DULUTH, Minn. – The Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team opened the game on a 16-4 run which propelled the Dragons to a 78-69 win over Minnesota Duluth in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Saturday in Duluth, Minn.

MSUM improved to 4-5 overall and 3-2 in the NSIC with the win while UMD fell to 4-5 overall and 2-3 in the league.

Three Dragon players scored in double figures, led by junior guard Meghan Roehrich with 22 points. Redshirt freshman Drew Sannes added 12 points, three blocks and eight rebounds off the bench while sophomore guard Morgan Banasik had 10 points.  Roehrich and freshman Mallie Doucette each added three assists.

The Dragons shot 44.6 percent (25-of-56) from the field while holding UMD to just 30.3 percent (20-of-66). MSUM had a 48-35 edge in rebounds and had a huge 27-6 advantage in bench points.

The opening 16-4 run over the first 8:28 set the tone for MSUM. Six different players scored in that run, led by Sannes with four points, while freshman forward Cassidy Thorson and Roehrich both buried threes.

UMD cut the lead to 18-15 with 7:21 left in the half but the Dragons closed the half on a 14-3 run to take a 32-18 lead into halftime. Roehrich had nine first-half points for MSUM, but it was defense that provided the lead for MSUM. The Dragons held UMD to just 19.4 percent (6-of-31) shooting in the first half.

The Bulldogs cut the lead to 34-29 less than three minutes into the second half but a quick 9-0 Dragon run – consisting of three-pointers from junior forward Savanna Handevidt, Banasik and Roehrich -- pushed the lead to 43-29 with 16:17 left.

MSUM led by as many as 24 in the second half. The Bulldogs cut the lead to seven in the final minute but a basket by junior forward Heather Strese in the final seconds iced the nine-point win for MSUM.

Strese added nine points and five rebounds for MSUM.

Next up for the Dragon women is a 4 p.m. game at home against No. 3-ranked Northern State on Saturday. The Wolves suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday at St. Cloud State.

Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: Entering tonight's game, the Dragons have won six of the past nine meetings with Minnesota-Duluth. The total score for the nine games dating back to Feb. 13, 2010 is 607-607.