VERMILLION, S.D. (February 26, 2002) - The University of South Dakota women's basketball team will advance to the Wells Fargo Finals (North Central Conference tournament) semifinals as they turned back Augustana, 77-42, with some high-octane offense and outstanding defense in the Wells Fargo Finals quarterfinals on Tuesday, Feb. 26, at the DakotaDome. The Coyotes, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, move on to face No. 3 seed South Dakota State on Friday, March 1, in Grand Forks, N.D. South Dakota State defeated St. Cloud State, 100-68, to advance in the tournament.

South Dakota was hot from the perimeter, recording 12 three-point field goals in 27 attempts for 44.4 percent and shot 28 for 61 from the field (.459). The Coyote defense held Augustana to only 25.5 percent from the field, and no Viking players scored in the double figures. South Dakota also held the rebounding advantage, 43-36.

Sophomore Mandy Koupal (Wagner, S.D.) recorded her 15th double double this season with 28 points and 10 rebounds. Koupal, who was 12 for 16 from the field, also had four assists, two steals and a blocked shot. The hot three-point shooting came from junior Heather Nelson (Yankton, S.D.) and sophomore Krista Orsack (Sioux Falls, S.D.) who each had three three-pointers. With 132 three-pointers in her career, Orsack moves into second place all-time in three-point field goals made, passing Anne Knudtson who had 131 from 1994-98. Orsack had 14 points in the game, and Nelson finished with nine points, three rebounds and three assists. Freshman Erin Case (Sioux Falls, S.D.) had nine points, including two from behind the three-point arc, and four rebounds off the bench for South Dakota. South Dakota led 10-9 at 13:44 when Orsack hit her first three-pointer to lead 13-9. This led to an 11-2 South Dakota run which culminated with Nelson's first trey at 6:53. South Dakota's defense forced Augustana 13 turnovers in the first half and the Vikings continued to struggle offensively as the Coyotes built a 39-19 lead going into halftime.

The Coyotes came out in the second half with the same tenacity shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from the three-point arc, and holding Augustana to just seven of 34 from the field (.206). South Dakota continued their 20-point lead to 13:43 when a three-point field goal from freshman Erin Case (Sioux Falls, S.D.) sparked a 21-5 run by South Dakota to boost the lead to 70-37 at 5:46.

Augustana was led by Charissa Shepard who had eight points and four rebounds, and Tamera Oltmanns with seven points and 11 rebounds.