St. Cloud State University found a way in the final three minutes to hang on to defeat the University of Minnesota Duluth 58-52 Saturday afternoon at Halenback Hall in St. Cloud, Minn. The Bulldogs dropped their first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference match of the season to the Huskies (6-3, 3-2 NSIC) and snapped their five-game winning streak. With under three to play in an one-point affair, SCSU went on a 6-0 run to close out the game. The Bulldogs (6-2, 4-1 NSIC) shot 34 percent from the floor, a season low, but forced 22 Husky turnovers, a season-high for UMD. 

The Bulldogs led 14-13 after the first then went on to score only six points in the second as the Huskies outscored them by 13 in the quarter to take a commanding 32-20 lead into the half. The 20 points in the first half as the lowest first-half output for UMD this season.  SCSU  shot 56 percent for the half and 5-of-10 from behind the arc. UMD only made one three pointer in 10 tries.

SCSU led by as much as 14 points in the early portion of the third quarter before UMD mounted a furious comeback stint. The Huskies shot 53 percent overall but had 12 of their 22 turnovers come in the second half to allow the rally. The Bulldogs cut that 14-point margin down to four at the end of the third on a floater by freshman guard Ann Simonet. UMD found its shooting touch during its' 14-2 run which was sparked by back-to-back threes from junior forwards Emma Boehm and Katie Stark.

The Bulldogs tied the game at 42 on a Stark layup and briefly led 45-44 after junior guard Sammy Kozlowski dropped in three of her 11 points, all in the fourth quarter, with eight minutes left. Each team traded the lead before SCSU took the lead on a jumper by Amanda Christianson.

Kozlowski, the reigning NSIC North Division Player of the Week, led UMD in scoring. Freshman guard Ann Simonet finished with 10 points and a pair from long range. Senior forward Anna Monke picked up her first start of the season and added six points and a team-high five rebounds. Freshman forward Sarah Grow dropped 10 points coming off the bench. Seven different Bulldogs recorded a steal with freshman forward Payton Kahl collecting a club-high three.

UMD will play Northern Michigan University on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at Romano Gymnasium. The Bulldogs are 3-0 this season at home. Game time is slated to begin at 12:00 p.m.