SIOUX CITY, IOWA (NOVEMBER 17, 2001) - Poor shooting and 21 turnovers were costly as South Dakota (1-1) dropped a 58-56 nonconference women's basketball decision to Northern State (1-1) on Saturday at the Tri-State Classic in Sioux City, Iowa.

Last night, the Coyotes also had trouble shooting the ball, but they were table to take care of the basketball, committing just nine turnovers in the win over Wayne State (81-62). However, South Dakota did not take care of the basketball on Saturday night and shot just 35 percent for the game as they lost to Northern State in the second round of the Tri-State Classic. South Dakota hit just 37 percent (10-27) of their field goals in the first half and just 33 percent in the second half (8-24). Still, the Coyotes were in the game right to the end. South Dakota cut a 13-point second half deficit to two and had a shot to tie the game in the final seconds but freshman point guard Erin Case's shot was off line.

Mandy Koupal, a sophomore from Wagner, S.D., continues to have a standout season as she scored 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and led the second-half comeback. Over the weekend, she scored 49 points and grabbed 27 rebounds.

Koupal got things started on a positive note for the Coyotes as she hit two three-point baskets in the opening two minutes and South Dakota led 6-2 at the 18:10 mark. After that offensive burst, the Coyotes went on a two and one-half minute scoring drought as Northern State took an 8-6 lead with 16:21 to play on a basket by Shanna Dahl.

The Coyotes regained the lead when Amanda Iverson (Vermillion, S.D.) converted on a pair of free throws to give the Coyotes a 10-8 lead with 13:44 to play in the first half. A Koupal basket provided South Dakota with a 14-10 lead with 10:44 to play.

Then, Northern State went on a 12-0 run as the Coyotes failed to score for nearly four-minutes. A basket by Tia Michalski gave the Wolves a 22-14 lead with 6:48 to play in the first half. South Dakota's Julia Frie finally broke the scoring drought as she hit a three-point basket with 6:21 to play and the Coyotes trailed, 22-17.

After Northern State's Carin Rambow hit a three-pointer, South Dakota freshman point guard Erin Case answered at the 3:25 mark to draw South Dakota within 25-22. With 1:50 to play, sophomore guard Krista Orsack hit a free throw to pull South Dakota with 27-26.

Northern State responded with a pair of three-point baskets in the final minute to grab a 33-26 lead with :13 seconds to play. Case scored with six seconds left in the half to pull South Dakota within 33-28.

In the first half, Koupal led all scorers with 12 points while Case had seven for South Dakota. The Coyotes hit 10 of 27 first-half field goals for 37 percent but were just four of 14 from three-point range (28.6 percent) and a miserable four of nine for 44.4 percent from the free throw line. Northern State hit 12 of 27 field goals for 44.4 percent and was three of four from three-point range for 75 percent. They hit six of 12 free throws.

Early in the second half, things looked bright for the Coyotes, who opened the second stanza by scoring the first seven points of the half for a 35-33 lead at the 16:51 mark. During the run Koupal scored a pair of baskets inside, Orsack hit a jumper and Frie converted two free throws. The lead was short-lived as the Coyotes had trouble making field goals. The Wolves went on a 9-0 run to grab a 42-35 advantage when Shana Theobold hit a three-point basket at the 14:55 mark. After Frie converted on a pair of free throws, the Wolves went on another run and took a 52-39 lead when Dahl hit a jumper at the 8:55 mark.

South Dakota gradually fought back into the game as Frie twice converted a pair of free throws and Koupal scored a on a three-point play as the Coyotes pulled with 52-45 with 7:33 to play. Another Koupal lay-up brought the Coyotes within 56-50 at the 4:36 mark.

After the Wolves Jodi Purath hit a jumper for a 58-50 lead at the 3:12 mark, the Coyotes made a valiant comeback effort. They held Northern State without a basket down the stretch and tightened the game up considerably when Frie made a lay-up and Koupal hit four consecutive free throws as USD moved to within 58-56 with 1:15 to play.

However the Coyotes were unable to convert on a couple of opportunities in the final minute. With :13 seconds to play, the Wolves' Amber Dietrich missed a one and one and the Coyotes called timeout with six seconds to play. Then Case found an opening the basket but her shot was unsuccessful.

For the second straight night, South Dakota's shooting fell under the 40 percent mark. South Dakota hit just 18 of 51 field goals for 35.3 percent and were just four of 18 from three-point range for 22.2 percent. The Coyotes improved their foul shooting in the second half, hitting 12 of 15 to finish the game 16-24 for 66.7 percent.

Frie joined Koupal in double figures with 14 points. Case ended with nine points but the rest of the Coyote team had troubled scoring. Orsack had only three points and was 0-3 from three-point range and Heather Nelson was 0-6 and did not score. Rambow led Northern State with 13 points while Natalie Hopkins had 10. The Wolves hit 23 of 58 shots from the field for 39.7 percent and were five of nine from three-point range for 55.6 percent. They were just seven of 15 from the free throw line for 46.7 percent. Northern State had a 42-39 rebound advantage over South Dakota. The Coyotes will play Dakota Wesleyan on Tuesday night at 5:30 p.m. in the DakotaDome. It is part of a men's and women's basketball doubleheader.