Box Score FARGO, N.D. – The University of North Dakota fell to North Dakota State, 64-81, on Saturday afternoon.
Kacie Borowicz led UND on offense scoring 26 points, securing five rebounds, and four assists.
Maggie Manson ended the afternoon with 12 points, one rebound, and one steal.
The third Fighting Hawks to end in double figures was
Claire Orth with 11 points, three rebounds, and an assist.
Olivia Lane netted nine points in the contest. She secured nine rebounds.
Melissa Leet rounded out the starting five with six points, six rebounds, and three assists.
The Fighting Hawks finished the afternoon shooting 32.9 percent from inside the arch, 26.7 percent from the three, and 80.0 percent from the line. The Bison shot 46.3 percent from the field, 14.3 percent beyond the arch, and 87.9 percent from the line.
North Dakota took the initial, but the Bison retook the lead seconds later. The back-and-forth battle began as the teams each took the lead multiple times, but it was NDSU who kept it going up 12-8 before the media timeout (4:57). The Bison continued to attack, but the Fighting Hawks adjusted their defense and went on a 5-0 run to give them the 19-17 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Fighting Hawks carried the momentum into the second as they extended their lead to four. The Bison went on a 6-0 run in the middle of the second to give them the one-point lead (27-26), but the Fighting Hawks retook the lead seconds later off free-throws by Borowicz. The Hawks hit another basket to extend the lead once more to three, but the Bison brought it within one once more as the teams continued to trade baskets. With 2:44 left to play, NDSU tied it at 32 all and then scored another basket to retake the lead with 1:37 left to play. UND continued to attack and was able to tie it at 34 all, but NDSU retook the two-point lead (36-34) with 59 seconds left in the half.
North Dakota exited the intermission and scored two consecutive baskets to take the 38-36 lead within the first minute of the third. The Bison continued hot on the heels of the Fighting Hawks as they tied it (38-38), but Manson stepped up and hit back-to-back threes to give UND the four-point lead (44-40). NDSU continued to trail until Abby Schulte scored a three-point play to tie at 46 with 5:48 left in the third. The Bison took the lead seconds later with back-to-back baskets. North Dakota continued to fight and brought it within two (50-52) with 2:29 left to play in the quarter, but the Bison went on a 5-0 run to give them the 57-52 lead headed into the fourth.
Borowicz scored the first basket of the fourth to bring North Dakota within three. Lane then scored a layup to cut the lead to one within the first minute of play in the fourth. The Bison responded to continued to extend the lead. They went on an 8-0 run to give them the 67-58 lead before Orth netted a jump shot with 3:35 left to play. The Fighting Hawks tried to convert on offense, but they were unable to as the Bison went on another 8-0 run towards the end of the quarter. Manson hit a three to end that run, but the Fighting Hawks were unable to recover as the Bison won 81-64.
Heaven Hamling led NDSU with 21 points, ten rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Reneya Hopkins ended the afternoon with 20 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.
North Dakota will travel to Sioux Falls to play Oral Roberts in the first round of the Summit League tournament on Sunday, March 6.
