GRAND FORKS, N.D.--North Dakota shot a blistering 84 percent from the field in the second half to rally from a 13-point halftime deficit and defeat Division I Montana State 88-74 tonight in front of a season-high 2,410 at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.
The Fighting Sioux, the top-ranked team in Division II, stay unbeaten at 13-0, while the Bobcats fall to 5-6.
UND, which went 21-for-25 from the field in the final 20 minutes, sealed the win in emphatic fashion, closing out the game with a 12-1 run.
The Sioux, who trailed 43-30 at the half, put themselves in position to win their 13th straight on the strength of a 16-2 run to start the second. UND nailed its first seven field goal attempts, including a pair of Karla Beck (Sr., Munich, N.D.) three-pointers in the first 75 seconds.
Beck's play was key during UND's comeback effort, with the senior guard scoring 11 of her 15 points in the first seven minutes of the second half.
Sophomore Jossy Bergan (Valley City, N.D.) pulled the Sioux even at 58-58 with a fastbreak layup with 11:24 remaining, then forward Val Sannes (Sr., Wahpeton, N.D.) knocked down a turnaround jumper 35 seconds left to give UND its first lead since the midway point of the first half.
UND would never trail the rest of the way, although back-to-back Rebecca Mercer three-pointers tied the game at 70-70 with 5:26 remaining.
But UND's Danye Guinn (Jr., St. Francis, Minn.) answered with a trey of her own on the ensuing Sioux possesion, and Bergan followed with another triple 41 seconds later, putting UND back on top for good at 76-70 with 4:19 remaining.
Mercer, who led Montana State with 19 points, hit a jumper and a free throw to make it 76-73 with 4:02 remaining, but that would be as close as the Bobcats would draw.
Ashley Langen (Sr., Kennedy, Minn.) pushed the lead back to five with a pair of free throws with just under four minutes remaining, then Guinn hit Langen with a backdoor pass and Langen converted to make it 80-74 with 3:03 remaining.
The Sioux, who shot 83.3 percent (25-for-30) from the free throw line, sealed the win with five free throws in seven trips to the line in the final three minutes.
Beck, who went a perfect 5-for-5 from the field, including three three-pointers, also had five assists.
Junior forward Kierah Kimbrough (Greenbush, Minn.) went 7-for-8 from the field and 8-for-8 from the charity stripe and led all players with 21 points.
Langen, who was 6-for-7 from the floor, finished with 15 points and a game-high nine rebounds.
UND outrebounded the Bobcats 38-26. The Sioux were able to survive a season-high 26 turnovers, including 15 in the first half.
While UND was shooting 84 percent in the second half, and a season-high 67.4 percent for the game, the Sioux defense stiffend and held the Bobcats to a 35.1 (13-for-37) second-half performance from the floor.
The Sioux return to action on Jan. 2 at Minnesota, Crookston before closing out the non-conference schedule with a home date against Jamestown on Jan. 5.
Notes: UND achieved season highs for field goal percentage (.674), three-point percentage (.625), free throws made (25) and free throw percentage (.833) ... Kimbrough moved past Tracey Pudenz (1990-94) and into 20th place on UND's all-time scoring list with 1,110 career points ... UND has now outrebounded its opponents in 24 consecutive games.
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