The University of Minnesota Duluth Women's basketball topped Minnesota State University 80-77 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Sanford Health Tournament on Monday evening and will move on to the Championship game for the second consecutive year. The Bulldogs are now 3-0 in the tournament and 26-5 on the year, while the Mavericks fall to 18-11 on the year.
 
UMD would finish the day shooting 51.7% (30-58) from the floor, draining eight shots from beyond the arc, grabbing 37 rebounds with 19 assists and nine blocks. MSU finished with a 40.7% (24-59) from the floor, scoring 10 3-pointers with 29 rebounds and 13 assists.
 
The Mavericks would open scoring in the game with a layup, but sophomore forward Brooke Olson would drain a three in response. The Mavericks would hit one of their own on the other end. The Bulldogs would hold a tie with MSU into the first media timeout 15-15. After drawing a foul out of the timeout, the Mavericks would hit one free throw, but junior guard Ann Simonet would respond with a layup. MSU would take the lead with just over two minutes remaining, but junior guard Payton Kahl nailed a 3-pointer and Simonet followed with a jumper in tight. UMD would lead MSU into the second quarter by a score of 25-20. Junior forward Sarah Grow smacked a shot away to open the second, with Kahl doing the same shortly after and Grow getting a second block just seconds later. The Mavericks would hit a three for the first points of the game before senior forward Katie Stark nailed one of her own to follow. Grow followed with a layup of her own and follow with a quick two shortly after. Halfway through the quarter, UMD would lead 32-26. MSU would hit two free throws out of a media timeout but senior guard Taylor Schneider hit a short jumper after freshman Guard Taytum Rhoades swatted one away. Olson hit a short jumper before the Mavericks hit a three. Kahl responded with one of her own on the other end. Sophomore guard Maesyn Thiesen hit a tight two pointer with just over a minute remaining. UMD would lead into the half by five points, 41-36.
 
Olson finished the half with 15 points, grabbing three rebounds. Stark hit one 3-pointer, grabbing four rebounds with one assist. Simonet scored five, dished three and had two rebounds. Kahl had six, grabbing one rebound with one assist. Grow had six with three blocks and six rebounds. Rhoades had four with a block.
 
Simonet hit a layup to open scoring in the second half, but MSU would hit a quick layup to counter. Olson hit a layup shortly after on the following drive. After back and forth play, with UMD hitting a couple shots beyond the arc, the Bulldogs would hold a 58-46 lead into a media timeout. The Mavericks hit a 3-pointer out of the break and followed with one made free throw and another three, forcing the Bulldogs to call a timeout. MSU would continue to score and pull within two after making two free throws. Kahl would hit a layup in attempt to change the momentum, but MSU would take to the line on a foul call and pull within two after making both free throws. UMD would hold a 62-60 lead into the fourth quarter. Olson drained a layup to open the fourth to give UMD a 4-point lead. Olson hit a layup on a fast break from Simonet but MSU would score a layup to counter. Simonet followed with a quick layup. The Bulldogs would take a 71-68 lead into the final media timeout of the half. Simonet would score two free throws out of the break and Grow scored a layup shortly after to follow. MSU scored a pair of free throws and would follow it up with a three to time the game with 3:18 left, following that up with two more made free throws. Olson dropped a bucket from beyond the arc to give the Bulldogs the lead back and Simonet followed with a layup. UMD would play hard-nosed till the end and best the Mavericks by a score of 80-77.
 
Olson finished with 29 in the contest, grabbing eight rebounds with two assists, one steal and two blocks. Simonet scored 16 on the day, grabbing three rebounds with seven assists and two steals. Kahl dropped 10 in the contest, dishing three assists with three steals and a block. Grow finished with 10 points, seven boards and three blocks. Stark hit two 3-pointers on the day, grabbing sic rebounds with one assist.
 
The Bulldogs will move on to the NSIC Sanford Health Tournament Championship for the second year in a row, taking on the winner of St. Cloud State University and the University of Sioux Falls. They will play tomorrow, Tuesday evening at 7:30 PM in the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.