ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Concordia-St. Paul women's basketball team (11-4, 7-3 NSIC) defeated Sioux Falls (11-5, 6-4 NSIC) 69-64 Saturday afternoon at the Gangelhoff Center. The Golden Bears moved to 8-0 on the season at the Gangelhoff Center.

The Golden Bears were dominant on the glass, outrebounding the Cougars 47-38. They also wrangled 20 offensive rebounds on the game and outscored USF 34-30 on points in the paint. The 20 offensive rebounds were the most for CSP in a game since November 4th, 2015 against PR Rio Piedras.

Lindsay Dorr was dominant down low, scoring 22 points on 8-15 shooting. Dorr also grabbed 11 rebounds, blocked two shots, and collected two steals. Kyrah Fredenburg also had a big game for the Golden Bears with a double-double. The senior guard went for 10 points and 14 rebounds, including nine offensive rebounds.

Riley Wheatcraft was CSP's second leading scorer, netting 14 points on 4-7 shooting from downtown, including two big threes in the fourth quarter. Guards Anna Schmitt and Lexi Lee were also top contributors for CSP. Schmitt had 11 points, three assists, and four rebounds while Lee collected nine points, four assists and four boards.

Sioux Falls finished with four players in double digits. Mariah Szymanski led the way with 14 points while Anna Goodhope picked up her first career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

The teams traded baskets for much of the first quarter. Sioux Falls shot 46.7% from the field in the first quarter to the Golden Bears 31.8%, but CSP was able to stay in the game with an eye-popping 10 offensive rebounds in the ten-minute span. Concordia took an 18-15 lead into the second as Wheatcraft knocked down a three on a pass from Schmitt right before the buzzer.

The Cougars offense would heat up in the second quarter, and they used a 17-6 run to take a 32-27 lead with 3:47 to go in the half. CSP's was able to close the margin in the final minutes of the half, trailing 37-36 at the break. Sioux Falls shot 51.7% from the field to 37.1% for CSP (in the first half), but the Golden Bears controlled the glass with a 22-15 edge and 13 offensive rebounds.

Second half defense was a big key to Concordia's victory. The Golden Bears held the Cougars to 29.4% shooting in the third quarter and 31.8% shooting in the fourth to take and maintain the lead.

Concordia came out energized in the second half on both ends of the court. CSP held the Cougars to only one field goal for over five minutes in the third quarter, and started the quarter on a 9-3 run. Sioux Falls would get back into the game with the three ball, hitting three in the quarter including one by Szymanski right before the buzzer. Concordia took a 52-50 lead heading into the fourth.

The fourth quarter would feature much of the same back-and-forth action from two of the top teams in the NSIC. Concordia's lead fluctuated between three and five points for much of the quarter. Both teams went cold for over three and half minutes in the fourth quarter with the score at 61-58.

Gloria Mulumba would convert a layup to make it 61-60 with 1:28 to go, but Dorr answered right back as she backed down Mulumba in the post and converted down low. Schmitt and Dorr would both make 1-2 at the free throw line before Szymanski layed one in to make the score 65-62 with 13 seconds to go. Schmitt would hit four clutch free throws down the stretch to secure the win for the Golden Bears.

Concordia will look to stay undefeated at home next weekend with games against St. Cloud State on Friday the 18th and Minnesota Duluth on Saturday the 19th.