VERMILLION, S.D. – Kacie Borowicz became the fourth player in North Dakota women's basketball history to reach 2,000 career points, but the Fighting Hawks fell in their regular season finale 65-54 to South Dakota Saturday.
 
The Coyotes opened the second half with a 10-0 run, forcing a UND timeout at the six-minute mark. A Borowicz midrange bucket would end the 12-point USD run, but the Coyotes answered with a basket of their own on the next possession. With just under five minutes, UND used a 9-1 run to cut the lead back to single-digits, 47-38 with 54 seconds left in the third. However, USD scored the final four points of the quarter, all off free throws, to carry a 51-38 lead into the final period.
 
Borowicz ended the day with a game-high 25 points, six rebounds and was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line. Pemberton notched a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
 
The Fighting Hawks cut the lead to two, 19-17, early in the second quarter, with points from three different players. USD would stretch its lead back to seven points at the three-minute mark of the second period, but back-to-back buckets from Kiyah Hurst and Kiera Pemberton would pull the Hawks with four, 29-25, heading into the halftime intermission. The rim wasn't kind to either team in the opening 20 minutes, as they both shot 1-for-11 from beyond the three-point line and rather found the majority of their points in the paint. UND scored 16 of its 25 in the lane, while South Dakota tallied 20 of its 29 first half points in the paint.
 
A low scoring first quarter saw the Coyotes leading 15-9 after 10 minutes of play. Kacie Borowicz had seven of the Hawks points in the frame, with Kiera Pemberton scoring the other bucket. The two teams combined to shoot 9-of-34 in the first period, and each had one three-pointer.
 
South Dakota grabbed its largest lead of the game, 56-38, after two straight buckets three minutes into the fourth quarter. The Fighting Hawks deficit would move into the single digits with 1:28 remaining in the game following two free throws from Hurst. UND did over half of its scoring in the fourth from the free throw line, going 10-for-12 from the charity stripe.
 
UND will be the six seed in next week's Summit League Tournament and will face Oral Roberts in the quarterfinals round on Sunday at 3:00 p.m.

Postgame Notes

• After scoring 25 points tonight, Kacie Borowicz became the fourth player in UND history to hit 2,000 career points joining Jenny Crouse (1995-99), Ashley Langen (2004-08) and Kiera Kimbrough (2005-09)
• Borowicz now has 2,008 career points and sits 24 points away from the No. 3 spot in the UND record books
• Kiera Pemberton now owns the ninth most points scored by a freshman in a green and white jersey with 273
• Pemberton tallied her third double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds
• Pemberton also tied a career-high with two blocks, the third time this season she's blocked multiple shots
• UND was held to .300 percent or lower from the field in three of the four quarters
• South Dakota shot .355 from the floor and over .400 percent in the third and fourth periods
• UND had more second chance points 12-8, but the Coyotes had the edge in points in the paint 34-20 and bench points 24-17
• USD earns the regular season sweep over UND

How It Happened 
Q1: USD 15, UND 9
Q2: USD 29, UND 25
Q3: USD 51, UND 38
Q4: USD 65, UND 54

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