VERMILLION, S.D. - South Dakota women's basketball team (14-10, 8-8 in the NCC) won their sixth straight game by overcoming a nine-point half-time deficit to defeat the University of Sioux Falls (14-15), 55-51, in nonconference basketball at the DakotaDome.

The Coyotes finished their home season with a 9-4 record. They have a 6-2-nonconference mark including a 4-0 record at home. The six straight wins is the most by a Coyote women's basketball team since the 1983-84 season.

After an 81-58 win on Saturday night against Morningside when the Coyotes scored 50 first half points, South Dakota experienced some Sunday afternoon shooting blues against Sioux Falls, who took advantage of the Coyotes' offensive woes to grab a nine-point halftime advantage. The Coyotes hit just five of 29 field goals for 17.2 percent in the first half and were just two of seven on three-point field goals. However, they converted six of eight free throws.

Sioux Falls opened the game with a lay-up from Kassy Hegge, which began a 12-3 run by the Cougars. A lay-up by Amanda Spronk gave Sioux Falls the 12-3 lead at the 12:06 mark of the opening half. South Dakota finally found some offense when senior guard Kelly Koepp scored two field goals, senior guard Kelly Gese made a pair of foul shots and sophomore Heather Nelson had a three-point basket to draw the Coyotes with 13-12 at the 6:48 mark. However, the Coyotes managed just six points the rest of the half as the Cougars grabbed a 27-18 lead at the break. In the final seven minutes, the Cougars outscored the Coyotes, 14-6. A key play for Sioux Falls was a three-point basket by Diana Grandgeorge with 1:25 to play in the half.

Gese and Koepp both had six points for the cold-shooting Coyotes, who also lost the first half rebound battle, 28-20, to Sioux Falls. The Coyotes had just two assists and their second lowest halftime output (18 points) of the season. While the Coyotes hit just 17.2 percent of their first half shots, the Cougars were not faring much better. Sioux Falls made just 11 of 32 field goals for 34.4 percent, including two of six from three-point range. They hit three of four free throws.

Early in the second half, South Dakota continued to struggle and Sioux Falls took advantage of the opportunity to grab their biggest lead of the game at 34-20 with 15:02 left on the game clock. They outscored the Coyotes, 7-2, in the opening four minutes of the half as Spronk had two field goals and Hegge scored inside and tallied a free throw for the Cougars.

After that, the Coyotes began their rally. South Dakota outscored Sioux Falls, 15-2 over the next six minutes to pull within 36-35 at the 8:16 mark. Sioux Falls quickly regained a five-point margin (40-35) on two free throws by Jill Austin and a lay-up by Spronk. The Coyotes answered that charge with a 13-4 run to grab a 48-44 lead with 4:53 to play. Koepp had seven points during that run, including a three-point basket. South Dakota's Krista Orsack hit a three-pointer at the 2:52 mark as the Coyotes opened up their biggest lead of the game at 51-45. Sioux Falls steadied themselves and scored four straight points on a field goal and two free throws by Spronk to pull within 51-49 with 1:31 to play. With 58 seconds left, sophomore Amanda Iverson hit a pair of free throws to give the Coyotes a 53-49 lead. Then the Cougars' Spronk hit a jumper to again draw the visitors within two points at 53-51 with 17 seconds to play. After a turnover by the Coyotes, Sioux Falls was unable to convert on the offensive end and Koepp was fouled, converting both foul shots for the final margin of victory (55-51).

In the second half the Coyotes significantly improved their shooting, knocking down 13 of 26 field goals for 50 percent, although they made just two of eight three point shots. They were nine of 11 from the charity stripe. Overall the Coyotes hit 18 of 55 field goals for 32.7 percent and made 15 of 19 free throws for 78.9 percent.

Koepp had 17 points, four rebounds and two steals to lead South Dakota. Gese had 14 points and four assists while Nelson had eight points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Orsack had five steals for the Coyotes, who totaled a season-high 13 for the game.

Sioux Falls hit 18 of 56 field goals for 32.1 percent, including just two of nine three-point field goals. They hit 13 of 18 free throws for 72.2 percent. Spronk led the Cougars with 19 points while Grandgeorge added 14 points, including a pair of three-point field goals. The Cougars won the rebound battle, 44-38.