ABERDEEN, S.D. – Minot State University couldn't sustain enough offense to knock off No. 5 ranked Northern State as the Wolves topped the Beavers 61-49 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference women's basketball Saturday at Wachs Arena.
 
Minot State (5-3 overall, 0-3 NSIC) lost for the third straight time in NSIC play – all road games. The Beavers will finally get a chance to take on a Northern Sun school at home Friday as MSU plays host to the University of Sioux Falls and Saturday against Southwest Minnesota State.
 
After another solid start to the game – MSU led 13-6 early one – Minot State went into a dry spell and NSU took full advantage.
 
"We just couldn't generate enough offense in the second half," said MSU head coach Sheila Green Gerding. "Northern is a very good team and a very veteran team. We have a lot to be proud of tonight."
 
The Wolves (9-0, 3-0) rallied from the seven-point deficit to a seven-point lead at halftime, taking a 35-28 lead into the break.
 
NSU pushed that to as many as 19 points in the second half before the Beavers made a run.
 
"We really did a great job defensively of keeping Northern out of rhythm," Green Gerding said. "We did a much better job in the second half of not giving them second opportunities as well."
 
Minot State got to within seven on a jumper by Christina Boag (Sr., F, Tamworth, Australia) with just over a minute to play in the game, but Northern State countered with a 3-pointer to push the lead back to double figures and MSU couldn't get it any closer.
 
Both teams were solid on defense as MSU held the Wolves to 37 percent shooting and just 5-of-18 shooting on 3-pointers. But the Beavers were just 19 of 48 from the field and 5 of 17 on 3s.
 
Northern State had only six players score in the game, but five of them hit for eight or more. Meagan Muchler paced the Wolves with 16 points and seven rebounds. Paige Waytashek added 15 points, while Sadie Stotesbery scored 10. Rachel Krogman had 17 rebounds and added eight points in the win.
 
Boag and Katie Hardy (Sr., F, Fairview, N.D.) – who played all 40 minutes – both scored 12 points and Boag pulled down seven rebounds to lead Minot State. Morgan Klose (Sr., G, Fairview, N.D.) and Diondra Denton (So., G, Great Falls, Mont.) added 11 points apiece. Klose also finished with four assists and three rebounds. Savanna Kingsbury (Jr., F, Omaha, Neb.) didn't score, but pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds in the loss.