North Dakota State
1-2
Valley City State
2-5
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valley City State | 25 | 24 | 49 |
| North Dakota State | 36 | 42 | 78 |
11/21/2008 11:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball
FARGO, N.D.--Abby Plucker scored a career-high 20 points to lead a group of five players in double-figures as North Dakota State University defeated Valley City State University 78-49 in a non-conference women's basketball played Friday, Nov. 21, before 870 spectators in the Bison Sports Arena.
It was the first victory for first-year NDSU head coach Carolyn DeHoff.
North Dakota State (1-2) is scheduled to play Big East member Georgetown University (2-0) on Friday, Nov. 28, in the opening round of the Loyola Marymount Ayres Hotel Thanksgiving Tournament in Los Angeles. The Hoyas host Central Michigan on Saturday and Hampton on Nov. 25 before heading to California.
Plucker's jumper put the Bison ahead 22-8 with 13 minutes left in the first half. She had 11 of her career best effort in the first half. Plucker, a 5-foot-10 sophomore from Parker, S.D., hit 9 of 14 from the field overall including a pair of three-pointers and recorded seven rebounds.
However, Valley City State (2-5) reeled off 12 straight points to draw to within 22-20 on a pair of Abby Rittenhouse free throws at the 5:42 mark. Five-foot-two Caitlyn Wojahn was big for Vikings, scoring eight of her team-high 13 points in the first half.
North Dakota State closed the opening period with a 14-5 run as five different players scored. Jill Zaruba tallied five of her 11 points during that stretch. The Bison led 36-25 at halftime.
NDSU's advantage continued to grow in the second half. The biggest lead was the final score on a jumper by Nicole Vigil with 3:51 left to play.
Balance was found in scoring and on the boards for the Bison, who held a 46-28 advantage on the glass over the smaller Vikings and led to 23 second chance points.
Jerri Penley scored 15 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked two shots. Inger Hodgson recorded 12 points and matched a career-high with five assists, while Katie Birkel finished with 10 points, six rebounds and a season-high six assists. Zaruba blocked five shots, one off her career best. Ashley Samuelson scored eight points, pulled down eight rebounds and came up with four steals.
NDSU shot 60 percent from the field in the second half and 49.3 percent overall. The Vikings hit 33.9 percent from the field. The Bison had only four turnovers in the second half and 13 overall compared to Valley City State's 17 miscues.
Rittenhouse scored 11 points, while Brittany Olson added 10 for the Vikings.
