SIOUX FALLS - The South Dakota women's basketball team (3-2) improved their record to 3-2 with a 61-54 nonconference win over Western State (3-4) in the second round of the Sioux Valley/Wells Fargo Basketball Classic in Sioux Falls on Saturday afternoon.

In a game of fumbled or mishandled balls, turnovers and poor shooting, the Coyotes won their third game of the season and their second in a row. South Dakota, which nearly blew a 20-point second half lead, received 22 points from sophomore forward Mandy Koupal (Wagner, S.D.) and a season high of 16 points from junior forward Amanda Iverson (Vermillion, S.D.). Koupal hit six of six free throws to extend her consecutive free throw made streak to 23 on the season.

Early on, Western State took a 4-0 lead when Jamie Mayne scored inside at the 16:45 mark. Despite numerous easy chances at the basket, the Coyotes did not break into the scoring margin until the 15:44 mark on an inside basket by Amanda Iverson. Interestingly, the Coyotes did not score a field goal for the first 5:31 in their win over Southwest State (65-58) on Friday and it was Iverson who scored. At the 14:05 mark, Iverson tied the game when she hit a hook shot. After Western State took back a 6-4 lead, sophomore forward Mandy Koupal scored her first points on an inside basket off an assist from Erin Case (Sioux Falls, S.D.).

With 12:17 to play, junior forward Julia Frie (Byron, Minn.) stole the ball and was fouled. She then hit both free throws for a 10-8 South Dakota lead and the start of a 6-0 run by the Coyotes. After a Western State basket, Frie hit a three-pointer for a 15-10 lead at the 11:06 mark. Then Koupal and Iverson both knocked down jumpers as the Coyotes led 19-10 with 9:40 to play. Frie scored again a few seconds later and USD had its largest lead of the half, 21-10.

While things looked promising for the Coyotes, their offense suddenly went quiet. South Dakota went on a scoring drought of more than five minutes until Iverson scored inside at the 3:34 mark to give USD a 23-14 lead. Still, Western State, pummeled by Augustana on Friday 83-51, stayed with the Coyotes. The Mountaineers' Danyelle Graziano scored at the 2:50 mark to cut the lead to 23-16. Koupal answered with a basket and again at the 1:39 mark for a 27-16 Coyote lead. Then Iverson culminated a strong first half by hitting a jumper with five seconds left to give USD a 29-19 halftime advantage. The Coyotes hit just 11 of 35 field goals for 31.4 percent and were just one of eight from the three-point line for 12.5 percent. They did manage to convert six of seven free throws for 85.7 percent. Koupal and Iverson had 10 points each to lead the Coyotes. For Western State, Danielle Coleman had six points. The Mountaineers hit nine of 19 field goals for 47.4 percent. They were 0-2 from the three-point line and one of two from the free throw line. South Dakota extended their halftime lead to 12 points when Koupal hit a pair of free throws at the 19:05 mark. Shortly thereafter, Schooley hit a jumper at the 17:52 mark for a 33-19 lead with 17:46 to play. A great pass by junior forward Heather Nelson (Yankton, S.D.) to Koupal for an inside basket increased the Coyote lead to 35-19 with 17 minutes to play. At the 16:12 mark, Nelson finally broke into the score book by knocking down a jumper from the left side of the lane. The shot increased the Coyotes' lead to 37-19. Western State broke a 9-0 run when Coleman scored inside.

Iverson came back for the Coyotes by grabbing a missed shot and putting it back in with 14:32 to play for a 40-21 South Dakota lead. Then South Dakota freshman guard Erin Case hit Koupal with a nice inside as Koupal gave USD a 42-23 lead with 13:37 to play. From that point on, the game turned Western State's way. Coleman, who scored a game-high 24 points including 18 second half points, started the Mountaineer's comeback with a jumper at the 12:45 mark to cut the lead to 42-27 with 12:38 to play. Then a free throw by Mayne and a steal and basket by Sutherland cut the lead to 42-30 with 11:50 to play. Mayne scored inside at the 10:54 mark and again at the 9:54 mark to trim USD's lead to 42-32.

Koupal broke the run with an inside basket at the 9:34 mark for a 44-34 lead. Then Kansteiner scored inside at the 8:19 mark. Her free throw cut the lead to seven points at 44-37. Cellan hit a free throw to draw Western State with 7:46 to play. A free throw by Sutherland and an inside basket by Coleman cut the lead to44-41 with 6:59 to play. Coleman hit a jumper with 6:18 to play to cut the Coyote lead to one point, 44-43. Krista Orsack (Sioux Falls, S.D.) hit a pair of free throws at the 6:04 mark for a 46-43 lead.

In the first 14 minutes of the second half, USD hit just 6 of 20 field goals for 30 percent.

Orsack hit a three-pointer at the 4:58 mark for a 49-43 lead. Coleman answered that basket by hitting a pair of free throws at the 3:59 mark to cut the lead to 49-45. Iverson answered with a pair of free throws and a 51-45 lead with 3:31 to play. Koupal scored inside at the 2:23 mark for a 53-45 lead. Then Sutherland hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to 53-48 with 2:18 left in the game. A three-pointer by Coleman cut USD's lead to 53-51 with 1:32 to play.

After a missed basket by the Coyotes, Stacy Schooley (Watertown, S.D.) stole the ball and hit a wide-open Alissa Koronkiewicz (Peshtigo, Wisc.) under the basket who missed the shot but was fouled. With 1:12 to play, Koronkiewicz hit both free throws for a 55-51 lead. Then after a turnover by Western State with 1:04 to play, Iverson hit a pair of three throws for a 57-51 lead. Koupal hit two more charity tosses for a 59-51 lead with :36 seconds left in the game. Koupal has made 23 straight free throws this season. Western State was not done as Coleman, who had just six first half points but 18 points in the second half, hit a three pointer to cut the lead to 59-54 with 24 seconds to play. When Orsack hit two free throws with 16 seconds left for a 61-54 lead, the Coyotes had their third win of the season. The Coyotes hit just 19 of 60 shots for 31.7 percent, including a porous two of 12 from the three-point line for 16.7 percent. The Coyotes shot the ball extremely well from the free throw line, hitting 21 of 23 shots for 91.3 percent. Orsack and Frie both scored seven points.

Meanwhile Western State hit 22 of 49 field goals for 44.9 percent but were just three of 13 from the free throw line. They made seven of 11 free throws for 66.7 percent. Aside from Coleman, Sutherland had 11 points and six assists.