Box Score (PDF) | Photo Gallery

FARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota State University women's basketball team rallied from an eight-point deficit in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, but came up just short of completing a comeback, as the Bison fell to the Western Michigan Broncos, 68-63, on Wednesday, Nov. 30, inside the Scheels Center at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex.

Senior Emily Spier posted her team-high third double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Bison (1-6).

Junior Taylor Thunstedt (11 points), sophomore Kennedy Childers (10 points) and freshman Sarah Jacobson (10 points) also scored in double figures for NDSU. Jacobson added a team-best five assists in the contest, matching her season-high.

After Western Michigan's Marley Hill converted a pair of free throws with 1:36 to go in the fourth quarter to increase the Bronco lead to 63-55, Childers hit a three-pointer, and Jacobson drove to the basket and converted a layup, trimming the WMU lead to 63-60 with 56 seconds remaining.

Western Michigan (4-2) hit three of its next four free throws to push the lead to 66-60, but Thunstedt drilled a trey with three seconds remaining, cutting the advantage to three.

That was as close as the Bison could get, though, as the Broncos hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds to secure the victory.

North Dakota State and Western Michigan both shot 44.2 percent from the field in the contest.

The Bison outrebounded the Broncos, 36-29, but committed 19 turnovers which led to 22 WMU points.

Hill led Western Michigan with a game-high 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field.

North Dakota State begins a two-game road trip with a contest at Milwaukee on Saturday, Dec. 3. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Milwaukee, Wis.