By: Clint Neumann
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The University of Sioux Falls women's basketball team enters the final weekend of the regular season with everything still to play for, hosting Wayne State on Wednesday, February 18 at 5:30 p.m. inside the Stewart Center before closing the year on the road at Augustana on Saturday, February 21 at 1:30 p.m. in the Elmen Center. The Cougars will need wins—and some help—to secure a home game in the first round of the NSIC Tournament, but above all else, the focus is on playing their best basketball heading into the postseason.
Both opponents enter the weekend on four-game losing streaks and sitting near the bottom of the conference standings, but neither can be overlooked. Wayne State brings one of the most disruptive defenses in the NSIC, making every possession a grind. Augustana counters with one of the league's most dangerous interior players and a unit that crashes the offensive glass relentlessly. With the regular season coming to a close, these are the moments that define tournament seeding and momentum.
Scouting Wayne State (10–16, 5–15 NSIC)
Wayne State enters Wednesday's matchup at 10–16 overall and 5–15 in NSIC play, riding a four-game losing streak and carrying a 2–9 road record into the Stewart Center. First-year head coach Brian Ortmeier's Wildcats have struggled to generate consistent offense this season, but their defensive identity has made them a difficult out for everyone on the schedule. USF won the first meeting back in December, 77–54 in Wayne, Nebraska, behind 22 points from Anna Vaaler and 18 from Alexis Rose.
Offensively, Wayne State has been one of the league's most limited teams, averaging just 63.8 points per game (15th in the NSIC) while shooting 39.4 percent from the field and a tough 26.9 percent from three. They've struggled to score, but they've made life difficult for opponents in return—holding teams to 66.0 points per game (sixth in the NSIC) and an NSIC-second-best 38.9 percent shooting from the floor. The Wildcats force 17.7 turnovers per game (second in the conference), though they've matched that number by turning it over 17.7 times themselves. They rank fifth in the league in defensive rebounds at 26.7 per game and have the length to protect the rim and deflect passes, consistently disrupting opponents' offensive rhythm.
Kylah vanDonkersgoed leads the Wildcats with 13.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game—both team-highs—and provides an outside shooting threat as the team's second-leading three-point maker. Rachel Dahlen adds 10.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest while leading the team in both blocked shots and field goal percentage. Tenleigh Smith contributes 8.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and directs the offense as the team's leading assist provider. Kelsey Willems is the defensive engine, racking up 60 steals on the season (2.3 per game, fourth in the NSIC) while also leading the team in made three-pointers.
Scouting Augustana (9–17, 6–14 NSIC)
Augustana enters Saturday's matchup at 9–17 overall and 6–14 in NSIC play, also riding a four-game losing streak under second-year head coach Nate Vogel. USF took the first meeting in December, winning 76–66 inside the Stewart Center behind 23 points from Anna Vaaler and 22 from Krista Langager. The Vikings have been more competitive at home this season and will look to close out their year with a strong showing in front of their home crowd.
Augustana averages 64.7 points per game and has struggled defensively, allowing 74.3 points per contest (15th in the NSIC) while giving up 44.3 percent shooting from the field (last in the league) and 35.8 percent from three (also last). Free-throw shooting has been a weakness at 67.6 percent, the worst mark in the conference. Where the Vikings have shown strength is on the offensive glass, pulling down 11.3 offensive rebounds per game—a number that creates second chances and extra possessions. They also force 16.1 turnovers per game (fourth in the NSIC), but have countered it with 18.8 turnovers of their own.
Isabella Sanneh is Augustana's centerpiece, averaging 14.5 points and a conference-leading 9.6 rebounds per game while shooting 48.5 percent from the floor and ranking fifth in the league in free-throw attempts. She's the player USF must contain if they want to control the game. Kristin Edwards provides one of the most dangerous perimeter threats in the NSIC, averaging 8.1 points per game while knocking down 45 three-pointers—with 75 percent of her shot attempts coming from beyond the arc. When she gets hot, she can change a game in a hurry. Maliyah Elliott runs the point, contributing 7.6 points per game while leading the team in assists and directing the offense.
Cougar Spotlight (11–15, 8–12 NSIC)
USF enters the final weekend of the regular season at 11–15 overall and 8–12 in conference play, firmly in the fight for tournament seeding. Securing a home game in the first round of the NSIC Tournament remains within reach, but it will require wins and some favorable results across the rest of the conference schedule. Regardless of what happens elsewhere, the Cougars are focused on one thing: playing their best basketball heading into the postseason.
The home-road split tells an important story this season. Inside the Stewart Center, USF is 9–5 with a +5.0 scoring margin, shooting 47.0 percent from the field, 37.3 percent from three, and averaging 16.9 assists per game at 75.8 points per contest. On the road, the numbers drop sharply—64.8 points per game, a -5.7 scoring margin, 40.9 percent from the floor, and 25.9 percent from three with just 11.8 assists per game. The defensive numbers remain consistent regardless of venue, which means the Cougars need to elevate their offensive execution away from home on Saturday in Sioux Falls against Augustana.
Anna Vaaler leads USF at 18.1 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game while shooting 34.7 percent from three. Krista Langager, who was recognized on the NSIC Shining 5 following her standout performances last weekend, averages 16.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game on a blistering 60.7 percent shooting—and is coming off a two-game stretch where she averaged 27 points per game and shot 81 percent from the floor. Alexis Rose and Ayla Brown man the backcourt with 11.7 and 9.2 points per game respectively, and both lead the team in assists and steals, providing the connective tissue that makes the offense flow.
Numbers Game
- Wayne's Defense: The Wildcats hold opponents to 38.9 percent shooting from the field, second-best in the NSIC—USF will need to work hard for every bucket.
- Turnover Battle: Wayne State forces 17.7 turnovers per game (second in NSIC) but also turns it over 17.7 times per game—capitalizing on their mistakes will be critical.
- Sanneh's Presence: Isabella Sanneh leads the NSIC with 9.6 rebounds per game and shoots 48.5 percent from the floor—controlling her will define Saturday's result.
- Home Court: USF is 9–5 at home this season with a +5.0 scoring margin, shooting 47.0 percent from the field. The Stewart Center advantage is real.
- Langager's Surge: Coming off a two-game stretch where she averaged 27 points per game and shot 81 percent from the floor, Krista Langager enters the final week in the best form of her freshman season.
- Road Splits: USF averages 11.1 fewer points per game on the road (64.8 vs 75.8), making offensive execution at Augustana on Saturday a priority.
Coach's Corner
"Last weekend of the year. I hope that we're playing some better basketball down the stretch because these games are all very important. Wayne is a very good defensive team that will make you work for everything. Coming off our last weekend's games, I feel good about where we're at. Just need to keep working hard on the defensive end and rebounding. All these games are very important to finish down the stretch to hopefully give ourselves the best seed that we can going into the tournament."
— Head Coach Travis Traphagen
Inside the Gym
Wednesday, Feb. 18 vs Wayne State
Saturday, Feb. 21 at Augustana
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