WICHITA, Kan. -- The University of South Dakota women's basketball team nearly battled back from a 17-point deficit but fell short Sunday against Wichita State, falling to the Shockers, 65-60 in Wichita, Kan.

Amber Hegge (So., Crofton, Neb.) paced USD (1-2) with 15 points. Annie Roche (So., Vermillion, S.D.) added 10 points, while Abby Kinder (Jr., Granger, Ind.) added nine. Jackie Hiebert (So., Maple Grove, Minn.) had a career-high 10 rebounds for USD to go with a season-high eight points.

USD was down 30-17 at halftime and trailed 36-19 at one point before starting to rally.

Down 43-30, USD scored nine straight points -- with Kinder and Hegge hitting back-to-back three-pointers, followed by a layup by Hegge and a Kinder free throw, to cut the gap to 43-39.

The Shockers (3-1) pushed the lead back to eight at 52-44 but the Coyotes answered again with a 7-1 run to cut the lead to 53-51, the closest USD had been since the first half. Sam Mehr (Fr., Apple Valley, Minn.) and Hegge hit three-pointers during that stretch to help the Coyotes cut the gap.

Wichita State extended the lead back to seven at 58-51 before the Coyotes scored six straight points, which included a layup by Hiebert and a layup by Mosley.

A basket by Jasmine Mosley (Sr., Bellevue, Neb.) brought USD within 58-57 with 44 seconds left.

However, the Shockers answered with a Morgan Boyd layup to push the lead back to three at 63-60, and USD was unable to get closer than three the rest of the way.

USD outscored Wichita State, 43-35 in the second half.

The Coyotes struggled with cold shooting in the first half.

The Coyotes were within 8-7 after a Hiebert basket at the 12:32 mark, but Wichita State went on a 16-2 run, taking advantage of a USD cold spell to extend its lead to 24-9. USD answered with four straight points by Mosley to cut the gap to 24-13, but was unable to cut the lead below double digits before halftime as Wichita State took a 30-17 lead into the break.

USD shot just 29.4 percent (5-of-17) in the first half, including 14.3 percent (1-of-7) from three-point range. Wichita State shot 40 percent in the opening half, thanks in large part to 15 points from Jessica Diamond.

Roche and Mosley had five points each for USD in the first half.

In sharp contrast to the 29-percent shooting of the first half, USD shot 45.2 percent (14-of-31) in the second half, including 5-of-12 from three-point range.

Wichita State held a slight 36-35 edge in rebounds, while USD committed 15 turnovers to the Shockers' 1/2 11.

Hegge finished with four assists and two blocks for USD, while Mosley had three assists. Hegge had five rebounds while Kinder had two blocks.

The Coyotes' next action is set for Thursday at the University of Nebraska. Game time is 7 p.m. in Lincoln, Neb.