Box Score The University of Minnesota Duluth responded well to its toughest setback of the 2013-14 season with a second half comeback against No. 23 Minnesota State University but fell just short against its Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference rival in a 69-63 defeat on Saturday afternoon.

UMD (7-5, 4-4 NSIC) falls back to .500 in league play while the Mavericks (9-3, 6-2 NSIC) continue a three-game winning streak.

Senior forward Katrina Newman led the way with 16 points and matched senior center Hannah Rutten with a team-high seven boards. Rutten added 12 points while junior guards Danielle Flood and Jessica Newman each had 11 on the night and the younger Newman added six assists.

MSU took a 31-22 lead to the locker room and the Bulldogs were forced to respond or face another setback, and they did just that: after an Ali Wilkinson three-pointer made it 36-22 for the home team, UMD scored the next ten points eventually taking a 42-41 lead just before the 11-minute mark of the half. The Bulldogs found themselves leading late into the game, but MSU caught fire in the game's final minutes, re-asserting itself into the lead at 63-61 and made good on free throws in the final two minutes to close out the game.

UMD is back on its home court next weekend where the Bulldogs are 3-1.  They will look for their first win of 2014 when they take on the University of Sioux Falls on Friday night. Opening tip is set for 6:00 p.m.