ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS – Thanksgiving Day marked a game with a tale of two halves for North Dakota women's basketball, who consistently rallied on defense throughout but couldn't keep up with the offensive firepower from Boise State. The Fighting Hawks eventually fell 65-45 to the Broncos in their first game of the Paradise Jam tournament on Thursday afternoon.
 
Mackenzie Hughes was the lone Hawk to finish in double figures, as she collected 15 points alongside three steals. Walker Demers flirted with a double-double as she tallied 11 rebounds and nine points while Mikayla Aumer added in six points and Kendra Harvey dropped in five points off the bench.
 
The Hawks shot a quiet 32.6 percent from the field and hit zero three-pointers for the first time since February 29, 2024 at South Dakota State. UND collected 32 total rebounds compared to Boise State's 37 and scored 28 points in the paint.
 
First quarter action proved to be an entertaining battle, with either team scoring on the first five straight possessions of the game. It soon became a 15-7 game in favor of the Broncos just over halfway through the period, but UND quickly fired back. Demers dropped in a layup off an assist from Skyler Volmer and Hughes followed that up by stripping the ball away from Boise State and cashing it in for a driving layup. A free throw from Aumer and a layup from Harris made it a one-point game off a 9-2 UND run, which held off a bucket from Harvey to make it a 17-16 score after one.
 
Volmer then struck from the paint to open up the second quarter and give North Dakota its first lead of the game. The home team on the scoreboard would not be halted, though, as they proceeded to rattle off an 11-1 run to make it a nine-point Bronco advantage. Demers hit a pair of free throws and nailed a layup to trigger a 9-2 rally for the Fighting Hawks, but a final bucket from Boise State made it a 34-30 game at the half.
 
Following a half that saw UND go 12-of-23 from the floor while holding the Broncos to 15-of-33, the momentum—slowly but surely—flipped.
 
Boise State scored the first eight points of the third quarter to force a 12-point lead until Hughes and Ava Miller teamed up to go 5-of-6 from the free throw line with a layup. Now facing a 44-37 score, the quarter ended in a back-and-forth exchange of trips to the charity stripe.
 
It was a 49-40 game heading into the final quarter and Boise State immediately made it a double-figure deficit. North Dakota held tough defensively through the entire game, but the Broncos' offense became too much. UND would make just three field goals in the second half before going on to fall 65-45.     
 
Postgame Notes 

• Thursday marked the first-ever meeting between North Dakota and Boise State
• Walker Demers led the Hawks in rebounding for the fifth time this season
• Mackenzie Hughes has scored in double figures for the third straight game
• Thursday is the first time UND has not hit a three-pointer since February 29, 2024
• UND is 0-2 all-time on the Thanksgiving holiday
• The Hawks were better from the free throw line than their opponent, going 15-of-20 compared to 7-of-11
• North Dakota tallied 11 fastbreak points

  
How It Happened 
Q1: North Dakota 16, Boise State 17
Q2: North Dakota 30, Boise State 34
Q3: North Dakota 40, Boise State 49
Q4: North Dakota 45, Boise State 65
 
Up Next
North Dakota will wrap up action at the Paradise Jam tournament in the U.S. Virgin Islands with a Friday afternoon game against Elon. Tip is set for 11:30am CT/1:30pm AT inside the UVI Sports and Fitness Center.   

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