NEWARK, N.J. -- In its first full season of Division I women's basketball, UND has won at least a share of a conference title.
UND downed New Jersey Institute of Technology 59-49 on Sunday to clinch a share of the Great West Conference regular-season title.
The Sioux improved to 9-1 in the Great West and 14-13 overall. Second-place NJIT dropped to 6-3 and 11-14.
Mallory Youngblut led the Sioux with 19 points and 12 rebounds, while Whitney Ledger also recorded a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
"We played on adrenaline today," UND coach Gene Roebuck said in a radio interview. "Our team was tired. Our starters played a lot of minutes. Jossy (Bergan) played the whole game. We were flat-out tired, but at the end of the game they were playing just as hard as they were in the beginning."
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It wasn't a conventional road trip for the Sioux. UND left on Wednesday for a Thursday game at Chicago State. UND was scheduled to play NJIT on Saturday. However, a winter storm on the East Coast resulted in travel problems.
UND was scheduled to fly to Newark on Friday, but made it as far as Detroit, where the Sioux were stranded. Great West officials postponed the game until Sunday.
The Sioux won all six of their Great West road games and now have won eight straight.
"Our team played a really great game in a situation where the game got a bit physical," Roebuck added. "We matched them physically. I just think we played a gutsy game against a team that wasn't going to let you just sit back and shoot the basketball."
The pair was joined in double-figures by senior Kayla Bagaason., who finished with 12 points.
UND led by nine points at halftime. In the second half, UND's lead ranged from five points to 13 points.
NJIT, led by Jessica Gerald's 20 points, led only once, 3-0.
The Sioux will close out the regular season with home games Thursday against Houston Baptist and Saturday against Texas-Pan American.
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"We'd like to get two more wins and clinch the league title for ourselves," Youngblut said. "Do it for our home fans, on our floor, and show them what we have been working towards."
UND will then head to Orem, Utah for the inaugural Great West Conference Tournament, scheduled March 11-13.
