GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- The University of North Dakota women's basketball team captured its first win of the season in 70-43 blowout fashion over Mayville State on Tuesday night at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.
After starting the season with three games in five days, UND (1-3) had some rest before battling the Comets (3-3). This marked the first-of-three games for the Fighting Hawks in a span of 17 days.
UND looked to have some rust early on as the Fighting Hawks started the game 0-of-8 to allow the Comets to build a lead.
However the home side responded by finishing the first quarter at a 50% (5-of-10) clip from the field to surge back and grab a 15-14 lead after ten minutes.
The middle quarters defined the game as the Fighting Hawks awoke and dominated the Comets by outscoring MSU, 47-19.
UND's size seemed to overwhelm MSU in those middle quarters as Fallyn Freije and Lexi Klabo took over the paint for the Fighting Hawks on both offense and defense. North Dakota also didn't let the Comets get comfortable from the perimeter, holding them to just 1-of-14 from distance on the night. .
Klabo would finish with a team-high 16 points along with six rebounds and a pair of blocked shots. Freije also racked up 14 points, one away from tying her career high, and added two rebounds, assists, and a block.
UND grabbed 22 offensive rebounds on the night to tally 20 second-chance points. Mayville State was held to only six offensive boards and only a single second-chance point.
Turnovers also proved to be the story throughout the night as the Fighting Hawks cranked up the defensive pressure throughout the contest. UND forced 26 turnovers and turned that into 31 points.
Three-different players led UND in rebounding as Klabo, Chastity Franklin, and Holly Johnson each grabbed six rebounds.
A trio of players also reached double-figures in scoring for the Fighting Hawks, led by Klabo's 16, while Freije (14) and Bailey Strand (10) also hit double digits for UND.
Another Power-5 school awaits UND on Sunday as the Fighting Hawks travel to Lawrence, Kansas to battle the Kansas Jayhawks of the Big 12.
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