VERMILLION, S.D. – Chicago State women's basketball opened a three-game road swing here tonight with a 73-49 loss to host South Dakota at the DakotaDome in a Great West Conference contest. The Cougars saw their record drop to 10-15 (5-3) while the Coyotes improved to 10-11 (3-3) on the year.
The home team captured an early 7-0 advantage over the game's opening 3:53 before CSU got on the board at 16:07 on a layup by senior Alyssa Waldon (Sun Prairie, WI/Sun Prairie) (Sun Prairie, Wis.). USD later scored nine of the next 15 points in four-plus minutes to increase its leading margin to 16-6 with 11:28 left in the first half. The Cougars then scored 19 of the next 35 points over a seven-minute stretch to close within 31-25 following a jumper by junior Courtney Waldon (Sun Prairie, WI/Sun Prairie) (Sun Prairie, Wis.), but the Coyotes closed out the stanza with a quick 12-4 run to enter intermission with a 43-29 lead.
USD opened the second half by outscoring CSU via an 18-10 margin over the first 12 minutes that increased its advantage to 22 points at 61-39 with 7:03 left in the game with senior Jasmine Mosley scored six points during the run. The Coyotes took their biggest lead of the contest at 71-44 with 3:05 left in the game and the Cougars could get no closer than 24 points down the stretch.
Courtney Waldon (Sun Prairie, WI/Sun Prairie) led Chicago State with 19 points, five rebounds and four assists. Senior Laureen Pierson (Dayton, OH/Northmont) (Dayton, Ohio) added 11 points and shot a perfect 5-of-5 from the field, and Alyssa Waldon (Sun Prairie, WI/Sun Prairie) finished with seven points.
Junior Abby Kinder scored a game-high 20 points to lead four South Dakota players in double figures. Sophomore Annie Roche added 13 points, while sophomore Amber Hegge posted 11 points and a game-high five assists. Mosley recorded 10 points and a game-high six boards.
The Cougars continue their road swing this Saturday with a Great West battle against first-place North Dakota in Grand Forks, N.D. The game, which will be broadcast on Fox College Sports Central and Channel 617 on DirecTV, begins at 2 p.m.
~CSU~
