OREM, Utah – North Dakota used a balanced offense and stifling defense to oust Houston Baptist, 82-41, in the semifinals of the Great West Conference Tournament Friday afternoon at the UCCU Center.

Senior guard Tia Jackson and junior guard Megan Green scored eight each to lead the seventh-seeded Huskies (4-25). Sophomore all-conference forward Destini Texada was held to just four points on 1-of-14 shooting, but pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds. Senior forward Ernesta Griciunaite added six points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots.

Allyssa Wall had 12 points and nine rebounds, while Carly Rothfusz also had 12 points to lead third-seeded North Dakota (15-15). Nicole Smart and Madi Buck each scored 11 off the bench for the Fighting Sioux, while Megan Lauck had five points, nine rebounds and six assists.

“As disappointing as it is a loss for us – our team – I think we accomplished great things this season,” head coach Mary Gleason said. “Having three Division I wins and winning in the tournament for the first time ever, as bad as it feels to lose, our kids have had a tough season and endured a lot with injuries and a very tough schedule.”

North Dakota scored 10 of the game's first 12 points, which included back-to-back threes by Youngblut and Smart, but sophomore guard Brittany Barton and sophomore forward Joselyn Pugh each hit threes and the Fighting Sioux led 14-8 with 12:12 left in the first half. Senior forward Mele Leasau banked in a jumper, was fouled and completed the 3-point play at the 7:37 mark to cut North Dakota's lead to 19-14. The Fighting Sioux went on a 12-0 run, highlighted by back-to-back threes from Buck, to take a 33-15 lead, until Jackson halted the spurt with a layup with 1:20 remaining. North Dakota took a 37-17 lead into the break.

The Fighting Sioux shot 41.4 percent in the first half, including 44.4 percent (4-of-9) from long range, while holding the Huskies to 20.0 percent from the field and 22.2 percent (2-of-9) from 3-point range. Buck led North Dakota with 11 points, and Smart had nine points at the break, while Pugh and Jackson had four each for HBU.

In the second half, the Huskies were held without a field goal for the first six-and-a-half minutes as the Fighting Sioux extended their lead to 52-20. Jackson's free-throw line jumper broke the drought at the 13:30 mark, and HBU also scored on its next two possessions on layups by Griciunaite and Green to make the score 54-26. The Fighting Sioux led by as many as 37 in the second half, but Green hit back-to-back threes for the Huskies, Jackson followed with a fast-break layup and Leasau made a free throw to complete an 9-0 run and make the score 67-38 with 4:16 to go in the game.

HBU shot 24.6 percent from the field for the game, 28.6 percent (4-of-14) from behind the arc, while North Dakota shot 46.8 percent from the floor and 50.0 percent (8-of-16) from long distance. The Fighting Sioux made 16-of-18 from the free-throw line, and the Huskies made 9-of-13. North Dakota outrebounded HBU, 46-32, including 13 offensive rebounds, which led to 17 second-chance points.

“We wish North Dakota well on the next round,” Gleason said. “I'm proud of the fact that we held their leading scorers well below their scoring averages and that's kind of what we were hoping to do, but some of their other kids hit some shots, and we came out flat and dug ourselves a hole. Overall, we've gained tremendous momentum this season and need to carry on and build a foundation for a great Division I program at HBU.”