FORT WAYNE, Ind. - When the University of North Dakota women's basketball team last played Purdue Fort Wayne, the Fighting Hawks prevailed with a 91-point performance but allowed a season-high 85 points. UND (14-8, 5-4 Summit) shaved off 36 points defensively versus the Dons (5-17, 1-8 Summit) in the return matchup as the Hawks held them to under-50 points in a 63-49 victory.
The Fighting Hawks last held a Division I opponent to under 50 points on Jan. 9, 2016, as they defeated Idaho State at The Betty, 45-42. UND last accomplished the feat on the road against the Bengals in Pocatello, Idaho, on Jan. 9, 2014.
North Dakota also held the Mastodons to 31-percent from the field and allowed single-digits on the scoresheet in the first and third quarters. While the Hawks bench accounted for a season-low seven points, they did not allow the Purdue Fort Wayne bench to score in the contest.
"This group embraced the defensive challenge we laid down in front of them today, and we did a great job of keeping (Purdue Fort Wayne) off the free-throw line. We just need to make sure we hit 100-percent of our shots at the line next time," joked Head Coach
Travis Brewster in the postgame radio interview.
"Our defense starts with
Claire Orth, and she embraces that role. She got on herself for a couple of the layups she missed, but we don't accomplish what we did defensively today without Claire being active on the floor defensively.
That effort defensively and on the glass resulted in the Fighting Hawks owning a 19-10 edge in points off turnovers and a 15-4 advantage on second-chance opportunities, allowing
Julia Fleecs and Claire to both score in double figures.
Fleecs registered her second consecutive double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds, tying her season-high in points with a 2019-20 best 10 field goals. Orth recorded a career-best 14 points and four assists in the effort.
Runs proved vital for UND in the contest as it finished the first quarter on a 12-0 run and opened the third quarter on a 19-5 run. Alaina and
Jaclyn Jarnot closed things out in the second half for North Dakota as each finished with nine points and three assists. Jaclyn also accounted for two blocks and two assists.
The Fighting Hawks will host Oral Roberts next Friday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. and follow up Feb. 8 against nationally-ranked South Dakota.
