> Box Score

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Sam Knecht scored a game-high 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the University of Sioux Falls to a 67-45 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference women's basketball on Saturday at the Stewart Center.

USF (9-1, 5-1 NSIC) used a strong defense effort to earn the victory, limiting SMSU (0-10, 0-6 NSIC) to a season-low 45 points and 31 percent shooting from the field.

Ellen Degler led SMSU with 13 points and eight rebounds. Annessa Rosch added eight points for the Mustangs, while Amaun Frazier chipped in with seven points and five steals.

The Cougars finished the game shooting 47 percent (30 of 64) from the field and held a 49-29 rebound advantage. The Mustangs made just 19 of 61 field goals and were 1 of 13 from 3-point range.

USF scored the game's first 11 points in the opening four minutes and never looked back in beating SMSU for the second time this season. USF earned a 91-50 victory in the conference opener on Nov. 25 in Marshall.

SMSU answered with seven straight points—capped by a 3-pointer from Rosch—to cut the lead to 11-7 with 14 minutes left in the half.

Degler hit a jumper to cut USF's lead to 14-11 with 12:09 remaining in the half to keep the game close. SMSU kept battling and made the score 18-13 at the 9:30 mark following a field goal by Hope Bonlander, but USF used strong defense to pull away in the final eight minutes of the half.

SMSU was held scoreless for more than three minutes as USF built 23-13 lead before Lauren Hedlund hit a jumper for SMSU to end the scoreless streak with 6:42 remaining in the half. The Mustangs made just one more field goal the remainder of the half as the Cougars built a 35-17 halftime lead.

SMSU was not able to cut into the deficit in the second half and suffered its fourth straight loss to USF.

Southwest Minnesota State will have nearly two weeks off before returning to action on Friday, Jan. 2, hosting nationally ranked Wayne State starting at 6 p.m.