VERMILLION, S.D. -- The 21st-ranked Minnesota-Duluth women's basketball team (17-5, 6-2 NCC) fought off a late charge by South Dakota (13-9, 1-6 NCC) to maintain its hold atop the North Central Conference standings with a 78-71 decision before 1,824 at the DakotaDome on Saturday night. UMD is 6-2 and owns a 1/2 game lead over North Dakota in the NCC standings.
Four players reached double figures for South Dakota, which has lost six straight NCC games. Brittany Bessert and Jenni Flynn both scored 14 points to lead USD. Bessert of Fort Collins, Colo., added four assists while Flynn of South Sioux City, Neb., established a school record for consecutive free throws with 29. Flynn also had five rebounds and two three-point field goals. Meghan Woster of Sioux Falls, S.D., supplied 13 points, five assists and six rebounds while freshman Ashley Robinette of South Sioux City, Neb., had 10 points and seven rebounds.
All-American Lindsey Dietz led UMD with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Tanysha Scott added 15 points for the Bulldogs.
In this closely contested game, the lead changed hands twice and the score was tied 10 times.
The two teams traded baskets early as a jumper by Woster pulled USD into an 11-11 tie with UMD at the 13:29 mark of the opening half. A basket by Scott helped UMD to a 20-16 lead at the 9:32 mark. Duluth extended the margin to 28-21 when Stephanie Reiter had a three-point field goal at the 6:36 mark. Two foul shots by Vanessa Yanez (Wagner, S.D.), helped USD cut the UMD lead to 30-27 with 4:31 left in the half. UMD scored the next six points to grab a 36-27 lead with 2:32 to play in the half. USD responded quickly and cut UMD's lead to 36-34 at the break, following a basket in the final minute by USD's Erica Schroeder (Miller, S.D.).
In the opening half, Ashley Bjorkman (Vermillion, S.D.) scored eight points to lead USD. She was 2-of-2 from three-point range. Scott led UMD with 10 points. USD shot 39.3 percent (11-of-28) and UMD hit 40 percent (14-of-35) from the field in the opening half.
USD jumped out quickly in the second half, taking over on an 8-2 run for a 42-38 lead after a three-point basket by Flynn at the 18:15 mark. UMD regained a 51-48 lead on a basket and free throw by Dietz at the 15:20 mark. A three-point basket by USD's Yanez knotted the score at 53-53 at the 13:43 mark. From that point, UMD gradually built a lead, which grew to 65-58 at the 8:51 mark, following a jumper by Kim Wagers. UMD led 72-64 with 5:35 left to play on a basket by Tasha Martin.
The Coyotes made a late rush at the Bulldogs, pulling to within 75-71 with 59 seconds to play after Woster made a pair of free throws. However, USD had opportunities to draw closer but the Coyotes missed a pair of free throws with 36 seconds left and also missed a short jumper which would have drawn them within two points with 20 seconds to play. UMD made 3-of-4 free throws in the final 17 seconds to hold off the Coyotes.
Overall, the Coyotes hit 24-of-54 field goals for 44.4 percent, including 6-of-13 from three point range for 46.2 percent. USD was 17-of-25 from the foul line for 68 percent. UMD was 27-of-68 fro the field for 39.7 percent, including 7-of-28 from three-point range for 25 percent. The Bulldogs made 17-of-25 free throws for 68 percent. UMD won the rebound battle, 47-34.
Next for South Dakota is a home contest with Minnesota State, Mankato at 6 p.m. on Feb. 11 at the DakotaDome.
