SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana University women's basketball (11-3, 5-3 NSIC) got off to a fast start, hitting nine 3-pointers in the first half, on its way to a 74-62 win over Southwest Minnesota State (3-11, 1-7 NSIC) on Sunday at the Sioux Falls Arena.
 
Logan O'Farrell led the Vikings with 14 points on 6 of 13 shooting. O'Farrell also added seven rebounds, two assists and three steals. Presley O'Farrell pitched in with 10 points off the bench hitting 3 of 4 shots from the field, including 2 of 3 from 3-point range.
 
Sophie Kenney scored nine points and dished out seven assists for the Vikings. Nicole Kerkhoff finished the night with nine points and seven rebounds.
 
The Vikings finished the game shooting 36.8 percent from the field after starting out the game shooting 44 percent in the first half. Augustana hit nine of its 11 3-pointers in the game in the first half alone. The Vikings finished the game 11 of 34 (32.4 percent) from behind the arc.
 
Augustana forced SMSU into 25 turnovers on the night and converted 29 points off turnovers in the game. The Vikings also scored 29 points in transition against the Mustangs.
 
SMSU finished the game shooting 36 percent from the field and had two players record double-doubles. Hope Bonlander finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds and Lauren Hedlund added 10 points and 11 boards for SMSU.
 
Southwest Minnesota State grabbed an early lead at 7-2 before Shelby Selland and Sydney Rome drilled back-to-back 3-pointers and that sparked a 17-2 Viking run allowing Augustana to take a 19-9 lead with 1:44 to play in the first quarter.
 
SMSU ended the first quarter with Laurie Bohler knocking down a pair of 3-pointers of her own, including one on the break with 16 seconds to play in the quarter that cut Augustana's lead to four at 19-15.
 
The Vikings continued to shoot lights out from behind the arc to start the second quarter quickly extending its lead back up to 10 at 25-15 after Selland and Kennedy connected on a pair of 3-pointers.
 
Augustana continued to put on the pressure in the first half out-scoring the Mustangs 21-8 over the final 7:09 of the second quarter to take a 46-26 lead at the break. The Vikings held SMSU to just five points over the final four minutes of the quarter to take a large lead at the break.
 
Augustana finished the half shooting 44 percent (15 of 34) from the field, knocking down nine of 17 3-pointers. Nine different players scored for the Vikings in the first half, led by Logan O'Farrell's 10 points. Presley O'Farrell added eight points off the bench while Selland and Prosser each added six points for the Vikings.
 
The Vikings forced SMSU into 17 first-half turnovers and converted 23 points off of the turnovers. Augustana also pushed the pace in the half scoring 21 points on the fastbreak.
 
The Vikings started just 2 for 8 in the third quarter and the Mustangs opened the quarter on an 8-2 run to cut Augustana's lead to 14 at 48-34. The Vikings stopped the SMSU run scoring five straight but the Mustangs would not go away quietly in the third quarter cutting Augustana's lead to 12 with 52 seconds to play in the third at 57-45.
 
After a hot start in the first half, the Vikings turned cold in the third quarter connecting on just 4 of 16 field goals, including 1 of 9 from 3-point range in the third.
 
SMSU opened up the second half on a 9-4 run and was able to cut Augustana's lead to single digits at 63-54 with 7:45 to play. The Vikings quickly pushed the lead back up to double-digits and would keep it there the rest of the game holding on for the 74-62 win.
 
The Vikings will hit the road for a pair of NSIC contests next weekend. Augustana will take on Concordia-St. Paul on Friday, Jan. 8 at 6 p.m. before squaring-off against Minnesota State at 4 p.m. on Saturday at 4 p.m.