MOORHEAD, Minn. -- A 16-0 run to open the second half proved decisive as the Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team earned a 68-59 win over Minnesota Duluth in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Friday night at Nemzek Fieldhouse in Moorhead, Minn.

MSUM improved to 13-10 overall and 12-7 in the NSIC with the win while UMD fell to 11-12 overall and 9-9 in the league. With the win, the Dragons climbed within one game of Northern State (13-6 NSIC North) in the NSIC North Division with three regular season games to play.

For the third straight game, redshirt freshman Drew Sannes recorded a career-high in points scored, pouring in 20 points on 9-of-10 shooting.  She added a game-high four blocks, which also tied a career-high.

Junior forward Heather Strese had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds while junior guard Meghan Roehrich had 11 points to go with eight rebounds. and a game-high four steals. Sophomore guard Morgan Banasik had nine points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals for MSUM. Sophomore guard Natalie Van Wyhe had five assists to share the game-high with Banasik.

Leading 30-29 at halftime, the Dragons trailed 31-30 after the Bulldogs converted a layup to start the second half before taking control of the game with a 16-0 run. Strese led the way with nine points during that run while four other Dragons scored during that run, which gave MSUM a 46-31 lead with 14:43 left.

That margin proved to be the largest for MSUM on the night. The Bulldogs climbed within eight at 63-55 with 3:22 left, but the Dragons scored the next five points -- including a three-point play from Banasik -- to stretch the lead to 68-55. with 2:43 left, and UMD never got closer than nine the rest of the night.

Junior forward Savanna Handevidt had seven points for MSUM.

MSUM resumes action on Saturday at home against St. Cloud. Game time is 4 p.m. at Nemzek Fieldhouse.

Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game:  The Dragon women completed the two-game regular season sweep over the University of Minnesota Duluth for the second straight season and for the fifth time in the last seven seasons. The only times they did not accomplish this feat during this stretch dating back to 2008 was when they split with the Bulldogs in the 2009/2010 season, and when the 'Dogs swept the Dragons in the 2012-2013 season.