Dec. 31, 2011

Box Score | Notes

North Dakota State (4-11, 2-2)

1st 2nd F North Dakota St. 34 44 78 Oakland 31 34 65 Box Score | |

OAKLAND (5-8, 1-3)

Stat Comparison North Dakota State Oakland Points 78 65 FG Made-Attempted 24-56 22-49 FG Percentage 42.9 44.9 3P Made-Attempted 7-16 1-8 3P Percentage 43.8 12.5 FT Made-Attempted 23-26 20-27 FT Percentage 88.5 74.1 Rebounds 36 28 Turnovers 10 14 Individual Leaders Stat North Dakota State Oakland Points Janae Burich - 23 Bethany Watterworth - 19 Rebounds Abby Plucker - 9 Victoria Lipscomb - 7 Assists Abby Plucker - 6 Bethany Watterworth - 3 Steals Danielle Muri - 2 Zakiya Minifee, Victoria Lipscomb - 2 Blocks Dani DeGagne - 2 Bethany Watterworth - 3

FARGO, N.D. -Despite 19 points from Bethany Watterworth, the Oakland women's basketball team (5-8, 1-3) never led in a 78-65 loss to North Dakota State (4-11, 1-3) on Saturday in Summit League play at Bison Sports Arena. Zakiya Minifeeequaled her season-high with 15 points for the Golden Grizzlies.

"I give a lot of credit to North Dakota State," said Oakland head coach Beckie Francis. "They hit almost 44 percent from the 3 and made clutch shots when they needed to. We ran into a hot team that earned a home sweep in league play this weekend."

Trailing 44-35 Oakland battled back with defense, holding NDSU scoreless for over five minutes. Watterworth hit a jumper at the 10:53 mark to tie the game at 44, capping a 9-0 run. Dani DeGagne snapped the OU run when she got to line for the Bison. The two points sparked NDSU on a 17-2 run of its own and the hosts held a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game.

Three Oakland players reached double-digits, with Brittany Carnagoscoring 10 points. The Golden Grizzlies were 22-for-49 from the floor, shooting 44.9 percent for the game. OU hit just one 3-pointer, while NDSU was 7-for-16.

The Golden Grizzlies allowed over 70 points to an opponent for the first time this season, as NDSU shot 42.9 percent from the floor on 24-for-56 shooting. Janae Burich had a career-high 25 points and eight rebounds to lead NDSU, while Jamie Van Kirk added 15.

The Bison outrebounded Oakland 36-28, including a 13-8 edge in offensive rebounds. Hannah Linz was 4-for-5 from 3-point-range to finsh with Abby Plucker reached double-digits with 10 points, going 8-of-8 at the free-throw line.

Oakland trailed 34-31 at the half, despite 11 first-half points from Watterworth. The game was tied 4-4 in the first half, before back-to-back 3-pointers by Linz put NDSU up and the Bison never trailed again. OU tieD the game at the 5:16 mark on a floater by Minifee and again on a pair of free throws by Watterworth, but never gained a lead.

The Golden Grizzlies return to action on Saturday when they host IUPUI at the O'rena in a game set to tipoff at 3:30 p.m. The game is a doubleheader with the OU men's team.

-OAKLAND-