SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball team battled until the final buzzer but came up just short in a heartbreaking contest against Concordia-St. Paul inside the Stewart Center on Thursday night. Despite a blistering first half, a career performance from Krista Langager, and a historic night for Ayla Brown, the Golden Bears escaped with a narrow victory after converting key free throws in the final seconds.

USF led by as many as 13 early and carried a commanding nine-point advantage into halftime, but a dominant 26-point third quarter from CSP completely shifted the momentum. The Cougars fought back valiantly, cutting the deficit to just one point with six seconds remaining before a pair of late free throws sealed their fate.

Game Summary

Sioux Falls shot an efficient 49.2 percent from the field (30-for-61) and assisted on 18 of its 30 made baskets, showing strong offensive rhythm and ball movement throughout much of the night. The Cougars executed beautifully in the first half, building a double-digit lead behind crisp passing and hot shooting.

Krista Langager delivered a stellar performance with 26 points on a ridiculous 12-of-14 shooting while adding nine rebounds. She was unstoppable. Alexis Rose chipped in 12 points and six assists, running the offense with poise. Gracie Traphagen delivered a career-high 11 points off the bench, knocking down three triples and providing a crucial spark.

And in a moment that deserves recognition: Ayla Brown broke the USF Division II career assists record with 333, surpassing Madi Robson's mark of 332. A program legend adding to her legacy.

But the difference ultimately came in possession battles and second-half execution. USF committed 19 turnovers that CSP converted into 19 points, while the Golden Bears capitalized on a crushing 26-point third quarter to flip a nine-point halftime deficit into a six-point lead heading into the final frame. Both teams finished with 37 rebounds and shooting percentages were nearly even, but CSP's ability to control momentum in the third quarter proved decisive.

How It Happened

1st Quarter

The Cougars came out absolutely firing, jumping to a dominant 13–0 lead behind balanced scoring and crisp ball movement. USF shot 9-of-14 (64.3 percent) from the floor and 3-of-6 from three in the opening period, assisting on seven of nine made field goals. The offense was clicking on all cylinders.

Krista Langager scored six early points, setting the tone inside. Alexis Rose and Anna Vaaler each added five, spreading the wealth and keeping CSP on its heels. Seven turnovers allowed the Golden Bears to hang around, converting them into nine points and preventing the lead from ballooning, but USF still held a commanding 21–15 edge after one quarter.

2nd Quarter

The offensive rhythm continued in the second quarter as USF shot 10-of-18 (55.6 percent) from the floor. Krista Langager was absolutely perfect, going 5-of-5 from the field for 10 points in the quarter alone. She couldn't miss. She wouldn't miss.

Concordia-St. Paul kept pace with 7-of-20 shooting, two made threes, and four free throws, but the Cougars maintained control and tempo. USF entered halftime with a 44–35 lead, and everything pointed to a statement home victory.

3rd Quarter

Momentum swung dramatically in favor of the Golden Bears in the third quarter. CSP erupted for 26 points on a scorching 12-of-18 shooting, with 18 of those points coming in the paint. They attacked relentlessly, found open looks, and executed with precision.

Meanwhile, USF cooled off offensively, shooting just 4-of-14 (28.6 percent) and grabbing only four rebounds in the quarter—a costly stretch on the glass that allowed CSP to control possessions. Gracie Traphagen and Dani Coleman provided a spark off the bench with five and four points respectively, but it wasn't enough to stem the tide.

CSP's surge completely flipped the game, giving them a 61–55 lead heading into the fourth. The nine-point halftime advantage had evaporated, and the Cougars were suddenly chasing.

4th Quarter

The Cougars mounted a gutsy late rally behind another dominant stretch from Langager, who scored 10 points in the final period on 4-of-5 shooting while pulling down five rebounds. She refused to let the game slip away without a fight.

USF shot 7-of-15 (46.7 percent) in the quarter and clawed their way back into the game possession by possession. With six seconds remaining, the Cougars cut the deficit to just one point. But forced to foul with three seconds left, CSP calmly converted both free throws. A last-second attempt from the Cougars didn't fall, and the buzzer sounded on a heartbreaking narrow defeat.

Key Team Stats

• Efficiency: USF shot 49.2 percent from the field compared to CSP's 44.3 percent. The Cougars were the better shooting team but couldn't close it out.
• Turnovers: USF committed 19 turnovers that resulted in 19 points for CSP. Taking care of the ball was the difference.
• Ball Movement: The Cougars tallied 18 assists on 30 made field goals, reflecting strong offensive flow when they executed.
• Rebounding: Both teams finished tied at 37 rebounds, with neither side gaining a clear advantage on the glass.

Key Cougars

• Krista Langager – 26 points, 9 rebounds, 12-of-14 shooting 
  Alexis Rose – 12 points, 6 assists, 5-of-10 shooting
  Gracie Traphagen – Career-high 11 points, 3 three-pointers
  Ayla Brown – 8 points, 6 assists; broke the USF Division II era career assists record with 333, surpassing Madi Robson's mark of 332

Coach's Corner

"Tough game tonight. Thought we played well the first half but didn't have the focus on details in the second half. That's kind of cost us in a lot of games here this year. Need to regroup and get ready for a good opponent on Saturday."
- Head Coach Travis Traphagen

Up Next

The Cougars remain in Sioux Falls to host Winona State on Saturday, February 14th at 3:00 p.m. inside the Stewart Center in a Valentine's Day matchup.

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