VERMILLION, S.D. – The Mavericks led for the first nearly five minutes of Thursday's game, but the South Dakota women's basketball team took the lead at the five minute mark of the first quarter and didn't trail again in a 69-66 win over Omaha in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
 
Jenna Hopp's first three-pointer at the five minute mark of the first quarter gave USD an 8-7 lead, their first lead of the game. The shot was the middle of a 10-0 run for the Coyotes to give them a 12-7 lead. It was USD's longest scoring run of a game where neither side led by more than 10 points.
 
After Omaha tied the game at 12, three free throws, two from Angelina Robles, and one from Josie Hill, putting her at 999 career points, gave USD a 15-12 lead after one.

Robles had 10 first-half points en route to a 10^th 20-point scoring performance of the season. She finished with 21 points on 6-of-9 shooting and a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line. Two of her free throws gave USD a nine-point advantage with 3:17 to play in the half, its largest lead of the first half.
 
In the second half, Omaha was able to get the USD lead back down to two with 4:37 to go. USD's biggest lead of the game, a 52-42 advantage with 1:04 to go in the third, came off a pair of Tori Schlagel free throws.
 
Also in the third quarter, Josie Hill converted two free throws to score point 1,000 and 1,001 in her collegiate career, becoming the third Coyote to reach the 1,000 point mark this season. She finished the game with five points and two rebounds.
 
Omaha kept within striking distance in the fourth quarter, but USD had an answer for every Maverick threat. After the Mavericks made it a two-point game with 2:34 to play, Robles made a left-handed lay-in with a foul. She converted the free throw to give USD a five-point advantage. The Mavericks responded with a triple, only for USD to convert a pair of free throws to go up four, force a stop, and make two more at the charity stripe to go up six and seal a win.
 
Outside of Robles' 21 points and four rebounds, Jenna Hopp and Molly Joyce tallied 12 points apiece. Elise Turrubiates tallied six points and a game-high nine rebounds. Patience Williams added eight points.
 
South Dakota now turns its attention to North Dakota State Saturday. It is Senior Day and the concessions stands will be offering one dollar Dome Dogs and beverages. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
 
NOTABLES
• South Dakota is 21-6 on the season, 12-2 at home, and 11-2 in Summit League play.
• South Dakota is guaranteed a top-three seed in the Summit League Tournament with the win.
• The 11 conference wins are the most for the Yotes since the 2021-22 season.
• Angelina Robles scored 21 points, her 10^th 20-point performance of the season.
• Molly Joyce and Jenna Hopp added 12 points apiece. Hopp's 12 is one short of her career-high.
• The Coyotes are now 5-2 in game decided by five points or less this season, an improvement from being 3-3 in close games a season ago.
   
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