By: Austin Bramley

Tournament Website
Box Score
 
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- For the first time since 2016, the Augustana women's basketball team is headed back to the NSIC tournament championship game after rolling in-city rival Sioux Falls 63-43 Monday night inside the Sanford Pentagon.

The Vikings face Winona State Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Pentagon.

Senior guard Logan O'Farrell poured in 26 points (on 10-of-14 from the field), tied a career-high with seven steals, snagged seven rebounds and swatted one shot. Her twin sister Presley O'Farrell cashed in on 13 points and had two steals of her own. Paige Peterson, a senior from Jamestown, N.D., also had 13 points and was 7-of-8 from the free throw line.

The Vikings jumped out to a 22-8 lead that was melted down to just six points, but Augustana responded with a 14-0 run to close the half, and took a 38-18 lead into the locker room.

Presley O'Farrell's jumper with 3:37 to play in the first half started the run and a Hana Metoxen triple put Augie back up by double-digits. A Peterson mid-range jumper gave Augustana a 20-point lead with 39 seconds to play in the second quarter.

The Vikings outscored USF 20-8 in the first quarter and 18-10 in the second quarter.

Both squads exchanged baskets in the third quarter. Logan O'Farrell drilled a contested shot from long range with 6:02 to play in the frame and put the Vikings up 45-23. Lynsey Prosser put up a layup with just under two minutes to play in the third to give the Vikings a 50-27 lead.

Sioux Falls outscored Augie 13-12 in the third quarter while the Vikings edged the Cougars 13-12 in the final quarter.

Augustana shot 42.6 percent for the game after knocking down 50 percent of their shots in the first quarter and 53.8 percent in the second. The Vikings were just 4-of-17 from long range on Monday night, while USF was just 4-for-20. Sioux Falls hit just 30.9 percent of their shots and had just seven attempts from the free throw line.

Kaely Hummel led the Cougars with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting and hit two of USF's four 3-pointers. Mariah Szymanski was second on the team in scoring with seven points on the night.

With the win, Augustana improves to 26-3 on the season while Sioux Falls' drops to 16-13.