FAYETTE, Iowa – Strong efforts on defense and rebounding helped the Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team earn a 64-35 rout of Upper Iowa in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Saturday in Fayette, Iowa.

MSUM has won 13 in a row and is 19-3 overall and 16-2 in the NSIC. Upper Iowa has lost 18 in a row and is 2-22 overall and 0-18 in the league.

The 35 points surrendered by MSUM were a season-low, while the 54 rebounds the Dragons posted tied a season-high. The Dragons had a 54-26 edge in rebound, including 23-4 on the offensive glass, which led to a 22-7 MSUM advantage in second-chance points.

Sophomore forward Megan Hintz led MSUM with 18 points and 13 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season.  Three Dragon players scored nine points: senior guard Cassidy Thorson, sophomore forward Madi Green and freshman guard Kiley Borowicz. Green had seven points while Thorson and Borowicz had five rebounds each. Freshman guard Lauren Fech had five assists, a game-high.

MSUM shot just 31.9 percent (22-of-69) but held the Peacocks to 23.9 percent (11-of-46) from the field.

The Dragons led 18-6 after one quarter with Thorson burying a three-pointer with 23 seconds left in the frame to push the lead into double digits.  MSUM took firm control in the second quarter, outscoring the Peacocks 17-9 to take a 38-15 lead into halftime. Hintz had 12 first-half points.

MSUM was never threatened and stretched the lead to as many as 36 on its way to the convincing victory.

Sophomore guard Kourtney Selensky had three assists off the bench.

The Dragons will be on the road next weekend as well when they travel to Bemidji State on Friday.

Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: The Dragons just became the first team in the six-year history of NSIC divisional play to go 8-0 against the opposing division.