NDSU pulls away late to beat Lady Griz

by Daily Inter Lake
| March 26, 2024 12:00 AM

FARGO, N.D. — Abbie Draper scored 18 points, Elle Evans added 17 and North Dakota State pulled away late to beat Montana 72–63 in a Women’s NIT second-round game at the Scheels Center.

Montana led 23-21 midway through the second quarter and hung in behind 24 points from Gina Marxen, who was 6 of 12 from the 3-point arc. The Lady Griz were 11 of 24 on 3-pointers as a team.

Dani Bartsch’s layup with 6:39 left in the game cut the gap to 62-57, but then the Lady Griz (23-10) missed their next nine shots from the floor.

The Bison went up 68-60 in two Draper free throws with 2:22 left, and when Abby Schulte hit two more at the 1:43 mark the lead was 10. Marxen hit her sixth three to complete the scoring with 45 seconds left.

Schulte added 12 points for the Bison (22-11), who were 5 of 16 from the arc. Draper had seven rebounds, and NDSU ruled the glass 46-25.

Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw added 16 points — she was 4 of 6 from 3-point range — for Montana and Mack Konig added 11.

Carmen Gfeller had seven points, three rebounds and three blocks in 22 minutes before fouling out.