SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Connor Kaiser (Rockland, Wis.) scored a team-high 10 points and Kai Endahl (Mendota Heights, Minn.) added nine, but the University of Sioux Falls proved to have too much offensive firepower, as the Cougars put four players in double figures in handing the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's basketball team a 97-57 exhibition game setback Thursday evening.
 
The Cougars took control early in the first half, scoring 11 of the game's opening 13 points to take an 11-2 advantage. Saint Mary's cut the gap to six twice, 13-7 and 15-9, but Sioux Falls found its groove, using a 19-5 run to push its lead to 20, 34-14 with 8:11 remaining.
 
Saint Mary's rattled off six unanswered points to get within 14, 34-20, but the Cougars closed the half on a 13-7 burst to take a 47-23 cushion into the locker room at the break.
 
Kaiser knocked down the first basket of the second half for Saint Mary's, but the Cougars quickly answered and slowly pulled away, outscoring the Cardinals 50-34 over the game's final 20 minutes.
 
Along with the 10 points from Kaiser and the nine from Endahl, Saint Mary's also got seven points and a team-best seven rebounds from Quashingm Smith-Pugh (St. Paul, Minn.). The Cardinals shot 36 percent from the field (19-for-52)—knocking down eight 3-pointers­—and were 11-for-18 from the free throw line.
 
Daniel Hurtt netted a team-high 20 points, while Clint Thomas (13), Jordan Stotts (11), and Mack Johnson (10) also chipped in double-figure performances for the Cougars, who finished 39-for-76 (51 percent) from the field. USF drained four 3-pointers and was 15-for-19 from the free throw line.
 
After back-to-back exhibition games against NCAA Division I Nebraska-Omaha and Division II Sioux Falls, the Cardinals return to nonconference action on Tuesday, heading to New Ulm, Minn., for a 7 p.m. showdown against Martin Luther.