Box Score MINOT, N.D. – Each time Minot State University looked to make a run in the second half, Northern State had the answer.

Sometimes, that answer was a mistake by the Beavers.

Northern State built a double digit lead and held off Minot State multiple times in the second half for a 72-57 win over the Beavers in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference women's basketball Saturday at the MSU Dome.

“We have to learn how to play on back-to-back nights,” said MISU head coach Sheila Green Gerding. “They dominated us on the boards and we made some mistakes and a lot of that had to do with us being tired. We have to have a better effort on the second night in this league.”

The Wolves (5-2 overall, 1-2 NSIC) shot a solid 50 percent in the first half to lead 43-33 at the break. NSU cooled off in the second, hitting just 39.3, but killed Minot State on the board, pulling down 17 offensive rebounds. Northern State held a 13-4 advantage in second chance points.

Minot State (4-1, 2-1) cut a lead that ballooned to as many as 15 in the second half to seven twice, the last coming on a layup by Sacarra Molina (Sr., G, Hinsdale, Mont.) with just over six minutes to play.

But the Wolves never let Minot State get closer, answering every run.

Northern State was led by 23 points from Megan Mutchler. Mutchler hit 9 of 13 shots and 5 of 8 free throws and finished with seven rebounds. Allison Kusler added 17 points and seven rebounds. Four different Wolves players finished with seven rebounds as NSU held a 48-26 overall rebounding advantage.

Carly Boag (Jr., F, Tamworth, Australia) netted 20 points and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds to pace Minot State. She also had two steals and two blocked shots. Molina chipped in with 14 points and three assists. Minot State shot just 33.3 percent from the field and its nonstarters combined to go 3 for 20 from the floor.

Minot State is back on the road – U.S. Highway 2 to be precise – for a pair of NSIC games, traveling to Minnesota Crookston Friday (6 p.m.) and Bemidji State (4 p.m.).