The University of Minnesota Duluth captured its 16th Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference contest Friday night after taking down fellow North Division foe Northern State University 59-44 at Wachs Arena in Aberdeen, S.D. The Bulldogs tied their program record for most conference wins in a single season tying the 1999-2000 Bulldogs, who went 16-2 on their way to clinching the NSIC regular season crown.

UMD stayed pace with Minnesota State University Moorhead, who staved off St. Cloud State University late, for the division and conference pace as both teams will duke it out for league supremacy tomorrow.

The Bulldogs received a game-high 21 points from senior guard Sammy Kozlowski and sophomore guard Payton Kahl scored a career best 14 points en route to UMD's first win in Aberdeen since Dec. 18, 2010. In addition, the Bulldogs took back the series lead in the 67th meeting and posted their first sweep over the Wolves since the 2003-04 season. 

Northern State raced out to a 7-0 lead to start the game as UMD shot poorly in the first quarter. The Bulldog hit on four of their 15 shots in the quarter and turned the ball over four other times. The UMD defense held its ground and the Wolves only carried a five-point lead in the second quarter, where the Bulldogs got hot from the field shooting 59 percent. UMD outscored Northern State 23-13 in the second thanks to Kozlowski's 15 points in the first half. Freshman forward Brooke Olson gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the night 23-21 when senior forward Emma Boehm found Olson at the top of the arc for an open three-pointer.

Kahl did most of her damage in the third quarter with nine of her 14 points coming in UMD's 26-point third-quarter barrage. Kahl made all four of her attempts including a three-pointer and a three-point play the old fashion way. The native from Stoughton, Wis., connected on all six of her shots and corralled a collegiate high three steals as well.

The Wolves shot just 15 percent coming out of the half as they trailed 58-35 after the third. The reserves saw most of the fourth quarter action but the Bulldogs still finished 50 percent from the floor. 

UMD and MSU Moorhead tip-off tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. in Moorhead, Minn. The Bulldogs will have the chance for their first series sweep over the Dragons since 2012-13.