TOWSON, Md.-- Senior Siri Burck and sophomore Makailah Dyer each poured in 18 points to lead North Dakota to a 70-63 win over St. Francis Brooklyn Friday afternoon in the Preseason WNIT consolation bracket. Burck hit all seven of her shots from the floor to etch a new career high in points.

"It's a big first," UND head coach Travis Brewster said of the school's first win in a national tournament in the Division I era (non-hockey). "It's a big deal. Credit our ladies. Siri is a fifth-year senior and she can play all five positions for us. Why not knock down some shots for us?"

Just as it did in Tuesday's comeback win against Milwaukee, UND was forced to crawl out of a large deficit. This time, North Dakota conceded a 20-3 lead to the Terriers just over eight minutes into the game. UND fed the post Tuesday to climb back from down 20 against the Panthers but used its perimeter players to do the damage Friday.

After St. Francis took that early 17-point lead, three-pointers on consecutive trips by Burck and Dyer sparked the rally. UND wiped out the advantage by the 5:21 mark on a layup by Ellen Kiser. The Terriers only had one more brief lead after that before a five-point trip boosted UND in front for good. After Leah Szabla drove and scored and was fouled, she missed the free throw, but Mia Loyd was there to collect one of her game-high rebounds and fed to Dyer who converted on her three-point play.

UND went into the halftime locker room with a three-point lead, outscoring the Terriers 32-12 over the final 12 minutes and change.

Megan Lauck and Bailey Strand got in on the act from the perimeter in the second half, knocking down mid-range jumpers to help UND get out to a 10-point lead at 49-39. St. Francis later made one final run, scoring six straight points to trim the lead all the way down to one, but Kiser scored another bucket and Kelsey Knox had an impressive layup, steal of the ensuing inbounds pass and dish to Dyer for an eight-point cushion. UND would not relinquish the lead in the second half and advanced to the winners' half of the bracket, set for Saturday night at Towson.  

Loyd finished with a double-double, her first of the season and 10th of her career. Emily Evers, who had scored in all 93 career games in which she played before tonight, did not get in the score sheet but contributed six rebounds, two blocks and an assist. Kiser chipped-in six points and is now 6-for-7 from the floor this season.

UND will play the host Towson Tigers-- a 53-51 winner over Rider in the late game Friday-- on Saturday for a 5:30 p.m. Central tip.




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