CHICAGO -- UND got the start it wanted. But Chicago State picked up the win it needed to remain unbeaten in the Great West Conference.
Chicago State rallied from a 13-point first-half deficit to beat UND 78-57 on Saturday. The Sioux dropped to 5-2 in the league and 9-13 overall while Chicago State improved to 9-0 and 17-8.
"We played OK at times and at other times we didn't play hard enough," UND coach Gene Roebuck said. "We have to have everyone on the same page and we have to go out and compete to win. You can't just go out and play and expect to win, you have to compete to win."
Chicago State won its 12th straight. Courtney Waldon led the Cougars with 19 points, including four 3-pointers. Natalie Marlowe finished with 14 points while Janay Dockery and Calia DeSroches each scored 11 as the balanced Cougars converted 26 UND turnovers into 32 points.
Freshman Madi Buck led UND with 14 points off the bench. Megan Lauck and Allyssa Wall, also freshmen, added 13 points each for the Sioux.
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"Our freshman played very well today," said Roebuck. "They were scrappy and earned their playing time."
The Sioux freshman class combined for 85 minutes, including a season high 31 minutes from Wall, a 6-foot-4 center. With Sioux freshman center Katie Houdek left behind in the Grand Forks due to injury, it was necessary to keep Wall on the court to give UND height inside.
"It really hurt to have to have Allyssa in the game the entire time," Roebuck said. "She was pretty tired toward the end and missed a few easy shots. But that's the way it is when you only have one post player."
In addition to UND's turnover problems, the Sioux shot only 33 percent from the field, making 18-of-54. In the second half, UND shot only 26 percent (5-for-26).
The loss dropped UND to 16-3 in Great West play since it joined the league. Two of the losses have come against South Dakota.
UND will play Mayville State on Tuesday night at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. The game originally was scheduled for Jan. 31.
The Sioux will play at Utah Valley State next Saturday.
