MOORHEAD, Minn. — The No. 17-ranked Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team scored the final five points of the game on its way to a 69-66 win over Upper Iowa in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Saturday at Nemzek Fieldhouse in Moorhead, Minn. With the win, MSUM clinched a share of the NSIC North Division title and remained two games ahead of Sioux Falls and Winona State in the overall conference race.

MSUM is now 19-3 overall and 16-2 in the NSIC while Upper Iowa fell to 3-19 overall and 3-15 in the conference.

The Dragons clinched the north division title for a second straight year as Northern State lost to No. 20 Winona State, 65-53 on Saturday to fall to 12-6 in league play.

MSUM shot 35.5 percent (22-of-62) from the field compared to 40.4 percent (23-of-57) for Upper Iowa. The Peacocks had a 41-38 edge in rebounds.

How it Happened
The Dragons trailed for much of the game and only led for 2:49 of the contest — but led when things mattered most.

Trailing 66-64, MSUM tied the game on a layup by sophomore guard Jacky Volkert with 2:11 left.  Moments later, with 57 seconds left, junior forward Shannon Galegher hit a pair of foul shots to put MSUM up 68-66.

Upper Iowa had three chances to tie but went 0-of-4 from the free throw line and missed a jumper with six seconds left. Volkert was fouled and hit 1-of-2 free throws to make it 69-66. Upper Iowa was unable to get a shot off in the final second as MSUM held on for the win.

MSUM was down by as many as 11 points in the first half but battled back to within 35-33 at the half after Volkert scored the final five points of the half. The Dragons were led by Volkert and freshman forward Morgan Ham with nine points each in the opening 20 minutes.

The Dragons led briefly early in the third after a three-pointer from Ham but Upper Iowa regained the lead and led much of the rest of the way.

Impact Performances
Junior guard Cassidy Thorson had 20 points on 7-of-16 shooting. She hit 6-for-14 from three-point range.

Volkert had 19 points, five rebounds and five assists and also led with two steals.

Ham had 12 points and hit 3-of-4 from behind the arc. Senior guard Natalie Van Wyhe had a game-high six assists with no turnovers.

Junior forward Drew Sannes had six points, five rebounds and a block for MSUM and Galegher had four points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal off the bench.

Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game
The Dragons are now 20-0 versus Upper Iowa in their lifetime series with their win tonight. The next most wins that the Dragons have against another team without a loss is (5-0) versus Dickinson St. The last time the Dragons played (and beat) Dickinson State was a home 85-70 triumph on Dec. 7, 2010.

Up Next
MSUM hosts Bemidji State at 6 p.m. on Friday.