Vermillion, S.D. -- Junior forward Amber Hegge scored 26 points to lead the South Dakota women's basketball team to a 71-62 win over Cal State-Northridge in nonconference action Saturday night at the DakotaDome in Vermillion, S.D. The win was the sixth in eight games for the Coyotes (8-5).

The performance by Hegge (Crofton, Neb.) was part of a dominating night in the paint for the Coyotes. South Dakota outscored the Matadors 38-12 in the paint and also outrebounded the Matadors 50-36, including a 22-10 edge in offensive rebounds.

Junior center Jodie Boss (Columbus, Neb.) added her third straight double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds, both season-highs. Junior guard Annie Roche (Vermillion, S.D.) added 10 points and five rebounds, while Hegge contributed eight rebounds and a team-high five assists.

South Dakota led by nine at halftime, but the Matadors closed the gap within 54-49 with 8:54 left. From there, the Coyotes regained the momentum and control of the contest. South Dakota went on a 13-5 run over the next 4:45 to push the lead back to 67-54. That run was keyed by the offensive play inside from Boss and Hegge, who combined for 11 of the 13 points on that run, which proved to be decisive.

In the first half, South Dakota was down 12-8 at one point but came back with six straight points - including a three-point play by Hegge and a three-pointer by freshman Stacia Robertson (Grand Island, Neb.) - to take a 14-12 lead.

The Coyotes held a 20-18 lead before going on an 8-0 run -- with Roche, Boss, Hegge and freshman Katelyn Edwards (Crete, Neb.) each having two points during that stretch - to take a 28-18 lead with 4:35 left in the half. That lead grew to 32-20 - South Dakota's largest of the half - on a Robertson layup.

The Coyotes took a 34-25 lead into halftime. They shot only 33.3 percent in the half, but also held Northridge to 26.7 shooting in the opening half. Hegge led the way with nine first-half points, while Boss had eight and Robertson five. Boss had seven rebounds as well in the first half.

In the second half, South Dakota shot 39.4 percent from the field but also hit 10-of-11 free throws. For the game, the Coyotes hit 19-of-23 (82.6 percent) from the free-throw line.

Robertson continued her solid play off the bench for the Coyotes with nine points and five rebounds. Edwards had four points, four rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal. Sophomore Alexis Yackley (Onida, S.D.) added four assists, four points and three steals.

The Coyotes now begin a stretch of five straight road games, starting Monday at Colorado State. Game time is 3 p.m. Central time in Fort Collins, Colo.

Notes: South Dakota is now 2-0 all-time against Northridge...Boss added three more blocks and now has 47 on the season, just seven away from the single-season record held by Hegge...the Coyotes are 6-1 at the DakotaDome this season...it was Hegge's fourth game of 20 or more points this season.