FARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota State University women's basketball team (1-0) used a late second-half run to come from behind and claim a 74-68 win over Kent State (0-1) in the 2014-15 regular season opener on Friday afternoon, Nov. 14, at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse. The victory was the first for new NDSU head coach Maren Walseth.  

Senior point guard Brooke LeMar led the Bison with a game-high 25 points and five assists, while junior forward Holly Johnson tallied 14 points on 5-for-14 shooting, and junior forward Marena Whittle posted 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds.

The Bison trailed the Golden Flashes, 59-50, with 7:54 to go in the second-half before LeMar and Whittle sparked a 10-0 run that saw NDSU take a 60-59 lead after LeMar converted a layup with 5:08 remaining. The lead was the Bison's first since a 9-7 advantage early in the first-half. North Dakota State went 7-for-10 from the charity stripe in the final five minutes of the contest to secure the 74-68 triumph.  

NDSU shot 38 percent from the field in the contest, going 22-for-58, and went 4-for-12 from three-point range for 33 percent. North Dakota State went 26-for-34 at the free throw line for 77 percent.

The Bison scored 33 points off 27 Kent State turnovers and had 14 steals in the game. NDSU posted 12 assists and only turned the ball over 11 times.

Redshirt-senior CiCi Shannon tallied a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds to lead Kent State.

The Golden Flashes shot 48 percent from the field, going 26-for-54, and were 3-for-8 from behind the arc for 38 percent. Kent State went 13-for-18 at the foul line for 72 percent.

North Dakota State is scheduled to host Milwaukee on Sunday, Nov. 16, at 2 p.m. at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.