GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- Jenni Flynn hit a 23-foot three-point field goal with 0.8 seconds to play to lift the South Dakota Women's Basketball Team (17-12) to a 84-83 come-from-behind win over Augustana in the semifinals of the Wells Fargo North Central Conference Tournament at the Betty Engelstad Center in Grand Forks, N.D. on Friday.

Flynn of South Sioux City, Neb., had a double double with 28 points and 11 rebounds. But it was Flynn's long range mastery that proved critical to the Coyotes' success. She made 8-of-10 from three-point range, including six three-pointers in the final 4:38, helping USD to a 20-9 run to end the game. Perhaps most impressive was Flynn's artistry from the perimeter in the final minute when she made four straight three-pointers, including the game winner. In the last three games, Flynn has scored 78 points. In the last two games, the sophomore guard has made 14-of-20 three-point field goals.

The win was USD's second in three games with Augustana this season. USD defeated the Vikings, 81-57, at the DakotaDome, in the conference opener before dropping a 64-60 decision to Augustana last week at the Sioux Falls Arena.

Freshman Ashley Robinette, also from South Sioux City, Neb., had a double double with 20 points and 16 rebounds. Sophomore forward Vanessa Yanez of Wagner, S.D., had 10 points while junior Brittany Bessert of Fort Collins, Colo., contributed nine points and five rebounds. Junior point guard Meghan Woster had nine points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals.

Augustana was led by Lindsey Fischbach, who had a double double for the Vikings with a career-high 36 points and 16 rebounds. Erin Johnson added 17 points and Andrea Seefeldt supplied 11 points.

USD has now defeated the #2 seed Minnesota-Duluth (77-69) and #3 seed Augustana in the first two rounds of the conference tournament. In a season that started so well (12-3 and nationally ranked) and then included some frustrating moments (seven losses of 10 points or less in NCC play), South Dakota continued to show a determined resilience of keeping its season alive. With a loss, USD, which is not ranked in the top 10 of the region, would have seen its season end. Now with its third straight win, including two in the league tourney, a USD win over top-seeded and NCC champion North Dakota on Saturday would give the Coyotes an automatic berth to its third straight NCAA Regional Tournament appearance.

After scoring 30 points in the opening 20 minutes scored 54 points in the second half. It is USD's largest second half point total and second best total for a half this season (St. Mary's, 56 points, first half).

One might term this group of Coyote athletes as gamers. As head coach Chad Lavin said in a post-game interview, "This group of kids never quits. They keep coming after you." That was never more true than tonight.

USD trailed 51-36 with 15:17 to play before outscoring the Vikings, 48-32, during the remainder of the game to claim an unlikely win. For the Coyotes, scoring 75 or more points seems to be the key. USD is 13-0 in games that USD has topped the 75-point mark.

For most of the game, Augustana maintained control. The Vikings opened up a 14-10 mark after a jumper by Mary Kelling with 13:27 to play in the half. The Vikings increased the lead to 24-13 on a rebound and putback by Fischbach at the 10:04 mark. Flynn answered to pull USD within 24-16 at the 9:20 mark. USD drew within 34-28 on a jumper and free throw after being fouled by Robinette at the 2:35 mark. However, Augustana grabbed a 38-30 halftime lead after a basket by Fischbach with 54 seconds to play in the half.

USD, which struggled with its shooting in the opening half, hit 10-of-38 field goals for 26.3 percent. The Coyotes hit just 4-of-18 from three point range for 22.2 percent. Augustana made 17-of-41 from the field and 3-of-11 from the three-point line in the opening half.

In the opening five minutes of the second half, Augustana built a 51-36 lead, using a 13-6 run to take the double digit lead.

The Coyotes gradually cut into the deficit, trailing 59-51 after Yanez had a three-point field goal with 11:42 to play. A lay-up by Bessert brought USD within 63-58 at the 7:43 mark.

At that point, the Vikings again took control with a a 8-1 run for a 71-59 lead the 5:48 mark. USD worked itself back into the game when Flynn hit a three pointer at the 2:41 mark to draw USD within 75-69. Augustana received a three-point play from Fischbach to grab a 78-69 lead with 2:30 to play.

Then, Flynn found her shooting magic for the second straight game. Against Minnesota-Duluth, Flynn had a career high 31 points and six three-point field goals, knocking in a go-ahead three-pointer with 4:30 to play that keyed the Coyotes' win.

With 1:04 to play against Augustana, Flynn was again on fire, hitting her fifth three-pointer of the game to cut the lead to five at 78-73. On the other end, Alison Adamson hit a pair of free throws to give Augustana an 80-73 lead with 55 seconds to play. Once again, Flynn launched a three-point shot to cut the Augustana lead to 80-76.

USD immediately fouled Adamson, who missed a one and one attempt, and USD used another three-pointer from Flynn - her seventh of the night - to draw within 80-79 with 34 seconds to play. Seefeldt connected on a pair of foul shots for an 82-79 lead with 19 seconds to play. Then, Woster drove for a lay-up to pull USD within 82-81 with 12 seconds to play. Again, USD fouled Augustana and Fischbach made 1-of-2 free throws to give Augustana a 83-81 lead with 10 seconds to play, which set up Flynn's final second heroics.

Overall, USD made 27-of-82 field goals for 32.9 percent, including 13-of-37 for 35.1 percent from three point range. USD made 17-of-24 from the foul line for 70.8 percent. It is the third straight game that USD has made at least 12 three-point shots in a game. The Coyotes are now 13-2 in games in which USD has made at least 10 three-point field goals.

Augustana was 33-of-75 from the field for 44 percent, including 7-of-19 from three-point range for 36.8 percent. The Vikings made 10-of-17 free throws for 58.8 percent. Both teams had 53 rebounds. USD committed just eight turnovers to 13 for Augustana.

With her eight three-point field goals, Flynn has 74 this season, which ranks her second on the Coyotes' seasonal career chart. She trailed only Shelby Peterson who had 89 three's in 1991-92. In her career, Flynn now has 142 three-point field goals, which is fourth on the career chart.

South Dakota will now face top seed North Dakota at 7 p.m. in the conference tournament championship game at the Betty Engelstad Center on the UND campus on Saturday night. North Dakota won a close game with St. Cloud State, 84-82, in the other semifinal encounter at the tournament on Friday.