SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Due to their best defensive performance of the 2001-02 season, The University of South Dakota Coyotes (2-2) recorded a 65-58 win over Southwest State (2-2) on Friday afternoon in women's nonconference basketball at the Elmen Center in Sioux Falls.

The Coyotes limited Southwest State to a season low of 58 points, restricting the Mustangs' perimeter shooting game in the first half and opening up a 14 point first half lead, 34-20.

South Dakota received 18 points and 11 rebounds from sophomore forward Mandy Koupal (Wagner, S.D.), who recorded her third double double in four games. Otherwise the Coyotes had a very balanced scoring attack with junior forward Julia Frie (Byron, Minn.) scoring nine pints and grabbing six rebounds; junior forward Amanda Iverson (Vermillion, S.D.) contributing eight points and eight rebounds and sophomore shooting guard Krista Orsack (Sioux Falls, S.D.) providing eight points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. With the win, South Dakota broke a two-game losing streak and gained a 9-8 series lead over Southwest State.

Early on the Coyotes had problems producing any offense, but at the same time, limited Southwest State with solid defense. South Dakota did not score their first field goal of the game at 14:36 of the first half, a lay-up by Iverson to tie the game at 4-4. Up to that point, the Coyotes received just a pair of free throws from Koupal. Southwest State grabbed a 8-4 lead at the 12:15 mark on a lay-up by Michelle Bruns. South Dakota answered by going on a 12-3 run to grab a 19-11 lead. During the run, Koupal hit from close and also had a three-point basket. A basket by Southwest State's Shelli Schoeneck broke the run at the 6:44 mark to draw Southwest State within 19-13. Another basket by Schoeneck drew Southwest State within 19-15 at the 5:45 mark. Then Koupal responded with a basket to give South Dakota a 21-15 lead at the 4:13 mark.

At the 3:12 mark, freshman point guard Erin Case (Sioux Falls, S.D.) hit a three-point basket to give the Coyotes a 24-15 lead - their largest margin of the game. With 50 seconds left in the half, Orsack hit her second straight three-point field goal for a 30-19 lead. After Case stole the ball and fed Orsack for a lay-up, USD led 32-19 with just 20 seconds left in the half. USD closed the half on a 23-9 run.

In the first half, the Coyotes hit 13 of 29 field goals for 44.8 percent, including four of 10 three-point field goals for 40 percent and four of four free throws. Koupal had 11 points and five rebounds in the opening half. Meanwhile, Southwest State hit just nine of 28 field goals for 32.1 percent. They were 0-10 from the three-point line and two of five from the free throw line. In the second half, Southwest State continually put the pressure on the Coyotes, who fought off every charge to grab their second win of the season. With 18:21 to play in the game, Southwest State cut the margin to 11 points on a lay-up and free throw by Mary Roddel.

South Dakota's Heather Nelson broke the mini-run by the Mustangs by scoring inside at the 16:53 mark as the Coyotes maintained a 36-24 lead. A basket by the Mustangs' Regan French at the 15:38 mark cut the Coyotes to lead to 36-28. Then, Lorrie Grems of Southwest State worked inside for a basket to reduce the Coyote lead to 40-34 with under 14 minutes to play. Again the Coyotes responded when Frie knocked home a three-point basket for a 43-34 lead with 12:48 to play in the half. Two Case free throws extended the lead to 11 with 12:30 to play.

Back came Southwest State, who received a three-point basket from Roddel to trim the margin to 45-37 with 11:56 to play. A few seconds later Grems scored inside to cut the lead to 45-40 with 11:10 on the clock. A three-pointer by Roddel drew Southwest State within 45-43 at the 10:18 mark and led to a Coyote timeout. In the first 11 minutes of the second half, Southwest State outscored the Coyotes, 23-11 and shot better than 65 percent.

As was the case throughout the game, South Dakota responded to runs by Southwest State by hitting critical baskets at key times. This time Iverson hit a jumper for a 47-43 lead with 9:25 to play. Schooley answered a Southwest State three-pointer with one of her own at the 8:13 mark and a 50-46 South Dakota lead. But Southwest State kept the pressure on - with Roddel knocking home another three-pointer to cut the lead to 52-51 with 6:40 left in the game. That was as close as the Mustangs would get. Koupal answered the charge by scoring inside and converting a free throw after being fouled to move the lead back to 55-51 with 6:24 left in the game. Two free throws by Koupal at the four-minute mark gave USD a 59-53 lead. A Koupal jumper with 2:34 gave USD a 51-43 advantage. A basket by Schoeneck with 37.6 seconds to play drew the Mustangs within 61-55 but Nelson converted a pair of free throws with :36 left to play to ice the win for South Dakota.

South Dakota hit 22 of 54 field goals for 40.7 percent, including six of 19 three-point field goals for 31.6 percent. South Dakota was 15-18 from the free throw line as Koupal connected on all five of her attempts and Case was four of four. This season Koupal has made 17 straight free throws.

Southwest State hit 24 of 60 field goals for 40 percent. They made five of 10 free throws for 50 percent. Schoeneck had 19 points to lead the Mustangs, who also received 12 points from Mary Roddel and 10 points from Bruns. Next up for the Coyotes is Western State on Saturday, Dec. 1 at noon at the Elmen Center in Sioux Falls. The game is part of the Sioux Valley/Wells Fargo Basketball Classic.