MANKATO, MINN. – With a career-high 20 points from Augusta Thramer off the bench, the No. 11 University of Sioux Falls Women’s Basketball Team (9-0, 3-0 NSIC) rallied for a 66-61 win on the road at Minnesota State (4-1, 1-1 NSIC) in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play at the Taylor Center in the Bresnan Arena.
Thramer set her career-high of 20 points (15 points, MSU Moorhead, NSIC Tourney, 2/25/18) on a day that USF needed every one of her points. USF trailed by 10 (25-15, 2:13, 2nd Q) and six at half-time but outscored the home-standing Mavericks in the second half, 44-to-33, to pick up the important road win. A three-pointer from two-time All-NSIC guard Kaely Hummel with 44 seconds left provided USF with the lead and the Cougars converted at the foul line to earn the road win.
USF, which moved up to No. 11 in the WBCA – the highest ranking in school history – earlier this week, has opened 9-0 for the first time in the NCAA DII era (since 2012). The Cougars have also started 3-0 in league play for a third straight year and fourth time in five seasons.
While the Cougars had some struggles on the offensive end for a second straight night, USF Head Coach Travis Traphagen was pleased with the grit and fight of his undefeated squad.
“We weren’t very good offensively early on but improved as the game continued,” said Traphagen, who earned his 226 career win with the program. “Give MSU credit. They are a good team and they stayed after us. We stayed in the game with our work at the foul line and on defense,” he said.
“But leave no doubt, I thought our team played some gritty basketball this weekend. With all the problems we had on the offensive end, we stayed in the game because we battled and refused to give in. I was proud of Gus (Augusta Thramer), who took advantage of her opportunity and played with an attacking mentality,” said Traphagen. “It is something that our seniors have never lost in this building. This team is just finding a way and that speaks volumes.”
Thramer made 5-of-9 field goals and hit 1-of-2 from three-point range while knocking in a career-best nine free throws in 11 attempts. She added three rebounds, three assists and two steals without a turnover in 28 minutes on the floor. Senior guard Mariah Szymanski supplied 14 points and made four treys for a second straight night as she has 138 in her career for ninth all-time. She also surpassed 900 points in her career (903). USF also had 12 points from senior guard Kaely Hummel, who now has 1,336 career points in 99 games (98 starts). She moved past Jamey Hofer (1,331 points, 2008-12, 131 games) for eighth on USF’s all-time scoring chart.
Also playing a key role for USF was senior forward Jacey Huinker, who not only have her fifth career double-double but recorded her 21st double digit rebound game. Huinker had 11 points, including 7-of-8 at the foul line, and set her career-best with 16 rebounds. This year, the 5-9 forward has incredibly had two games of 15 rebounds or more.
USF, which hit just 1-of-16 field goals to open the game, finished at 32.1 percent on 18-of-56 shooting from the floor. The Cougars made 7-of-21 from three-point range for 33.3 percent and knocked down 23-of-27 free throws for 85.2 percent.
USF had nine steals but committed 18 turnovers but against a taller opponent, stayed nearly even on the glass. MSU had a 42-40 edge on the boards led by Rachael Shumski who had 12 rebounds to go with her team-high 13 points. MSU, which finished 22-of-60 from the floor for 36.7 percent, also had 11 points from Joey Batt. They made 4-of-18 from three-point range and 13-of-23 at the foul line while committing 17 turnovers but registered 12 steals.
