VERMILLION, S.D.--GRAND FORKS, N.D.--Earlier in the week, South Dakota head coach Chad Lavin commented that UND post players Ashley Langen and Kierah Kimbrough would get their points in tonight's North Central Conference showdown, that the key for the Coyotes would be shutting down the rest of the Sioux lineup.
Lavin's assessment proved to be accurate.
Langen and Kimbrough combined to go 16-for-22 from the field for 34 points, but USD was able to limit the rest of the Sioux lineup to just 12 field goals on 43 attempts, as the fourth-ranked Coyotes up-ended third-ranked UND 76-65 tonight at the DakotaDome.
The win, South Dakota's second in as many tries against UND this season, solidifies the Coyotes' hold on first place in the NCC.
The win also strengthen's USD's position atop the NCAA North Central region rankings.
A late-game stretch during which the Sioux were held to just two points over nearly five and a half minutes was the difference. After UND sophomore Alys Seay (Grand Forks) knocked down a mid-range jumper to tie the game at 54-54 with 7:45 remaining, South Dakota embarked on a game-changing 16-2 run.
The Coyotes kept the run alive with several pivotal offensive rebounds and had six different players score, including critical three-pointers by seniors Jenna and Jeana Hoffman and freshman Amber Hegge.
By the time Jenna Hoffman knocked down a pair of free throws with 2:13 remaining, the Sioux found themselves trailing 70-56 and could draw no closer than seven points the rest of the way.
Hegge was a tower of strength at both ends of the floor for the Coyotes, scoring 14 points to go with five blocked shots. She was one of five Coyotes to reach double figures and led a USD bench that outscored UND's bench 30-6.
Jeana Hoffman, the NCC scoring leader, was held to 12 points and made just one three-pointer in seven tries, but that one make was a big one, giving USD a 68-56 lead with just under three minutes remaining.
UND's Langen led all players with 18 points and 14 rebounds, making her first eight field goal attempts. Kimbrough added 18 points, giving the Sioux just two players in double figures.
The Sioux went to the free throw line just four times, making all four, while South Dakota made 26 trips to the line and made 19.
The Sioux, now 23-2 overall and 8-2 in the NCC, return home to host Nebraska-Omaha on Saturday night at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.
Notes: The loss was UND's worst regular season setback since a 74-61 loss at South Dakota on Feb. 21, 2004 ... Langen's last field goal was the 771st of her career, moving her past Sheri Kleinsasser (1991-95) and into second place on UND's all-time list. Jenny Crouse (1995-99) is the school's all-time leader with 924 ... Langen is just seven points from joining Crouse as the only players in Sioux history to score 2,000 career points.
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