ABERDEEN, S.D. – The Minot State women's basketball team led 50-48 after the third quarter before being outscored 26-15 in the final quarter to suffer a 74-65 loss at No. 19 Northern State on Saturday afternoon in Aberdeen, S.D.

The loss drops the Beavers to 6-8 (3-7 NSIC) while the Wolves improve 13-2 (9-1 NSIC).

Both teams went back and forth in the first quarter, as Northern State took a 16-14 lead going in to the second quarter.

Minot State outscored the Wolves 15-13 in the second quarter, as Diondra Denton knocked in a layup at the buzzer to tie the game at 29 after the first half.

NSU opened the second half with an 8-2 rally to give the Wolves a 37-31 lead before the Beavers scored four three-point plays in five possessions to come back and take a 43-40 with 2:35 left in the third quarter.

Mariah Payne hit a three-pointer with 17 seconds left in the quarter to give Minot State their last lead of the game at 50-48 going into the final quarter.

The Wolves raced out to a 60-50 lead off a 12-0 to start the quarter. The Beavers cut the deficit to 60-54 on a Denton free throw, but were outscored 14-11 in the final 4:53 of the game to fall 74-65 on Saturday afternoon.

Holly Johnson was one of four Beavers that scored in double figures, scoring a team-high 15 points while shooting 5 of 7 from the floor.

Payne scored 14 points while dishing out a team-high five assists and connecting on 4 of 9 three-point field goal attempts.

Denton added 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals while Madison Wald scored 10 points on 4 of 6 shooting from the floor.

Kristal Flowers grabbed a team-high seven rebounds in 16 minutes of action.

Minot State shot 44.7 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line while the Wolves shot 52 percent from the floor and finished with a 31-21 advantage in rebounding over the Beavers.

Minot State returns to the Minot State Dome next weekend, as the Beavers host Minnesota State on Friday, Jan. 12 at 6 p.m. and Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday, Jan. 13.