The University of South Dakota women's basketball team (3-3, 0-1 in the NCC) dropped a 75-74 overtime decision to St. Cloud State (3-1, 1-0 in the NCC) on Friday night in North Central Conference basketball at Halenbeck Hall in St. Cloud, Minn. St. Cloud State guard Nicole Persby hit a basket with three-seconds to play to give the Huskies the win. With :19 seconds to play, South Dakota's Mandy Koupal made one of two free throws to give the Coyotes the lead at 74-73. Krista Orsack, a sophomore shooting guard from Sioux Falls, S.D., had a career best 27 points to lead four Coyotes in double figure scoring. Orsack hit nine of 18 field goals including seven of 14 three-point baskets. The seven three-point baskets is a career best. Orsack now has 76 three-point baskets in her career, which moves her into fifth place all-time. She passed former South Dakota guard Jodi Beavers (1991-95), who had 74. Other Coyotes in double figures include Amanda Iverson (Vermillion, S.D.) with 12 points and six rebounds while Mandy Koupal (Wagner, S.D.) had her four double double by scoring 10 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. Julia Frie (Byron, Minn.) had 12 points while junior forward Heather Nelson (Yankton, S.D.) added nine points. Sophomore guard Stacy Schooley (Watertown, S.D.) had seven assists for the Coyotes. Tina Schreiner led St. Cloud with 20 points while Persby and Jessica Abrahams added 15 points. Early on, it was all South Dakota as Orsack hit a pair of three-point baskets to key a 10-2 Coyote run to open the game (16:03). South Dakota increased the lead to 20-9 on a three-point basket by Frie with 11:54 to play in the first half. St. Cloud's Jonelle Streed answered with a three-point basket with 9:20 to play to draw St. Cloud within 23-17.

A basket by Koupal and Orsack gave the Coyotes a 29-21 lead 4:29 to play. South Dakota received a second three-pointer from Frie with 1:18 to play for a 35-26 lead. The Huskies cut the lead to six when Schriener made a free throw with nine seconds to play in the half. Orsack led the Coyotes with 11 first half points while Frie had 10. Abrahams had nine for St. Cloud. USD hit 14 of 29 field goals for 48.3 percent and were five of 11 from three-point range. St. Cloud made 10 of 28 field goals for 35.7 percent and five of 15 from the three-point line. After Iverson hit a jumper early in the second half, St. Cloud outscored the Coyotes, 17-4 over the next seven minutes to gain a 48-43 lead with 12:06 left in the game. The Coyotes answered with six straight points, including baskets by Frie, Koupal and Orsack, to give South Dakota the lead at 49-48. The Huskies responded by taking a 54-50 lead after a basket by Kristine DeGroot at the 8:44 mark. The lead grew to 58-52 with 6:26 to play on a basket by St. Cloud's Lynnea Salscheider.

Then, it was the Coyotes' opportunity to stage a comeback. A basket by Iverson and then a three-point basket by Orsack at the 4:26 mark cut the Huskies' lead to 58-57. Orsack hit another three-point basket at the 2:57 mark as the Coyotes grabbed a 61-60 lead. Back came the Huskies who scored four straight points for a 64-61 lead. Orsack connected again from the three-point line, this time tying the game at 64-64 with 1:04 to play. The Coyotes had a couple of opportunities to score in the final minute, including a free throw attempt by Schooley with :32 left. Early in overtime, it was Orsack again, who played a big role, hitting a three-pointer with 4:43 to play and giving the Coyotes a 67-64 lead. Two free throws by Heather Nelson kept the lead at three, 69-66 with 3:51 left in overtime. St. Cloud then outscored USD, 5-2 to grab a 72-71 lead with 1:23 to play.

South Dakota grabbed back the lead as Orsack made a pair of free throws for a 73-72 lead with 1:04 to play. After Abraham hit one of two free throws with :44 seconds to play, the game was again even. That set the stage for the final dramatics moments of the game when Koupal hit a free throw and Persby then won the game with her jumper. Overall, the Coyotes hit 27 of 59 field goals for 45.8 percent, including nine of 21 from three-point range. USD hit 11 of 19 free throws for 57.9 percent. USD won the rebound battle, 40-38. Meanwhile, St. Cloud hit 28 of 68 field goals for 41.2 percent. They were five of 22 from the three-point line for 22.7 percent. They made 14 of 17 free throws for 82.4 percent.