GRAND FORKS, N.D. - Senior Jossy Bergan (G, Valley City, N.D.) hit a career-high tying five three-pointers to help the University of North Dakota to a 76-59 victory over Chicago State in front of over 1,200 fans at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.
Bergan's five threes helped the Sioux set a new season record of 13 buckets from behind the three-point line. Adding to the total was senior Kayla Bagaason (G, Clearbrook, Minn.) with four, junior Mallory Youngblut (G, Davenport, Iowa) with three, and freshman Nicole Smart (G, Ada, Minn.) with one.
The win pushed UND to 9-13 overall and 5-3 in the Great West Conference. Chicago State dropped to 10-16, 5-4 GWC.
Bagaason led the Sioux with 22 points for her fourth 20-point game of the season and the fifth 20-plus game of her career. Youngblut finished with 19 points and five rebounds. Bergan rounded out the high-scoring trio with 15 points on 5-for-9 shooting from the field and a 5-for-8 performance beyond the three-point line.
CSU was led by Courtney Waldon with 20 points and seven rebounds. Janay Dockery added another 11 points and Laureen Pierson finished with 10 points.
UND out-shot the Cougars .433-.385 from the field and .464-.350 beyond the three-point line. The Sioux also held the advantage on the boards as they out-rebounded CSU 44-29 - 17-6 on offensive boards alone.
North Dakota will hit the hardwood again on Feb. 16 when it heads to Seattle for a 6:30 p.m. game with the Redhawks. The Sioux will get back into conference play when they host Utah Valley for a 1 p.m. tip-off on Feb. 20.
Chicago State took an early 5-0 lead, but with five points from Bagaason, and a three-pointer from Bergan, the Fighting Sioux worked the margin down to one. With CSU leading 9-8 and 15:38 on the board, junior Corey Lof (F, Detroit Lakes, Minn.) made both of her bonus baskets giving the Sioux their first lead of the game.
The teams were knotted twice before UND used nine minutes to break away from the Cougars and move into a 30-21 lead. Bergan helped UND gain control with a pair of three-pointers and an assist to Youngblut who scored four.
Tressa Beckel scored six of CSU's 11 points - including the scoring basket - to set the score at 32-32 with just 1:32 remaining on the clock. With neither team able to connect on scoring chances it looked as though the game would go into the break with in a tie, but with :06 left on the clock, Bagaason hit from behind the three-point line to give UND the 35-32 halftime lead.
Chicago State opened the new half with an early three pointer, but UND answered with a 9-0 run to take the 44-35 lead. From then on UND held control of the game and at 6:25 took a 17-point lead - the largest advantage of either team thus far. The Sioux upped that margin at 1:58 when Bagaason hit a jumper to give UND a 76-54 lead and a 22-point advantage.
GAME NOTES: Kayla Bagaason is just 29 points away from becoming the 28th member of UND's 1,000 Point Club. She is now ranked No. 7 on UND's career three-pointers made list with 160 three's after surpassing Jenny Hoffner who tallied 154 from 1997-01 ... Jossy Bergan is now ranked No. 8 on UND's career three-pointers made list with 157 three's after surpassing Jenny Hoffner who tallied 154 from 1997-01. Bergan is also ranked No. 8 in career three-pointers attempted with 462 ... The Fighting Sioux are 760-281 all-time and 584-117 under head coach Gene Roebuck.
- Go Sioux -
