Hawks snap 14-game losing streak to South Dakota

GRAND FORKS – On Nov. 17, 2013, UND hosted South Dakota in a girls’s basketball recreation at The Betty. That date in all probability doesn’t resonate a lot with UND gamers. Most of them in all probability have been in center faculty on the time. The date, nevertheless, has a big that means to UND coach Mallory Bernhard.

UND’s win that day practically a decade in the past could be the Hawks’ final over South Dakota – till Saturday.

UND positioned six gamers in double figures, held off two South Dakota rallies and at last defeated the Coyotes after 14 straight losses in an 83-66 win at The Betty earlier than 1,527 followers.

“That’s a whole lot of video games,” mentioned Bernhard of the streak. “Too many.”

UND broke the streak by taking part in with tempo towards an injury-riddled South Dakota staff, which has performed with eight wholesome gamers since mid-January.

“We knew they’d eight gamers; we knew they performed an time beyond regulation recreation on Thursday so we simply needed to make them work for all the pieces,” mentioned Bernhard. “We knew they have been going to hit pictures and we all know they’re superb however we simply needed to put on them down.

“We talked about how which may not present up within the first or second quarters, but it surely would possibly present up within the third and fourth quarters.”

UND took management late within the third quarter. The Coyotes, who rank twenty fourth nationally in three-point share, lower UND’s result in 57-54 late within the third earlier than UND’s Maggie Manson hit a three-pointer within the ultimate minute to place the Hawks up by 5 getting into the fourth quarter.

Three minutes into the fourth quarter, UND led 69-56 after a Claire Orth free throw capped a 10-2 run.

The spotlight of UND’s ultimate surge got here from freshman Rakiyah Beal, whose acrobatic coast-to-coast layup drew a giant roar.

“I type of picked my dribble up early so I needed to end on the rim or flip the ball over,” mentioned Beal.

Beal hasn’t performed a whole lot of minutes this season however she is seeing extra courtroom time currently.

“She will be able to elevate and get to the rim,” mentioned Bernhard. “She’s received particular issues coming.”

It was a recreation of runs. UND led by 10 factors within the second quarter earlier than the Coyotes took the lead on a Grace Larkins basket with 1:40 left. UND then had its 10-point run within the third earlier than the Coyotes responded with a 10-0 run,

UND, nevertheless, slowly pulled away within the fourth quarter. UND’s balanced scoring was the distinction. Juliet Gordon led the Hawks with 15 factors and 11 rebounds. Sammiyah Hoskin added 12. Jolene Daninger and Claire Orth each completed with 11 and Kacie Borowicz and Manson ended with 10 every.

“Once we’re balanced, we’re actually efficient,” mentioned Gordon, who was sporting a lower to the nostril and a black eye after taking part in two bodily video games over the weekend. “Kacie did a terrific job of distributing the ball and everybody simply stepped up. And Tara (Bieniewicz) stepped up and knocked down a giant three that we knew she might make.”

That basket got here instantly after USD hit three 3-pointers in roughly a minute to take a 36-35 lead late within the second quarter.

The Coyotes had extra followers than ordinary for a visiting staff. Former Grafton standout Walker Demers began at middle for the Yotes and completed with seven factors and 7 rebounds. She had a fan membership of roughly 50 folks readily available.

UND improved to 6-6 within the Summit and 13-9 general whereas the Yotes dropped to 7-6 and 11-13.

The truth that UND broke a 14-game shedding streak towards South Dakota might assist the Hawks as they now hit the highway subsequent week for video games at Denver and Omaha.

“We hadn’t crushed USD in a decade in order that meant one thing after we stepped on the ground at present,” mentioned Gordon.