@UNCBearsWBB Fall Short At North Dakota 54-51

Saturday, January 30

Grand Forks, N.D.

6:00 pm

University of Northern Colorado

9-10, 4-5

North Dakota

9-11, 5-4

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Northern Colorado	5	17	10	19	51
North Dakota	10	10	22	12	54

Photo by: Dean Popejoy

1/30/2016 10:08:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Northern Colorado women's basketball just misses out on a win over North Dakota

By: Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The Northern Colorado women's basketball team just missed on picking up a road win Saturday night as Savannah Smith's three pointer from the time-line as the clock expired bounced off the back of the rim and out. North Dakota held on for the 54-51 win to extend the Bears road losing streak to eight games.

Smith finished the game with 15 points to lead all players, to go with her two steals and rebounds.

Although the game featured only four lead changes and two ties, it was a game of runs.

"I am disappointed with our effort tonight. I thought we had a chance coming on the road to pick up a win and had momentum coming off two wins at home last weekend," head coach Kamie Ethridge said. "For some reason we just came out flat and with no energy."

North Dakota started the game on a 10-2 run in the first quarter, as UNC struggled to shoot. A Savannah Scott 3-pointer just before the buzzer had UNC back within five by the end of it though, despite going 2-of-13 from the field.

Scott ended the night with eight points and three rebounds while battling foul trouble in the second half.

After the sluggish start, UNC responded going 6-of-13 in the second quarter. The improved shooting allowed Northern Colorado to chip away at the Hawks' lead.

The Bears were able to take their first lead of the game on a Kourteney Zadina 3-pointer at the 1:32 mark of the second quarter. S. Smith followed suit with a three of her own to beat the buzzer and give UNC a 22-20 halftime lead.

Coming out of the locker rooms, UNC extended its advantage to 27-22, before North Dakota went on another run.

Starting at the 7:16 mark of the quarter and until it ended, the Hawks went on a 20-5 run and took a 10 point lead into the final stanza of play.

The Bears wouldn't go away though, using an 8-1 run over a five minute span to pull within one at the 3:03 mark.

"You need to have energy to execute on the road and we just didn't do that outside of the last six minutes of the game," said Ethridge. "I hope this team learned tonight you have to compete at your highest level all the time to win."

The two teams played within a five point margin the rest of the way. Zadina missed the game tying lay-up with 1.8 seconds left and UND brought down its 46th rebound of the game. The Hawks out-rebounded UNC on the night 46-22.

North Dakota made one of two free throws, giving S. Smith the last second shot that would just miss.

"This is the first time I can say I am concerned about the team," Ethridge said. "We lacked on the execution and energy which I had not seen from this team until tonight. I hope we learn from this game and can move forward in the right direction."

UNC will continue its road-trip next week when they head to Weber State on Thursday, February 4 to take on the Wildcats.