GRAND FORKS, N.D.-- Big Sky Conference scoring leader Stacey Barr came into Thursday's contest at North Dakota atop the league with more than 20 points per game but netted just five in a 68-62 UND win at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. UND had four players in double figures with junior Mia Loyd pouring in 20 points while sophomore Leah Szabla added 14 second-half points, including a key stretch with nine of 11 UND points after halftime.

Barr was 0-for-4 in the first 20 minutes, but North Dakota could not take advantage, leading by just a single point at the break, 27-26. UND shot just 1-of-12 from distance in that first frame allowing the Vandals to remain close. Christina Salvatore made several big threes for the Vandals (8-9, 2-4) on her way to 20 for Idaho, nine of those points in the first half.

Out of the break, Ali Forde scored the first nine Vandal points and the visitors wnet in front by four, 35-31. From there, Szabla scored nine of the next 11 UND points including a handful of tough takes slicing to the rim floaters to keep the score close. Her final bucket in that stretch answered Barr's first points of the night and made it 45-44 Idaho. A layup by Loyd put North Dakota back on top for good midway through the period.

Not without a fight, however. After North Dakota had built a five-point lead, Idaho trimmed it back to a bucket on a Brooke Reilly triple. Emily Evers, who recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, countered with a big three-point play and had another bucket on the next UND trip down the floor for a seemingly comfortable seven-point cushion. Salvatore  nailed her fourth and fifth three-pointers of the night to slice the deficit to four on two different occasions but each time, UND withstood the challenge and improved to 6-1 at home this season.    

Brooke Reilly had 12 points and eight boards in the loss while Barr's five points tied a season low for last season's Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Player of the Year.

Makailah Dyer had 13 points for UND. Loyd finished one rebound shy of a double-double with 20 points and nine boards.

North Dakota (12-6 4-2 Big Sky) hosts Eastern Washington Saturday afternoon for a 2:00 p.m. tip at the Betty.