Vermillion, S.D. - Sophomore guard Annie Roche notched 19 points, but the University of South Dakota women's basketball team fell 54-51 to North Dakota in the Coyotes' first ever Great West Conference game on Saturday night in the DakotaDome. A season-high crowd of 2,135 saw USD (6-7, 0-1) claw within three with under 10 seconds left in the contest, but UND was able to intercept USD's inbounds pass and seal the win.

Roche (Vermillion, S.D.) shot 5-of-10 from the field, including hitting five threes and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line. Junior guard Abby Kinder (Granger, Ind.) added nine points, while sophomore forward Amber Hegge (Crofton, Neb.) and senior center Jasmine Mosley (Bellevue, Neb.) had seven apiece. Junior guard Teresa Case (Sioux Falls, S.D.) pulled down six rebounds, including five on the offensive boards.

The two squads started the first five minutes a combined 2-of-9 from the field, but UND (6-12, 2-0) was able to scratch out a 5-0 lead. The Coyotes broke the run with a three by Case at the 15:55 mark and tied the contest at five with a bucket by Mosley, but the Sioux hit two quick baskets to take a four-point lead with 11:30 left.

USD began to heat up from outside with back-to-back treys from Roche and Case added another to give the Coyotes a 13-4 run and an 18-13 lead at the 7:10 mark. Roche nailed another three to extend the lead, but North Dakota crafted a 16-0 run to take a 29-21 lead into halftime. Roche had nine in the first half, while Case chipped in six and three rebounds and Hegge had three steals. USD hit 25 percent (7-of-27) from the field compared to 52 percent (11-of-21) for the Sioux in the first half.

North Dakota added to its lead with a three to start the second half, before USD used an eight-point spurt in the first three minutes to claw within 32-29 thanks to threes by Iverson and Kinder. The two squads exchanged baskets over the next nine minutes with UND leading by as many as eight, until a pair of free throws by Roche pulled the Coyotes within one at 45-44 with 7:38 left.

Once again UND was able to pull away, but another trey from Roche cut the lead to 50-47 at the 3:40 mark. The Sioux made it a two-possession game with a basket at 1:03, before Mosley put USD within striking distance at 52-49 with 34 seconds left. North Dakota missed its first free throw and an offensive rebound by Kinder gave the Coyotes a chance to tie the contest with 16 seconds left. Hegge made a layup at the three second mark and USD made the quick foul to send UND to the line.

The Sioux made both free throws to go up 54-51 and caught USD's long inbounds pass, but a Sioux player traveled with one second left to give the Coyotes one last chance. However, with just 1.1 seconds left, USD's pass was tipped, ending the Coyotes' hopes to tie the game.

USD hits the road for a three-game swing starting at SIU Edwardsville on Monday. Tip is set for 2 p.m.