GRAND FORKS, N.D. (UND Athletics) – The University of North Dakota extended their win-streak to five with a 53-34 win against Oral Roberts on Thursday night. They held the Golden Eagles to a season low in scoring.
North Dakota shot 39.2 percent from the field, 21.4 percent from the three-point line, and 66.7 percent from the free-throw line. Comparatively, Oral Roberts shot 22.4 percent from the field, 28.6 percent from the three, and 40.0 percent from the line.
Kacie Borowicz led the Fighting Hawks with 21 points. She secured six rebounds, two steals and had two assists.
Claire Orth netted 13 points, secured five rebounds, and had two blocks.
Olivia Lane was the third Fighting Hawk to end in double figures. She scored 11 points and secured six rebounds.
Melissa Leet ended the evening with a career high in blocks with nine. She ended the night with three points and 12 rebounds.
Maggie Manson ended the game with three points to round out the starting five.
The Fighting Hawks took the lead from the initial tip with points from Lane and Leet to put them up 3-0 before the Golden Eagles responded with a three to tie the game. Borowicz put North Dakota back in the lead. They extended the lead by going on a 7-0 run before the Golden Eagles hit a layup with 5:12 left to go. The teams traded baskets, but North Dakota kept the lead as the quarter ended. They went into the second up by four (14-10).
North Dakota started the second quarter with a basket from Orth. The teams would fail to score again until there was 7:48 left in the quarter, which is when Oral Roberts hit a basket to put them within five. The Fighting Hawks responded with an 8-0 run to put them up by double figures (24-11). The Golden Eagles would hit back-to-back baskets as the half ended, but they would not be able to bring it within single digits as the Fighting Hawks led 26-16 going into the intermission.
Coming out of the locker room, the Fighting Hawks continued to attack as Lane buried a layup and Borowicz dropped a three to give them the first five points of the half. Hannah Cooper hit a bucket at 8:24 to put the Golden Eagles on the board. The teams both struggled to score again until Borowicz hit a layup at 5:13. It was another two minutes before either team scored again, but after Orth hit a basket, the teams proceeded to trade points. North Dakota led at the end of the third quarter, 41-24.
The Fighting Hawks started the fourth quarter with momentum as Manson hit a three within the first 15 seconds to continue to extend their lead. Lane hit two free throws to give them the first five points yet again, but the Golden Eagles turned and went on a 9-0 run towards the middle of the quarter to bring them within 13 (46-33). Borowicz stopped the run with a jumper at 2:31 to continue to extend the Hawks’ lead.
Cooper and Trinity Moore led the Golden Eagles with 6 points.
North Dakota continues the homestand against Kansas City on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 1 p.m.
Game Recap: Women’s Basketball | 1/20/2022 9:14:00 PM | Candy Jimenez-Caballero, FightingHawks.com