LAWRENCE, Kan. --- Host Kansas rallied from down ten in the final quarter to push it to overtime before eventually defeating North Dakota, 76-71, at Phog Allen Fieldhouse in non-conference play Sunday afternoon. UND held a 60-50 lead with just over six minutes left before KU used a 15-5 run at the end of regulation to send it to another frame for its second straight overtime win.
"I thought it was a game of runs for both teams," UND head coach Travis Brewster said. "We've got to show a little bit better composure in pressure situations. It's a tough one but we've got to regroup and get better next week."
North Dakota (1-4) had four players in double figures scoring led by senior Makailah Dyer's 14. Fallyn Freije added 11 while Samantha Roscoe and Chastity Franklin each chipped in 10 for the Fighting Hawks.
Kansas (3-2) led by as many as nine in the first half before North Dakota embarked on an incredible 13-0 run to end the half and took a four-point advantage into the locker room. Jill Morton sparked the run with a jumper then a three on back-to-back trips then Bailey Strand added another jumper for a quick 7-0 spurt in 90 seconds. Makailah Dyer tied the game with a running layup before a fastbreak hoop by Leah Szabla to give UND the lead. Dyer added a pair of free throws before the half ended to lead 37-33 at the break.
North Dakota held the edge for the entire third quarter. A key sequence saw the Jayhawks close to within one at 44-43 before Morton knocked down a long two then Roscoe followed with a three from the left wing and KU was forced to take a timeout to regroup.
It was quickly a nine-point edge early in the fourth as Klabo scored down low and later a Fallyn Freije layup ahd the visitors in good position. Klabo split a pair of free throws to stake UND to its largest lead at 60-50 with 6:56 to go.
With the score 63-55 in favor of UND and 5:14 remaining, North Dakota would hit a dry spell, failing to hit a field goal the rest of the quarter. KU took advantage, scoring 10 of the final 12 points in regulation. A Klabo free throw made it 65-62 UND with under a minute to go, but Timeka O'Neal tripled from the top of the key to tie it. On the ensuing posssession, UND was denied on a pair of attempts and KU had the ball with 6.1 seconds left and a chance to win it.
Jessica Washington, who led all players with 19 points, found herself with an unimpeded route to the basket with time runing out until Roscoe slid in front and rejected her shot and the horn sounded, sending it to an extra five-minute session.
In overtime, UND struck first with a Frieje jumper and a Franklin bucket but O'Neal answered with another three and Caelynn Manning-Allen scored four straight to put the Jayhawks back in front. Trailing three, Dyer drove the lane and scooped up a shot that fell in the act of a foul giving her a chance to tie it with 44 seconds left. UND couldn't corral the missed free throw and after a lengthy delay, the ball was awarded to Kansas. KU hit all four of it free throws in the final minute to seal it and avoid the upset.
North Dakota held Kansas' leading scorer, McKenzie Calvert (19.3 ppg), to just six points. Washington stepped in with 19 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. O'Neal and Manning-Allen each added a dozen for the Jayhawks.
UND will host San Francisco next Saturday at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center with tip at 2:00 p.m. Central.
