Augustana Women Take Down USF

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - In the home debut of Jillian Flores Bennett, Michaela Jewett poured in 21 points to help lead the Augustana women's basketball team to a 73-56 victory over Sioux Falls on Tuesday night inside the Elmen Center.

The win was the first as a Viking for Coach Flo, and moved the Vikings to 1-1 overall and 1-0 in NSIC action.

With the loss, the Cougars fall to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

Jewett went 8 of 13 from the field and 3 of 5 from beyond the arc while scoring 19 of her 21 points in the second half. Jennifer Aadland recorded her second consecutive double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds while blocking three shots. Izzy Moore scored 12 points on just five shots, and Lauren Sees scored nine points.

Kenzie Rensch snagged four steals to lead a ferocious Viking defense that held the Cougars to 38.2 percent shooting from the field and 29.4 percent shooting beyond the arc. AU shot 41.7 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from deep, but dominated the second half, shooting 17 of 31 from the field and 6 of 10 from three.

The Vikings owned the battle of physicality in the game, outrebounding USF 41-28, including a 14-7 advantage on the offensive glass, and went 17-19 from the free throw line after forcing pressure and drawing contact throughout. They also won with their depth, outscoring the Cougars 24-10 off the bench.

The Vikings opened the scoring with a Johanna Miller free throw and Sees jumper to lead 3-0 just over a minute into the action. Aadland converted on an and-one to take a 6-2 lead at the 6:23 mark of the first quarter before a see-saw battle saw AU take a 14-11 lead into the second.

After the Cougars tied the score at 16-16, Payton Hardy got in the box score for the first time in her collegiate career, grabbing a loose ball and banking in a layup to give the Vikings an 18-16 lead with 5:50 left in the first half. The two teams traded leads before a pair of Aadland free throws closed the half and put the Vikings within a point at 28-27.

The Sees show opened the second half, scoring on each of the first two possessions and connected on a three-pointer with 6:53 to go in the third quarter to give the Vikings a 36-33 lead.

After USF retook the lead at 37-36, Moore took over, sandwiching a USF layup with a three-pointer and layup to take a 41-39 lead with 4:16 left in the quarter. Following the Moore flurry, Jewett took control of the game, going on a 9-3 run of her own to close the quarter and put the Vikings ahead 50-42.

To open the fourth quarter, it was Aadland's turn, scoring seven points of a 9-5 run within the first 2:24 to grow the Viking lead to 59-47. After maintaining a 12-point lead, AU delivered a dagger, as five Jewett points and a Moore jumper put the Vikings ahead 71-52 with 3:11 left to seal the victory.

The Vikings close their two-game home stretch on Saturday, hosting Dakota Wesleyan at noon inside the Elmen Center.