The University of Minnesota Duluth women's basketball team bounced back in the fourth quarter to force an overtime victory over St. Cloud State University in 74-71 fashion.

This victory marked head coach Mandy Pearson's 300^th career coaching victory, who has been at the helm of the program since 2015. She now has 198 wins as a Bulldog head coach in her 11th season.

Pearson's Bulldogs were led by Claire Bjorge's 19 total points. Throughout the game, she totaled two rebounds, four assists, and a career high five steals while shooting 46.2% (6-13) from the field, 40% (2-5) from the three-point line, and 71.4% (5-7) from the free throw line. Also helping in the comeback were Myra Moorjani and Karly Jusczak with 14 points each.


The first quarter had the Huskies take an 11-2 advantage over the Bulldogs in the first four minutes. With 1:15 remaining, UMD had flipped the score on a 12-2 scoring run off the efforts of Jusczak, Bjorge, Ashley Fritz, Vanessa Bickford, and Moorjani for a 14-13 lead. SCSU reclaimed the lead with five points to UMD's two points in the final 60 seconds to take an 18-16 lead into the second quarter.

The Huskies continued to hold off the Bulldogs on an opening 10-9 scoring run for a 28-25 lead with 6:54 to go. Then Karge and Bickford combined for an unanswered four points to give the lead back to the Bulldogs at 29-28. However, SCSU bounced back outscoring UMD 12-2 for a 40-31 lead into the halftime break.

The Bulldogs fell further behind as the Huskies put up 15 points, overcoming Moorjani's and Jusczak's eight points. With the score at 55-39 with five minutes remaining, UMD scored five points to cut the lead to 12 before the fourth quarter.


The fourth quarter saw the Bulldogs rally with a 25-13 scoring run off the efforts of Bjorge (6), Jusczak (6), Moorjani (5), Fritz (5), Bickford (2), and Karge (1) to force the game into overtime at 69-69.

Over the course of the five-minute overtime, UMD remained determined, scoring an unanswered four points in the first four minutes to mark a 73-69 lead. The Bulldog defense held the Huskies to one layup, and with a free throw from Bjorge, they sealed the match at 74-71.

Overall, the team struggled in the first three quarters but rallied for a 64.29% (9-14) accuracy from the field, 66.67% (4-6) beyond the arc, and 60% (3-5) from the free throw in the fourth quarter to force overtime. The Bulldogs lost the total rebounding game, only grabbing 33 to the Huskies 50. Maria Counts led the team in rebounds with a career high of 10.

The Bulldogs return to Romano Gymnasium on Friday to host Winona State University at 5:30 p.m.