GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The North Dakota women's basketball team dropped their second Summit League contest Sunday 74-53 to South Dakota State at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.
 
The Fighting Hawks struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the first half, as they shot 8-of-35 from the floor and trailed 41-19 at halftime. UND held the Jackrabbits to .353 percent shooting in the opening period, but SDSU would build their lead to 22 points after a .533 percent second quarter shooting performance. The Hawks turned the ball over five times in the first, which led to 10 points for SDSU.
 
Kacie Borowicz had a team-high 17 points and grabbed two rebounds. Kiera Pemberton added eight points with three boards off the bench, and Miranda VanderWal secured 10 rebounds and blocked four shots.
 
Pemberton had three of UND's 10 offensive rebounds in the first half, but SDSU would limit the Hawks to just six points on those second chances. South Dakota State's Brooklyn Meyer nearly had a double-double in the first half with 11 points and nine rebounds.
 
Borowicz scored the first points for the Hawks out of the halftime intermission, but the Jacks controlled the first five minutes, taking their largest lead of the game 50-21. Looking to close out the third quarter strong, UND put together an 8-0 run with four paint points from Fatima Ibrahim and a pair of free throws from Kiyah Hurst and Borowicz. The Hawks cut the deficit to 20 heading into the fourth on a Hurst jumper, but that would be the closest they'd get as SDSU maintained a 20-plus point lead throughout the fourth.
 
North Dakoata will head to Pocatello, Idaho Wednesday for its first game of the Summit League-Big Sky Challenge against Idaho State.
 
Postgame Notes 

• Kacie Borowicz led the Hawks in scoring for the fourth game in a row and ninth time this season
• Borowicz has reached double-digit scoring in nine games
• Miranda VanderWal set career-highs with 10 rebounds and four blocked shots
• VanderWal has eight blocked shots in her last three games
• Kiera Pemberton had eight of UND's 25 bench points
• South Dakota State has won 15 in a row over UND, but the Hawks still hold a 41-36 all-time lead
• SDSU had 16 second chance points off 19 offensive rebounds and scored 38 points in the paint

  
How It Happened 
Q1: SDSU 19, UND 10
Q2: SDSU 41. UND 19
Q3: SDSU 56, UND 35
Q4: SDSU 74, UND 53

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