Malloy, Cougars Erase Double-Digit Deficit to Dordt for Victory

(Sioux Falls, S.D.) – Led by junior guard Matt Malloy (Parkston, S.D.) the No. 6 University of Sioux Falls men’s basketball team (12-2 overall, 6-0 GPAC) erased an 16-point first half deficit and defeated Dordt College (7-5, 1-4) 83-72 Saturday afternoon in Sioux Falls.

Malloy scored a game-best 26 points, including 14 in the second half. Senior guard Cedric Seefeldt (Clark, S.D.) and junior forward Kelly Hubbard (Carson, Calif.) each put in 13 while junior center De’Shawn Howard (Tucson, Ariz.) added 10.

Dordt came out quick in the first half and raced to a 28-12 advantage at the 8:36 mark. A pair of three-point plays by Malloy over the final 1:30 helped cut into the deficit, making it a 39-31 Dordt favor at halftime. Dordt’s Shawn Keizer and Logan Kingma scored 10 points each in the first half while Malloy notched 12 for the Cougars.

USF came out in the second half and controlled the game. With Dordt ahead 65-64 at the 5:37 mark, Seefeldt nailed a three-pointer that not only gave them the lead for good at 67-65 but started a 19-7 run that finished off the game. Free-throws by Malloy and Hubbard put the game away.

USF shot 51.6 percent for the game (32-62) while keeping the Defenders at bay, holding them to 42.6 percent (26-61) for the contest.

Next up for the USF men is a trip to Bellevue, Neb., to face Bellevue University. Tip-off will be Thursday night, December 17, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
*Courtesy: USF Sports Information

USF Cougars hold off Defenders in Defensive Battle

(Sioux Falls, S.D.) – In a defensive battle the University of Sioux Falls women’s basketball team (8-5 overall, 4-2 GPAC) held off Dordt College (7-5, 1-4) 55-54 Saturday afternoon at the Stewart Center in Sioux Falls. USF held on for the victory despite shooting only 38.2 percent from the floor and 35.3 percent from the free-throw line.

Sophomore forward Elizabeth Hildreth (Norwalk, Iowa) recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Fellow sophomore forward Jamey Hofer (Hartford, S.D.) scored 10 while junior guard Chelsa Baxa (Herrick, S.D.) poured in 12.

It was a nip and tuck first half as neither team held a lead larger than four points and it was USF holding a 28-25 halftime advantage.

With the Cougars leading 39-37 at the 12:02 mark, the Defenders used a 7-0 run over the next 2:38 to grab their biggest lead of the contest at 44-39. Hofer would answer with six points over the next two minutes to even the score.

Hildreth’s successful lay-up with 53 seconds remaining set the final score of 55-54. Missed free-throws kept the Defenders alive, and they had three chances to score a go-ahead bucket but the Cougars pressured DC into missed attempts. Dordt’s Kate Du Mez got one more as time expired, but the attempt feel short of the rim.

Next up for the Cougar women is a trip to Colorado Springs, Colo., to face Colorado College. Tip-off will be next Saturday, December 19, beginning at 2:00 p.m. Central time (1:00 p.m. Mountain time).
*Courtesy; USF Sports Information