Box Score
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Morgan Zabel's basket with 47 seconds left was the game-winner as Minnesota State University Moorhead edged the University of Sioux Falls, 68-67, in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference women's basketball Friday night in Sioux Falls, S.D.

MSUM improved to 7-4 overall and 3-4 in the NSIC with the win, while the Cougars fell 6-5 overall and 2-5 in the league. The Dragons have won all three meetings with USF in the series history.

Zabel, a senior forward, paced the Dragons with 18 points. She was a perfect 7-of-7 from the foul line. Freshman guard Natalie Van Wyhe added a career-high 12 points for the Dragons, draining 4-of-4 three-pointers. Sophomore guard Meghan Roehrich had 10 points. Senior forward Megan Strese and sophomore forward Savanna Handevidt each had 10 rebounds; the total was a career-high for Handevidt. Senior guard Haley Thomforde had five assists for MSUM.

MSUM shot 39.7 percent (23-of-58), compared to 39.1 percent (27-of-69) for the Cougars. The Dragons had a commanding 50-33 edge in rebounds. MSUM won despite committing 22 turnovers, which led to 25 USF points. MSUM had a commanding 29-8 edge in bench points.

The Dragons trailed 67-66 with 2:56 left after USF's Alicia Boe scored. The game stayed that way until there was 47 seconds left when Zabel scored to put MSUM up one at 68-67.

USF had three chances to tie in the final 33 seconds but the Dragons got the key stops to earn the one-point win.

The Dragons opened the game on a 15-5 run over the first 7:33. Van Wyhe sparked the run with two 3-pointers.

MSUM led 35-34 at halftime. Balance keyed the Dragons' first half, as five players scored four points or more: Zabel (seven), Strese (six), Van Wyhe (six), Roehrich (six) and Thomforde (five).

The Cougars opened the second half on a 9-0 run to surge into a 43-35 lead. Handevidt ended the USF run with a three-point play with 16:08 left in the game. The Dragons trailed 60-52 with 9:59 left but responded with a 10-0 run over the next 2:14 to regain the lead at 62-60 with 7:45 left. Van Wyhe was the catalyst for MSUM with six points on a pair of three-pointers.

From there, the game was close with the biggest lead being three points over the final seven minutes.

Redshirt freshman Morgan Banasik had seven rebounds to go with five points and two assists.

MSUM is back in action on Saturday at Southwest Minnesota State. Game time is 5 p.m. in Marshall, Minn.

Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: Tonight's win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Dragons in a first game of a calendar year on the road. The Dragons' last road win to ring in a New Year was also in the town of Sioux Falls, an 80-75 victory at Augustana College on Jan. 9, 2010.