Sioux Falls, S.D. - Wisconsin-Green Bay spoiled the season opener for The University of South Dakota women's basketball team Sunday, prevailing in a defensive battle, 53-40, at the Sioux Falls Arena in Sioux Falls, S.D. UW-Green Bay, the 11-time defending Horizon League champions, improved to 2-0 on the year, while USD dropped to 0-1.

Junior guard Abby Kinder (Granger, Ind.) led all USD scorers with 12 points, after connecting on 5-of-14 shots from the field, and also pulled down five rebounds. Senior center Jasmine Mosley (Bellevue, Neb.) added eight points, while sophomore forward Amber Hegge (Crofton, Neb.) had six points and six rebounds.

The Coyotes got on the board first with a bucket by Mosley and another by senior forward Kara Iverson (Yankton, S.D.), but Wisconsin-Green Bay posted the next nine points to take a five-point advantage through the first five minutes. The Phoenix would control the lead the rest of the frame, extending it to as many as seven before Mosley and Hegge found the bottom of the basket to cut the lead to 13-10 just under the 10-minute mark.

UW-Green Bay led 19-10 at one point but USD stayed within striking distance to get within 23-16 at halftime. USD entered halftime down after shooting 42 percent (8-of-19) in the first half. Mosley had six points in the frame, while Kinder and Iverson contributed four apiece. USD's defense kept the Coyotes in the game in the first half, holding the Phoenix to just 23 points on 36 percent shooting (9-of-25).

UW-Green Bay opened the second half with a three-point play to put the Phoenix up 10. USD cut the lead back to eight when Hegge buried a pair of free throws. A runner by Sarah Eichler put UWGB up 34-21 with about 13:30 left in the contest, which marked the biggest lead of the night for the Phoenix.

From there, USD began chipping away at the lead. USD got the lead back down to single digits at 34-25 after sophomore guard Annie Roche (Vermillion, S.D.) drained a three-pointer with less than 12 minutes left. The Coyotes got within 37-30 with less than 10 minutes left when Kinder drained a three-pointer.

Every time USD closed the gap, the Phoenix had an answer. Kayla Tetschlag's basket with 3:06 left pushed the Green Bay lead to 50-36, which was its biggest of the contest, and USD was unable to get the lead back under double digits the rest of the way.

The Coyote women will play their first home game of the season with a 7 p.m. contest against Iowa Wesleyan on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at the DakotaDome.