FARGO, N.D.--Lisa Bue netted a career-high 29 points as North Dakota State held the lead throughout and outran Montana State 82-59 during the second annual Katherine "K." Burgum Classic played Sunday, Dec. 30, before a crowd of 1,492 in the Bison Sports Arena.

NDSU (6-6, 1-1 Summit League) is scheduled to host Oakland (8-3, 2-0 Summit League) at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5, in the Bison Sports Arena as conference action heats up again. The Golden Grizzlies host Rochester on Jan. 2 prior to heading to the Dakotas.

Bue, a 5-10 senior from Austin, Minn., took home the Classic's Bison player of the game honors for the second straight year. She led a group of three NDSU players in double-figures as Brenda Slyt tallied 15 points and Amanda Girodat added 10 points.

Bue scored 18 of her game-high point total in the second half as North Dakota State gradually pulled away from Montana State (5-7). She connected on 12 of 19 attempts from the field and 5 of 6 free throws, and added five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

However, early foul trouble hurt NDSU as Bue and Slyt each had to sit the final seven minutes of the first half. The Bison led by as many as 13 points, 26-13, after Whitney Trecker hit a jumper with 9:04 left.

Montana State chipped away and cut the deficit to 31-28 with 1:45 remaining in the opening period on a Rebecca Mercer three-pointer. Five different players scored for MSU during an 18-2 run. The Bison led 34-30 at halftime.

The Bobcats kept it close and Sarah Strand's jumper made it 57-47 midway in the second half. However, MSU went scoreless for nearly five minutes and Jill Zaruba 's free throw completed a 15-0 run to make it 72-47 at the 4:32 mark.

North Dakota State's biggest lead was 26 points, 80-54, on pair of Trecker free throws with 3:28 left to play.

Mercer topped Montana State with 12 points and Jenny Heringer added 10. Nubia Garcia finished with eight points and game-high eight rebounds to earn the Classic's Bobcats player of the game award.

Bue's 29 points is the most by a NDSU player this season. She is the only Bison player to score in double-figures in all 12 games this year and reached 20 points for the eighth time in her career.

North Dakota State shot 37.8 percent from the field, while MSU made only 33.3 percent. The teams combined to make just 9 of 34 attempts from the three-point stripe. The Bison outrebounded Montana State 59-40 as four players had six or more boards led by Annika Walseth's seven.

NDSU scored 17 points off of 16 MSU turnovers.

Bue is inching toward 1,000 career points and currently stands at 983. She is bidding to become the 27th player in school history to reach the milestone.

The "Katherine K. Burgum Classic" was North Dakota State University athletics' gift for Katherine K. Kilbourne Burgum's 90th birthday -- recognizing her dedication and commitment to young women on campus, the Fargo-Moorhead community, the region and nationally.