VERMILLION, S.D. -- Despite 24 points and four rebounds from sophomore forward Ashley Robinette, the South Dakota Women's Basketball Team (15-12, 3-9 NCC) dropped a hard-fought 74-63 decision to seventh-ranked St. Cloud State (24-3, 9-3) in North Central Conference action on Senior Night at the DakotaDome. Tonight's game was the final regular season contest for seniors Meghan Woster, Brittany Bessert and Erica Schroeder, who were honored at halftime of the USD-SCSU men's game.

It was the final game of the regular season for both the Coyotes and the Huskies. Despite the loss, USD finished fifth in the NCC. The Coyotes will now travel to Nebraska-Omaha on Wednesday in the first-round of the Wells Fargo Finals (NCC league tourney).

St. Cloud State will be the second seed in the tournament and host seventh-seeded Minnesota State. The other first round game on Wednesday pits sixth-seeded Minnesota-Duluth at third-seeded Augustana. Top seed North Dakota, who won the league title with a 29-0 overall record and a 12-0 mark in league play, receives a first-round bye. UND will host the Wells Fargo Finals on Saturday and Sunday in Grand Forks, N.D.

Robinette of South Sioux City, Neb., scored 20 points or more for the sixth time in the last eight games. Robinette connected on 7-of-13 field goals, including 2-of-5 from beyond three-point range. Sophomore guard Ashley Bjorkman of Vermillion, S.D., added 14 points. Bjorkman made 5-of-9 field goals, including 2-of-4 from three-point range. In addition, junior forward Vanessa Yanez of Wagner, S.D., also hit double figures with 11 points. Yanez made 3-of-9 from three-point range and now has 160 career three-point field goals.

Overall, the Coyotes made 21-of-50 field goals for 42 percent. USD, which ranks sixth in the nation in three-point field goals per game (8.5), hit 7-of-20 three-point shots for 35 percent. USD also connected on 14-of-18 free throw attempts for 77.8 percent.

St. Cloud State was led by All-NCC center Erika Quigley who had 20 points and 16 rebounds. Kayla Rengel and Jackie Carlson added 13 points with guard Sascha Hansen supplying 12 points. St. Cloud State made 29-of-59 field goals for 49.2 percent. They were 4-of-11 from three-point range and 12-of-16 from the charity stripe.

St. Cloud State, which finishes second in the NCC with a 9-3 record, opened up a 13-5 lead on USD at the 15:15 mark after a jumper by Quigley. SCSU build the lead to 21-9 when Quigley hit a jumper at the 9:24 mark. At that point, USD went on a 9-3 run to cut SCSU's lead to 24-18 at the 6:11 mark on a three-point play by Robinette.

A three-point by Yanez drew USD within 27-26 at the 3:02 mark. Then, Bjorkman connected from deep to cut the Huskies' lead to 31-29 with 36 seconds to play in the half. Quigley closed out the scoring with a jumper with 24 seconds left in the half.

Despite shooting just 37 percent to 52.2 percent by St. Cloud State, USD stayed in the game by forcing eight turnovers by the Huskies and hitting two more (4 to 2) three-point shots during the first half.

USD took its first lead of the game (37-36) at the 18:46 mark on a three-point field goal by Robinette. Quigley answered at the 18:31 mark for SCSU, who grabbed a 38-37 lead. Both teams traded baskets before USD tied the game at 43-43 at the 14:18 mark on a basket by USD freshman Bridget Yoerger of Hinton, Iowa.

SCSU built the lead to 49-45 on a lay-up by Krystal Scott with 12:41 to play. Robinette scored on a lay-up to draw USD within 51-50 at the 11:17 mark but that was as close as the Coyotes would get for the remainder of the game. Scott hit a jumper at the 7:24 mark to build the Huskies' lead to 60-55.

USD continued to be pesky hosts as they drew within 60-57 at the 6:33 mark on two foul shots by Bjorkman. USD was still within three-points at the 5:24 mark when Quigley hit two baskets and Carlson also scored for a 68-59 lead at the 4:18 mark of the half. A lay-up by Woster with 47 seconds left cut the lead to 70-63 but USD did not score for the rest of the game.