The University of Minnesota Duluth women's basketball team fell to Nebraska Kearney on Saturday night, 67-55, in the NCAA Central Region Semifinals. The Bulldogs finish their 2020-21 campaign with a record of 14-2.

Junior guard Maesyn Thiesen opened the scoring for UMD on a quick layup about a minute into the action. UMD started red hot from the field going 3-4 early in the first half. Nebraska Kearney started 1-6 from the field. UMD led the Lopers 11-5 at the first quarter media time out. Following the time out, Nebraska Kearney went on a quick 5-0 run to bring the score to 13-12 with 2:40 remaining in the first quarter. Nebraska Kearney and UMD would trade baskets down the stretch in the first quarter and at the buzzer, the Bulldogs would trail the Lopers 19-17.

Freshman guard/forward Ella Gilbertson would open the scoring in the second quarter for the Bulldogs on two made free throws to draw the game even at 19-19. The Bulldogs and Lopers would trade baskets back and forth through the majority of the second quarter. Nebraska Kearney's four-point lead with 1:50 left in the second quarter would prove to be the largest lead that either team would have in the quarter. UMD would trail the Lopers by two points at half 33-31.

Junior forward Brooke Olson would open the scoring for the Bulldogs in the third quarter. Kearney would stretch together a 9-0 run early in the third quarter as they came out of the halftime break and grabbed a six-point 42-36 lead. A prolonged scoreless drought from both teams through the middle of the quarter kept the score the same until Shiloh McCool stretched the Loper lead to eight with 2:24 remaining in the quarter. Olson would convert six quick points at the end of the quarter to cut the Loper lead to just three at 46-43 at the end of the third quarter.

Olson would continue her offensive onslaught as she hit from long range early in the fourth quarter, but the Lopers would answer right back with a three of their own to keep their lead intact. The Bulldogs and Lopers would trade baskets from then on in the front half of the quarter and at the halfway mark Nebraska Kearney would lead by just two points. Thiesen would convert an and-one opportunity at 4:47 of the final frame to tie things up shortly before the Lopers would regain the lead at 4:26. UMD and Nebraksa Kearney would would both go scoreless for the next 3 minutes before a Loper 3-pointer with 1:04 remaining would give Nebraska-Kearney a five-point lead late. UMD would go cold from the field in the latter half of the fourth quarter as they tried to claw back into the game. However, with no fouls to give and the Lopers converting from the foul line, it was too much to overcome.

Olson would finish the night with 28 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. For Olson, it is her fifth double-double in her last six games played. Senior forward Sarah Grow finished with 16 points, five rebounds and a team-high six blocks. Grow was dominant and tight on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball for UMD. Thiesen finished with seven points, had a team-high six assists and team-high two steals.

With the loss, the Bulldogs' season is over. This season saw a host of individual and team accolades come the way of the UMD women's basketball program. From an NSIC North Regular Season title to the NSIC Tournament Championship to all the individual accolades earned by Bulldog basketball players. The 2020-21 season, which barely got off the ground, was a huge success. With the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility to all winter sport players, it is possible that the majority, if not all of this UMD core, return to the floor in Maroon and Gold in 2021-22.