FARGO, N.D.--Jerri Penley scored a game-high 15 points including the eventual game-winner with 1:34 left as North Dakota State defeated the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee by the scored of 63-53 in a non-conference women's basketball game Sunday, Dec. 10, before 1,021 spectators at the Bison Sports Arena.

North Dakota State (3-4) is scheduled to host Valley City State (9-1) at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, at the Bison Sports Arena as the homestand continues for the NDSU women. The Vikings are coached by former NDSU All-American Jill DeVries.

The Bison outscored UW-Milwaukee 11-1 over the game's final two minutes starting with the Penley jumper. Danni Heintzelman followed with an important rebound bucket inside to put NDSU ahead 56-53 with 47 seconds remaining.

Hampered by poor free throw shooting against Northern Arizona and East Carolina, North Dakota State hit 7 of 8 attempts from the charity stripe in the final 33 seconds. Brenda Slyt, Amanda Girodat, Kayla Dahlen and Penley all connected from the free throw line. The Bison were 15 of 21 overall for 71.4 percent compared to 10 of 14 for UW-Milwaukee.

NDSU received a shot in the arm from Girodat, a fifth-year senior from Kindred, N.D., who has played only 57 minutes over the past two seasons because of an injury. She contributed six assists, five rebounds, four points and a pair of steals in 23 minutes played.

It was a topsy-turvy game that saw the lead change hands eight times and the score tied on six occasions. The biggest lead was eight points, 34-26, by the Panthers with 17:21 left in the second half on a Traci Edwards layup. UWM led 25-22 at halftime.

Scoreless in the first half, Edwards led UW-Milwaukee with 14 points and nine rebounds. Aubrey Hampton finished with 10 points and six assists. Hampton matched her season-high with a trio of three-pointers in the first four minutes of the game.

North Dakota State shot 50 percent from the field in the second half and 41.5 percent overall compared to 36.7 percent for the Panthers. The Bison led by Penley's eight rebounds and Lisa Bue's seven outrebounded UW-Milwaukee 39-29. Bue netted 12 points, while Slyt scored nine of her 11 points in the second half.