GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- Just three days after holding their own against Texas Tech, the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks women's basketball team nearly pulled off the upset on its home floor as Iowa escaped with a 75-60 win on Wednesday at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. 

UND (0-3) was playing its third game in five days, all against top-talent teams. North Dakota opened with the preseason favorite in the Missouri Valley Conference (Drake) then played at Big 12 Conference member Texas Tech before tonight's tilt with the Big Ten's Iowa. 

UND uncharachteristically struggled to get shots to fall all night as the Fighting Hawks were held to only 30.8% (20-65) from the field.

After a first quarter that was dominated by the Hawkeyes (3-0), UND was able to hang with the Big Ten foe for the remainder of the game.

Trailing by nine at the half, North Dakota rattled off nine consecutive points out of the break and held Iowa without a bucket for the first four minutes of the quarter to tie the game at 40-40.

UND tied the game again at 42 and had a chance to go in front, but Iowa went on a run of its own to reclaim the lead and held on for the remainder of the game.

One final push came with UND trailing by 15 and three minutes remaining. Freije nailed a three from the right wing then Jill Morton followed with a top of the key triple to quickly trim the deficit to singe figures. Time would run out on the comeback, however, as Iowa remained perfect on the young season.  

The Fighting Hawks were led by Makailah Dyer and Fallyn Freije, who each scored 14 points while Iowa's Ally Disterhoft led all scorers with 20 points. 

UND returns to action on Nov. 22 when the Fighting Hawks battle Mayville State at 7 p.m.