Sioux Falls, S.D. --- The Minnesota State women's basketball team's three game win streak ended as the team fell to the #14 Sioux Falls Cougars, 91-68, Friday night at Stewart Center.
 
With the loss, the Mavericks fall to 9-4 (6-3 NSIC), while the Cougars improve to 14-2 (7-2 NSIC).
 
In the opening quarter, both teams traded baskets while Sioux Falls was able to get an early edge on a couple of made threes.  The Mavericks responded though, and when Kristi Fett dropped in a layup, Minnesota State took its first lead of the game, 11-10 with 4:31 to go in the quarter.  The Cougars proceeded on a 14-7 run for the remainder of the frame, taking a 24-18 lead into the second quarter.

To open the second quarter, USF managed a 15-6 run in the opening minutes, extending their lead to as much as 18-points.  Down 50-28 with just over a minute to go in the half, the Mavericks quickly scored six straight points, including a bucket at the buzzer from Tayla Stuttley, to go into the locker room trailing the Cougars 50-34

The difference at the half was effectiveness from the three-point line.  USF made 7-10 attempts compared to 2-6 for MSU, accounting for a 15-point difference.  Fett led the Mavericks in the half with eight points to go along with three boards, a block and a steal.

The trends of the first half continued as the Cougars outscored the Mavericks 24-18 in the third quarter to extend their lead to 74-52 going into the fourth.  The fourth quarter saw the teams get everybody involved and USF came away with the win by a final of 91-68.

Fett and Taylor Drost both scored 13-points for the Mavericks while Joey Batt added 10-points.  The bench for the Mavericks outscored the Cougars squad 38-25, but USF held the edge in three-pointers made 13-4. 

 
Minnesota State will now travel to Marshall, Minn., tomorrow for a conference game with the Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.