Box Score GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The University of North Dakota battled South Dakota, but the Fighting Hawks fell 72-88 at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center on Saturday afternoon. Four Fighting Hawks ended the afternoon with double figures.
The Fighting Hawks shot 45.3 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from beyond the arch, and 86.4 percent from the line. While the Coyotes shot 53.2 percent from the field, 50 percent from beyond the arch, and 70.6 percent from the line.
Kacie Borowicz led the charge for North Dakota with 22 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
Claire Orth followed with 14 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
Melissa Leet ended the afternoon with 12 points and secured seven rebounds.
The final Fighting Hawk to net double figures was
Maggie Manson. She scored 11 points, secured four rebounds and had two assists.
Rounding out the starting line-up was
Olivia Lane, who netted eight points and secured eight rebounds.
Off the bench,
Joli Daninger netted five points, secured two rebounds, had an assist, and a steal.
The Coyotes took the initial lead with a layup from Hannah Sjerven, but Orth responded seconds later to keep it tied. Manson hit a jumper to give the Hawks their first lead of the game, but the Coyotes took the lead back with a three pointer seconds later. The teams continued to trade baskets until 5:41 when Borowicz tied it once more. The Coyotes hit a three and took the lead before the media timeout. Exiting the timeout, the Coyotes continued to attack on offense and went on an 8-0 run before it was stopped by North Dakota with 2:05 left in the first. The Fighting Hawks continued to attack the Coyotes, but it would not be enough as South Dakota ended the quarter with a 12-point lead (22-10).
The two teams entered the second quarter battling as they traded baskets to start. Borowicz and Manson combined for back-to-back plays to bring the Fighting Hawks within four with 4:42 left in the second. Chloe Lamb extended the lead to six for the Coyotes, but Borowicz scored consecutive baskets to give the Fighting Hawks a 5-0 run and give them a one-point lead (33-32) with 3:14 left in the half. Maddie Krull netted a layup to give the Coyotes the lead again, but the teams continued to trade-off for the lead. In the final seven seconds, Borowicz drove to the basket and netted a layup to put North Dakota up by one going into intermission (37-36).
After intermission, both teams hit shots to start another round of lead changes, but it was Sjerven who hit a three and gave the Coyotes the lead and started a 7-0 run. The Fighting Hawks stopped the run, but the Coyotes continued to attack their defense and held a 50-45 lead headed into the media timeout. The third quarter continued to be a back-and-forth battle. The Fighting Hawks netted 21 points in the quarter, but the Coyotes netted 34 to give them the 68-58 lead.
In the final quarter, the Fighting Hawks and Coyotes continued to make it a back-and-forth game. Leet and Orth combined for consecutive plays to bring the game within five with 5:48 left (66-71). After the media timeout, the Coyotes went on a 9-2 run to extend the lead to 12 (82-70) before a second media timeout was called with 1:44 left in the game. The Fighting Hawks were unable to overcome the runs, as the Coyotes won 88-72.
Sjerven led South Dakota on offense with 30 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Liv Korngable followed with 22 points, five assists, and two steals.
North Dakota will head to Denver to play the Pioneers on Thursday, Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. CT.
