SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Minot State women's basketball team extended their winning streak to seven games with a 72-64 win at Sioux Falls on Saturday.

The win improves the Beavers to 13-9 (10-8 NSIC) on the season while the Cougars fall to 13-9 (10-8 NSIC).

Minot State improved to 10-1 on the season when scoring 70 or more points.

Both teams got off to a slow start, as the Beavers held a 12-11 lead after the first quarter.

Sioux Falls opened the second quarter with an 8-2 run to take a 19-14 lead with 7:16 left in the second quarter. Minot State answer the run with a 13-0 run of their own to take a 27-19 lead with 2:43 left in the first half.

The Cougars and Beavers went back and forth for the remaining two minutes of the quarter while Holly Johnson scored on a layup with 16 seconds left in the half to give Minot State a 32-24 lead at halftime.

Mariah Payne knocked down a three-pointer from an assist by Kristal Flowers to give the Beavers a 47-32 lead with 4:34 left in the third quarter.

Sioux Falls trimmed the Minot State lead down to 51-41 at the end of the third quarter.

Diondra Denton connected on a three-pointer with 1:49 remaining in the game to give the Beavers their biggest lead in the fourth quarter, 64-51. The Cougars cut the lead down to eight with 20 seconds left before trying to extend the game with fouls.

Minot State went six of eight from the free throw line in the final 40 seconds to clinch the 72-64 victory over the Cougars.

The Beavers shot 47.5 percent from the field while limiting Sioux Falls to 38.7 percent shooting and recorded a dominant 44-27 rebounding advantage over the Cougars.

Minot State assisted on 18 of 29 field goals and outscored USF in second chance points (15-0) and points in the paint (34-22).

Johnson posted her fifth double-double of the season, including her second of the weekend with 19 points and 10 rebounds while tallying four assists and two steals.

Madison Wald scored 14 points while shooting 50 percent from the field and, followed by Denton with 13 points and seven rebounds. Denton shot four of seven from the floor and notched a team-high three steals on the defensive end.

Flowers finished one point short of posting her seventh double-double of the season, scoring nine points and grabbing 13 rebounds.

Kari Clements recorded nine points and four assists while Payne tied her season-high with eight assists.

Minot State will take their seven-game win streak on the road next weekend, as the Beavers travel to Duluth, Minn. to take on Minnesota Duluth on Friday, Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. before facing St. Cloud State on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 4 p.m. in St. Cloud, Minn.