ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The University of Sioux Falls women's basketball team's season came to a close Wednesday night, falling 77–65 to St. Cloud State in a postseason matchup that slipped away on the boards. Despite strong individual performances and a gutsy fourth-quarter comeback attempt, the Cougars couldn't dig out of a hole built one offensive rebound at a time.
USF shot over 41 percent from the field and competed to the final buzzer, but 21 offensive rebounds by the Huskies and a 2-of-18 effort from three-point range proved to be the two-headed monster the Cougars simply couldn't slay.
Game Summary
The Cougars were the better shooting team on a per-possession basis, finishing 21-of-51 (41.2 percent) from the field compared to St. Cloud State's 27-of-68 (39.7 percent). But St. Cloud didn't need efficiency — they had volume. The Huskies hauled in 21 offensive rebounds, turned them into 16 second-chance points, and out-rebounded USF 49–28 overall, giving themselves 17 more field goal attempts on the night.
USF's struggles from three-point range compounded the problem. Hitting just 2-of-18 (11.1 percent) from beyond the arc meant the Cougars couldn't force St. Cloud's defense to guard the perimeter, which only made crashing the glass easier for the Huskies. The Cougars were aggressive at the free-throw line late and showed real toughness down the stretch, but by then the deficit was simply too steep.
Alexis Rose led the way with 20 points and six assists, going a near-perfect 9-of-10 from the free-throw line. Krista Langager battled foul trouble all night but still managed 13 points in limited minutes. Anna Vaaler was steady with 11 points and seven rebounds, and Ayla Brown chipped in 10 points and four boards.
How It Happened
1st Quarter
USF came out sharp, shooting 7-of-15 (46.7 percent) and getting seven early points from Alexis Rose. The three-point shot wasn't falling — 1-of-7 from deep — but the Cougars were competing. Defensively, they held St. Cloud to 40 percent shooting, though six offensive rebounds gave the Huskies a few too many second looks. St. Cloud converted only three second-chance points in the period, but the extra possessions were a warning sign of what was to come. Huskies led 21–18 after one.
2nd Quarter
USF continued to defend well in stretches, holding St. Cloud to just 33.3 percent from the floor — but seven more offensive rebounds kept the Huskies alive and extended the possession gap. The Cougars cooled offensively, going 6-of-15 (40 percent) with no threes falling (0-of-4). It was a quarter of inches and opportunities, and St. Cloud edged USF 17–15 to take a 38–33 lead into the break.
3rd Quarter
This was where the game got away. St. Cloud turned its offensive rebounding advantage into real damage in the third, grabbing six boards and converting them into 11 points. USF, meanwhile, could barely get anything going offensively — just 2-of-9 (22.2 percent) from the field, 0-of-3 from three, and only 10 points in the period. The Huskies outscored USF 22–10 in the quarter and walked into the fourth with a commanding 60–43 lead.
4th Quarter
Down 17, the Cougars refused to fold. USF attacked the rim relentlessly, converting all nine free-throw attempts and holding St. Cloud to just two offensive rebounds in the final period. The Cougars outscored the Huskies 22–17 in the fourth. But St. Cloud was steady when it mattered, going 8-of-10 from the stripe to close out a 77–65 victory. The rally made the final score respectable, but the damage from the third quarter was done.
Key Team Stats
- Rebounding – St. Cloud State outrebounded USF 49–28, including 21 offensive rebounds
- Second-Chance Points – The Huskies converted 16 points off offensive boards
- Three-Point Shooting – USF went 2-of-18 (11.1 percent) from beyond the arc
- Extra Possessions – SCSU attempted 17 more field goals, largely due to offensive rebounding
Key Cougars
Coach's Corner
"All the credit goes to St. Cloud. We gave up way too many offensive rebounds to win a game like this. Felt like we got a lot of good looks, but when you go two of 18 from the three-point line on the road you're typically not going to win the game. I was glad that we had the fight that we did. To lose by 11 and know that you left that many points out there is a tough pill to swallow. But I also know that St. Cloud had a lot to do with some of our struggles."
– Head Coach Travis Traphagen
Up Next
With Wednesday's result, the 2025–26 season comes to a close for the Cougars. The campaign featured growth, resilience, and promising development for a young core that looks poised to build on the foundation laid this year.
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