Hattiesburg, Miss. – The North Dakota women's basketball team dropped a 71-50 decision to North Texas Saturday morning on the final day of the Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic.
 
The Fighting Hawks scored the first three points of the game but managed just six points in the first quarter, while the Mean Green exploded for 25 points. UNT capitalized on NoDak mistakes with 10 points off six turnovers in the opening 10 minutes. North Texas built its lead up by going a perfect 4-for-4 from the three-point line in the first and held UND to 2-of-12 shooting.
 
After chipping away at the Mean Green lead in the third quarter, the Hawks opened the fourth with a 9-2 run to pull within six, 50-44. DJ Davis and Kiyah Hurst connected on back-to-back treys to cap off the NoDak run. However, North Texas closed out the win by holding UND to six points over the final five minutes.
 
Hurst totaled 12 points, three rebounds and two steals to pace the Fighting Hawks. In total, 10 Hawks scored in the contest.
 
The UND offense began to pick up their pace in the second quarter behind the play of Hurst and Kiera Pemberton. Hurst scored eight points in the quarter and took advantage of her trips to the charity strip, going 4-for-5 on free throws. Pemberton connected on both of her field goals and added 5 points. NoDak's defense tightened up in the quarter, holding North Texas to a .300 shooting percentage and 0-for-8 from deep. However, the Mean Green crashed the glass with six offensive rebounds in the period.
 
Following a fast break bucket from Jayla Owen with 1:47 left in the third, the Fighting Hawks cut the deficit to 10 after a 7-0 run. It was the closest the Hawks had been to the Mean Green lead since 2:57 in the first quarter.
 
North Dakota returns to the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center Tuesday for a meeting with Minot State at 5:00 p.m.
 
Postgame Notes 

• Kiyah Hurst led NoDak in scoring for the first time this season
• Jayla Owen led the Hawks and had a new career high six rebounds
• Nevaeh Ferrara Horne and Kiera Pemberton made their first starts in the green and white
• DJ Davis has made two three-pointers in back-to-back games
• Miranda VanderWal tallied two blocks for the second time this season
• UND tied a season best with five made three-pointers
• Fatima Ibrahim saw her first action as a Fighting Hawk and grabbed two boards
• North Texas outrebounded UND 53-30
• The Mean Green grabbed 20 offensive rebounds and had 13 second chance points

How It Happened 
Q1: UNT 25, UND 6
Q2: UNT 39, UND 25
Q3: UNT 48, UND 35
Q4: UNT 71, UND 50

For more information on North Dakota women's basketball, visit FightingHawks.com or follow on social media @UNDwbasketball.