ORLANDO, FLA. -- The No. 3 ranked South Dakota women's basketball team (2-1) had another slow start but finished with a flurry in a 68-44 win over No. 5 Central Arkansas (1-2) at the Disney D-II Classic in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday night.
After leading just 26-23 at halftime, the Coyotes hit 17-of-29 shots after the break, outscoring Central Arkansas, 42-21, en route to their second win in three games.
All-American Mandy Koupal (Wagner, S.D.) again led the Coyotes with her second straight double double. Against Drury, she had 28 points and 12 rebounds. Tonight against Central Arkansas, the senior forward had 21 points and 10 rebounds. It was her second double double of the season and 37th in her career at South Dakota. Koupal hit nine of 15 shots and also contributed three assists and a steal in 25 minutes of work. In the second half, she had 17 points.
Senior shooting guard Erin Bourne (Sauk Rapids, Minn.) made seven-of-14 field goals, including five-of-nine three pointers for a season-high 19 points. Bourne, who also had three rebounds, tied a career high with five three-pointers. Already in 2003, Bourne has made 12-of-21 three point baskets in three games.
Junior forward Kayle Jacobs (Watertown, S.D.) added seven points while sophomore guard Meghan Woster (Sioux Falls, S.D.) had six points, four rebounds and three assists. Senior point guard Stacy Schooley (Watertown, S.D.) had four points, eight rebounds, seven assists and two steals.
Bourne played a key role in helping the Coyotes to a first-half advantage. With Mandy Koupal in foul trouble, Bourne scored 13 of her 19 points in the opening stanza. Bourne's three-point basket at the 17:42 mark of the first half provided South Dakota with a 7-0 lead. But, USD's offense bogged down and Central Arkansas cut the lead to 9-8 on a free throw by Carone Harris with 14:32 to play in the opening half. Bourne again connected from three-point range to give USD a 14-8 lead with 11:24 to play in the half.
Then, Central Arkansas outscored USD, 10-2, over the next five minutes to grab an 18-16 lead at the 6:29 mark. They increased the lead to 23-18 when Bekka Middleton hit a jumper at the 4:20 mark. South Dakota responded by closing the half on an 8-0 run, capped by Bourne's three pointer at the 1:40 mark, for a 26-23 halftime advantage.
The momentum stayed with the Coyotes in the second half as Bourne and Koupal continued to provide a solid one-two punch offensively.
Two more three pointers by Bourne provided South Dakota with a 40-29 lead at the 13:59 mark of the second half as USD opened on a 14-6 run. The lead grew to 51-31 when Koupal scored inside at the 9:00 mark. A lay-up by Jodi Schroeder (Tulare, S.D.) at the 5:59 mark gave USD a 57-33 lead.
Overall, South Dakota hit 28-of 59 field goals for 47.5 percent, including six-of-18 three point field goals and six-of-11 from the free throw line. USD had 23 assists, two blocks and eight steals. The Coyotes also won the rebound battle, 46-32.
Central Arkansas was led by Genai Walker with 14 points and nine rebounds. They made 18-of-60 field goals for 30 percent, but were just three-of-16 from three-point range for 18.8 percent. Central Arkansas made five-of-eight free throws for 62.5 percent.
Next for South Dakota is an exhibition with Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m.
