EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -- A 21-6 run over the final nine minutes proved to be the difference as Southern Illinois University Edwardsville topped The University of South Dakota, 62-51, in nonconference women's basketball action Monday afternoon in Edwardsville, Ill.

SIUE (4-16) was led by Melia Duncan with 20 points. USD (6-8) was led by Annie Roche (So., Vermillion, S.D.) with 17 points, while Kara Iverson (Sr., Yankton, S.D.) collected 10.

The Coyotes were down by nine at halftime but had fought their way back into the game, and took a 45-41 lead at one point before SIUE went on the decisive run.

USD was down 39-30 but went on a 12-0 run to take a 42-39 lead with 10 minutes left. Iverson had five points, including a big three-pointer, during that stretch, while Teresa Case (Jr., Sioux Falls, S.D.) hit a big three-pointer to start the run. USD was 4-of-4 from the free-throw line during that run as well, with Roche and Iverson hitting two each.

Moments later, Sam Mehr (Fr., Apple Valley, Minn.) banked home a three-pointer to give USD its biggest lead, 45-41 with 9:16 left.

However, the Cougars grabbed the momentum back with 12 straight points that were part of the 21-6 spurt to take a 53-45 lead with 3:45 left.

USD didn't go away, however, and cut the lead to 53-49 after two Mosley free throws and a basket by Iverson with 2:50 left, but that was as close as the Coyotes would get SIUE pulled away late, thanks to going 7-of-8 from the free-throw line over the final minutes.

Amber Hegge (So., Crofton, Neb.) added seven points for USD, while Mehr had five.

Jasmine Mosley (Sr., Bellevue, Neb.) and Iverson had seven rebounds each. Abby Kinder (Jr., Granger, Ind.) had three assists, while Kinder and Mosley had two steals each.

SIUE built an early 12-3 lead in the first half, but a three-point play by Hegge brought USD within 12-6 with 13:40 to go in the first half. A few possessions later, Pam January (Fr., Richfield, Minn.) hit a jumper to cut the advantage to 12-8.

The Cougars scored the next five points to push the lead back to 17-8, but Roche scored nine straight points (part of 13 straight for Roche), including a three-pointer, to bring USD within 19-17 with six minutes left in the first half.

The Cougars went on an 11-2 run to take a 30-19 lead on a Duncan layup, but USD closed the gap to 30-24 after a Roche basket and a three-pointer by Iverson. SIUE took a 33-24 lead into halftime.

Roche had a big first half for USD, scoring 13 points. She scored 13 straight Coyote points during one stretch. Hegge and Iverson each had three points. The Coyotes were just 2-of-11 (18.2 percent) from three-point range in the first half and shot 10-of-29 (34.5 percent) overall from the field in the first 20 minutes.

Duncan had 14 points to lead SIUE in the opening frame.

In the second half, USD opened on a 21-8 spurt to take the four-point lead with nine minutes left before SIUE turned the tables with the game-ending run.

USD gets back into Great West Conference play on Thursday, Jan. 21 when it plays at Utah Valley. Game time is 5:30 p.m. Central time in Orem, Utah. The Coyotes will follow that with a rematch at North Dakota on Saturday, Jan. 23.

Notes: January's basket midway through the first half was her first field goal as a Coyote...USD is now 3-1 all-time against SIUE...the two teams will rematch on Feb. 21 in Vermillion, S.D.