1,000-career-point milestone.
- Alexis Rose: 15 points, six steals and two assists, shooting 6-of-12 from the field and 2-of-5 from three-point range.
- Krista Langager: Six points, three rebounds and one assist on 3-of-6 shooting.
Coach's Corner
"We got a great road win against a very good, physical team. We didn't start the game the way we wanted, but we stayed composed after the first quarter and made enough plays to get the win. You learn how difficult it is to win on the road, so I was excited to come away with a W. I also want to congratulate Kami Wadsworth on reaching 1,000 career points. That's a great accomplishment."
— Head Coach Travis Traphagen
Up Next
The Cougars will look to build on their season-opening victory as they continue nonconference play against South Dakota Mines and Black Hills State. Those games will take place in Aberdeen, S.D. on November 20th and November 21st.
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