Women’s basketball: Bears hold off Vandals in OT

Rebecca Howell scored 15 points to lead a balanced scoring attack and the Northern Colorado Bears survived a furious late charge by the Idaho Vandals and then clawed their way to a 70-68 overtime victory in Greeley, Colorado.

Idaho (17-7, 9-3 Big Sky) lost for the first time in five games, but it was almost over well before the extra period.

The Vandals trailed 58-46 with 4:55 remaining before Taylor Pierce made three straight 3-pointers to spur a 15-3 run to tie the game with 18 seconds left.

Pierce scored a game-high 16 points off the bench and Mikayla Ferenze score 13, Christina Salvatore added 12 and Geraldine McCorkell 11.

The Bears (11-11, 6-6) remained undefeated at home in league play (5-0) aided largely by sharing the ball (18 assists on 27 made field goals) and spreading scoring between six players who scored at least seven points.

Idaho plays at North Dakota in a 2 p.m. game Saturday.

North Dakota 72, Eastern Washington 69: Miy Loyd had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Makailah Dyer added 13 points and UND pulled away with a late burst to get past the visiting Eagles in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Hayley Hodgins scored a game-high 27 points for EWU (16-8, 10-2 Big Sky), which dropped a game behind first-place Montana State in the conference standings while North Dakota (12-11, 8-4) moved into fourth place with the victory.

The Eagles now travel to take on Northern Colorado at noon Saturday.