Box Score

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The North Dakota State women's basketball team (3-9) dropped its opening game of the UTSA Holiday Classic against the host UTSA Roadrunners (7-4), 79-68, Saturday afternoon inside the Convocation Center.

The Bison fell behind early, 4-0, after a pair of free throws and jump shot from UTSA's Kamra King less than a minute into the game.

NDSU tied the contest at four after a Holly Johnson jumper with 17:24 remaining in the half, but UTSA answered, regaining a 6-4 lead 23 seconds later when Akunna Elonu hit a jumper.

The Roadrunners would not relinquish the lead the remainder of the first half, going into halftime leading NDSU, 42-29.

The Bison struggled shooting the ball in the opening stanza, making only 10 of 27 attempted shots (37 percent) from the field. NDSU was just 2-for-5 from three (40 percent).

Marena Whittle paced NDSU with seven points while Holly Johnson had six and Brooke LeMar and Kahla Becken scored five, respectively.

UTSA shot the ball well in half number one, going 17-for-30 from the field for 57 percent. The Roadrunners were only 2-for-6 (33 percent) from beyond the arc.

King led all scorers in the first half, scoring 13 points.
                                    
The Bison pulled down just 14 rebounds, compared to 18 from the Roadrunners.

NDSU fell behind 45-29 to start the second half when the Roadrunner's Miki Turner drilled a three-pointer, but were able cut the deficit to 10, 52-42, after a pair of Holly Johnson free throws with 14:35 on the clock.

Miki Stephenson then pulled NDSU within seven, 52-45, when she buried a three at the 13:25 mark.

UTSA pushed the lead back to 62-48 when Ashley Spaletta hit a three with 10:18 remaining in the second stanza, but, the Bison had an answer, pulling the deficit back to seven, 64-57, after a layup from Johnson with 7:52 remaining in the second half.

Alisa Brown's jumper less than a minute later pulled NDSU within five, 64-59, before the Roadrunner's Alana Heard made a jump shot to get the lead back to seven.

NDSU couldn't get any closer than five the remainder of the game, falling 79-68.

The Bison were led by a trio of players in double figures with Becken scoring 16 and LeMar and Johnson each tallying 15 points.
NDSU was 21-for-56 (38 percent) from the field and 6-for-17 (35 percent) from three in the contest. The Bison made 20 of 26 free throws attempted for 77 percent.

The Roadrunners were paced by King, who scored a game-high 23 points.

UTSA was 25-for-50 from the field for 50 percent, but just 6-for-13 (46 percent) from beyond the arc. The Roadrunners were 23-of-28 (82 percent) from the charity stripe.

The Bison were out-rebounded, 34-40, by UTSA in the contest.

NDSU will look to bounce back when it faces Northwestern State (La.) Sunday, Dec. 29, in its final game of the UTSA Holiday Classic. Tip-off is set for noon inside the Convocation Center with airtime on 740 "The Fan" slated for 11:40 a.m.