POCATELLO, Idaho— A late Idaho State 7-0 run made things interesting in the closing minutes but senior Mia Loyd's only field goal of the night proved to be the difference in a tight 60-57 win at Idaho State Thursday evening in Big Sky play. The win gave North Dakota a season sweep of the Bengals and its fifth straight win in the process.

The Fighting Hawks (10-11, 6-4 Big Sky) got big performances from their bench as the UND reserves out-scored the Bengal bench, 25-7. Kelsey Knox had 10 off the bench and Morton added nine while Leah Szabla had a team-high 12 points. Loyd added seven rebounds and five assists to her stat line Thursday.

"Tonight was a team win, I thought we got a big lift from our bench," UND head coach Travis Brewster said. "Obviously, the third quarter was crucial, but it was the defensive intensity out of our players that won it for us. I thought they did a tremendous job. Kelsey Knox and Jill Morton provided a good lift and offensively, I thought Leah Szabla hit a big shot and Samantha Roscoe was solid for us. Despite their late run, I thought there was a calmness about the group and I'm proud of the ladies."

North Dakota outscored the Bengals, 20-12, in the third quarter to take its largest lead at five heading into the final stanza. Up until that point, neither team had led by more than four points with the lead changing hands 15 times with nine tie scores before the final stanza.

It was a six-point Fighting Hawk advantage after Jill Morton grabbed a tough offensive rebound down low among traffic and was fouled with 3:39 to go. She would split the pair from the free throw line to make it a 57-50 game. From there, however, the Bengals rallied. A three from Brooke Blair tied the score with two minutes to go to set up the dramatic finish.

UND pounded the glass on the ensuing possession, corralling a pair of offensive boards before Loyd hit a shot from the left elbow to put UND back in front, 59-57. Knox would steal the ball on the defensive trip and Makailah Dyer made 1-of-2 from the line to give ISU one last glimmer of hope. Anna Policicchio's desparation three was off the mark to give the Fighting Hawks their second win over ISU this season and its second straight road win in this stretch.

Knox gave North Dakota a big boost, breaking the full-court press on multiple occasions and providing some offensive punch as well. She came in and buried a quick three and added a pull-up jumper on the next possession in the first quarter in a see-saw affair.

Apiphany Woods' three-point play in the final minute of the first half helped push the Bengals in front, 33-30, at the break. UND would come out of the intermission looking to take control, and did. Samantha Roscoe had back-to-back field goals and Morton would do the same later in the period to make it a 5-0 run at the end of the period for North Dakota's largest lead to that point and 50-45.

The final three in the that run came when Knox had the ball in her hands 30 feet from the basket and the shot clock winding down. She called for a ball screen and got off a shot from well beyond the arc, banking it in as UND held the distinct edge in the period, 20-12.

Leah Szabla had two of her team-high 12 on a nice step-back jumper to make it an eight-point game with just under seven minutes left. ISU tried to overcome to win its fourth in the last five tries, but Loyd's late jumper sealed the deal. ISU suffered its sixth loss to UND in eight tries, five of those coming by five points or fewer.

North Dakota will head to Ogden, Utah Saturday to battle Weber State, who won in triple overtime Thursday to remain a game-and-a-half ahead of UND in the league standings for fourth place.

Notes: Loyd's five assists tied a career high while Morton's nine points tied a career best for her as well ... UND started the season 0-8 on the road but has won its last two ... North Dakota has held its opponent to under 60 points in all five games during this win streak ... UND is 5-2 on the Idaho State/Weber State road trip in its four seasons in the Big Sky Conference.