Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
at North Dakota
Weber State picks up 62-56 win over North Dakota
1/8/2016 4:14:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Weber State women's basketball made school history by defeating University of North Dakota for the first time with a 62-56 score. Junior Deeshyra Thomas posted a new career high with 20 points.
"Great team effort any run they went on we answered," head coach Bethann Ord said. "We have a group of competitors that want to win and that's how we did it. These last two games on the road have given us great experience to build off of moving forward."
In the first quarter Weber State jumped out to an early 13-4 lead. With 2:34 left in the first quarter UND went on a 7-2 run to bring the score to 15-11 to start the second quarter.
The Fighting Hawks came out strong in the second quarter and took an 18-17 lead over Weber State with 7:32 on the clock. UND kept the lead for the next three minutes of game play. WSU's Regina Okoye made an easy layup to tie the game up at 25-25. To end the half the Wildcats went on a 6-0 run and claimed a 31-26 lead.
Brittney Dunbar put up 11 points in the first half. Weber State had nine steals in the first half and shot 41 percent from the field.
The beginning of the third quarter went in favor of the Fighting Hawks as they came out on a quick 7-0 run. The game was tied at 35-35 with 4:24 left on the clock and the Wildcats shut out UND and went on a 13-0 run to end the third quarter with a 48-35 score.
The final quarter of the game Weber State started with a 10 point lead. North Dakota wasn't giving up and went on a 10-3 run and brought the score within three points with 3:44 left in the game. UND's Makailah Dyer made a three-pointer to tie the game up with 2:30 left on the game clock.
Weber State answered with a big three-pointer by Kailie Quinn that gave the Wildcats the momentum they needed to finish the game with an 11-3 run and claim the 62-56 victory over North Dakota.
Thomas and her career high of 20 points led the Wildcats on the night. Dunbar added 17 points going 7-10 from the field while Okoye scored in double digits for her 10th time this season with 13 points.
Dunbar and Okoye each had five steals on the night and Dunbar led the team in rebounding with six.
Weber State went 47.3 percent from the field, 20 percent from the three and 87.5 percent from the free throw line. Weber State had 19 total steals to UND's seven and WSU had 18 turnovers to the Fighting Hawks 27. UND shot 50 percent from the field, 41 percent from the three and 63.6 percent from the free throw line. North Dakota out rebounded the Wildcats 31-24.
Weber State is now 10-3 overall on the season and 2-0 in Big Sky Conference play. WSU continued the success on the road with a 7-1 road record. The Wildcats will remain on the road for one more game against Northern Colorado before returning home for three home games the first of which will be Jan. 14 at noon against Portland State for the annual Field Trip game.
