SIOUX FALLS (USF) – After their weekend road sweep of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), interdivisional foes, Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston, the University of Sioux Falls Women’s Basketball team moved up in both national polls released on Tuesday, with the Cougars (20-3, 12-3 NSIC) jumping two spots from No. 15 in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and five spots from No. 18 to No. 13 in the D2SIDA poll.
The Cougars receive the nod at No. 13 in the WBCA national poll after their defense and strengthening of their NSIC South lead, as well as a pair of losses from those ahead of them. When the dust settled from Tuesday’s poll release, the Cougars finished with 279 total points, only 17 points behind No. 12 Walsh.
USF is ranked for the eighth consecutive week, and eighth week overall. A key point in the Cougars’ tournament resume is their Thanksgiving Break victory over No. 7 Hawai’I Pacific at their home court, which to date is the Sharks’ sole loss on the season.
From the Central Region, the Cougars now sit atop of the WBCA rankings, with Central Missouri not far behind at No. 18 in the nation (182 points). The Cougars, according to the D2SIDA Central Region poll, are amid a battle with the Jennies for the right to host the regionals, barring any setbacks from either team. In Monday’s release of the regional poll, the Cougars received one first place vote in the Central Region (one of the six voters omitted from this week’s poll) and trail the Jennies by three points at 46 points, and UCM at 49 points. The Cougars have a 14-point lead over NSIC North-leading Duluth, who amassed 32 points and the No. 4 spot in the poll.
In the D2SIDA national poll, the Cougars made a substantial jump from No. 18 a week ago, to earning 193 points for No. 13 overall. From the Central Region, USF trails only the Jennies, who were ranked No. 11 in Tuesday’s poll. From the Cougars’ pool of 20 wins, the top win comes against the aforementioned No. 6 Hawai’I Pacific. As it stands, in both national polls, USF stands as the sole NSIC team to earn any votes.
The Cougars will look to pad their resume with a pair of stout home games on the docket this weekend, facing a pesky Northern State (12-10, 8-8 NSIC) on Friday, and then a face-off against the NSIC North and conference preseason favorite MSU Moorhead (16-7, 11-5 NSIC). The Cougars could mathematically clinch the NSIC South this weekend, but need a sweep of NSU and MSUM, as well as Winona State and Wayne State being swept. MSU Moorhead are trying to make their way back into the upper echelon of the NSIC North, sitting at third currently with the ability to retake the North with a lot of help.
