Box Score MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University never got on track offensively Saturday night.

Part of the slow play was solid defense by the University of Sioux Falls.
But part of it was inconsistency by the Beavers.

Minot committed 18 turnovers and shot just 35.5 percent in the second half as Sioux Falls pulled away for a 61-53 win in nonconference NCAA Division II women's basketball at the MSU Dome.

It was the second straight win for the Cougars (15-2 overall) in Minot as the two teams – both transitioning from NAIA to NCAA Division II and both expansion members of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in 2012-13 – played a rare back-to-back double header.

The Beavers (10-10) biggest offensive drought came after halftime as Sioux Falls extended a 34-30 lead at the break into a 45-33 lead. MSU cut it to two possessions twice in the second half but big 3-pe, while MSU pointers by USF's Alyssa Rushton silenced both comeback attempts.

Three-point shooting proved to be the difference as the Cougars hit eight triples in the game compared to MSU's one.

Holli Aggen had the biggest night for USF beyond the arc as she went 4-of-7 on 3-pointers and scored a game-high 23 points. Rushton added 12 points and five rebounds, while Laura Johnson added 11 points and four rebounds for the Cougars.

Minot State was led by Christina Boag (So., F, Tamworth, Australia) who scored 12 points and pulled down nine rebounds. Sacarra Molina (Jr., G, Hinsdale, Mont.) and Carly Boag (So., F, Tamworth, Australia) scored 11 points each with Molina pulling down seven rebounds and dishing out three assists.

The Beavers are off until a trip to the Black Hills in two weeks as Minot State plays Black Hills State Feb. 10 and South Dakota Mines Feb. 11.