Vermillion, S.D. -- Junior forward Amber Hegge scored a game-high 25 points as the South Dakota women's basketball team defeated Chicago State 66-56 Saturday at the DakotaDome. The win brought the Coyotes (17-10, 8-2 GWC) within one game of the Cougars (18-9, 9-1 GWC) in the Great West Conference race, and also ended a 12-game winning streak for Chicago State.

Hegge (Crofton, Neb.) scored 17 of her 25 points in the second half to help the Coyotes extend their lead into double digits while also contributing six assists. Freshman forward Stacia Robertson (Grand Island, Neb.) followed with 12 points and a career-high four steals and sophomore guard Alexis Yackley (Onida, S.D.) contributed 10 points and six assists.

USD had 17 assists on the night and held CSU to 30 percent (11-of-36) shooting in the second half.

"They're a good basketball team and have tough kids," South Dakota head coach Ryun Williams said. "It was a gutty performance by both teams. I credit our kids for having enough toughness to get a win."

The Coyotes, who led 33-26 at the break, came out of halftime ready to play, as Hegge scored in the first eight seconds. Yackley played strong for the Coyotes, scoring on a driving floater and hitting a big trey that gave USD some momentum. A dish down low from Hegge to Robertson gave USD a 51-35 lead with 11:02 remaining in the game.

After the halfway mark of the half, the Cougars fought back and cut the lead to single digits with just under seven minutes to play. Robertson pushed the Coyote lead back to double-digits by scoring two baskets and assisting one to Hegge. A block by junior center Jodie Boss (Columbus, Neb.) gave USD a big stop and Hegge went on to score, putting the Coyotes up 61-49 with two minutes remaining. Hegge scored the final five points of the game for the Coyotes.

To start the game, Chicago State scored first, but USD held the Cougars scoreless for over five minutes as the Coyotes went on a 10-0 run with Hegge scoring four. The Coyote defense intensified and forced turnovers on four consecutive Cougar possessions before CSU fought back and regained the lead 11-10 with 12:06 remaining in the first half.

The lead fluctuated between the two teams, as neither could gain more than a one-point lead until Wilson hit a trey and put the Coyotes up two. Good defense led to a Robertson block that allowed sophomore Tempestt Wilson (Elk River, Minn.) to capitalize with another three and a basket on the following possession. A trey by junior guard Annie Roche (Vermillion, S.D.) inside the final minute of the half put the Coyotes up 33-26 at halftime.

Wilson led the Coyotes in scoring with nine and Hegge followed with eight in the first half. USD shot 52 percent (12-of-23) from the field and 40 percent (4-of-10) from behind the arc while CSU went 50 percent from both. The Coyotes forced 12 turnovers and outrebounded the Cougars 12-10. It was senior night as the team honored senior guard Teresa Case's final home game.

South Dakota continues its season by traveling to Edinburg, Texas Thursday to compete against Texas-Pan American.