FARGO, N.D. - Trailing by as many as 13 in the first half, the IUPUI women's basketball team made it a one-possession game with just under a minute to go but it wasn't enough as North Dakota State pulled out a 68-63 win over the Jaguars Tuesday evening at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.

The loss was the Jags first Summit League loss of the season evening their conference record at 1-1, while the Bison improved to 3-0 in league play.

"I'm proud of how the kids fought back. We gave ourselves a chance late, but early on our transition defense put us in quite a hole," head coach Austin Parkinson said. "I like how we kept our turnover total fairly low tonight. I just wish we would find a way to improve those assist numbers."

Nevena Markovic and Shaquira Scott paced the IUPUI offense with 14 points and 12 points, respectively, but it was the play of Jenna Gunn that spearheaded the comeback. Gunn scored seven of her nine points in the final 6:05, she had three of her team-high eight rebounds during that span and also added one steal.

"Jenna gave us a real boost with her energy and toughness," Parkinson added. "I also liked her aggressiveness on the offensive end as well."

NDSU's Brooke LeMar led all scorers with 17 points and added nine assists. IUPUI dominated the paint outscoring North Dakota State 44-24, but the Bison offset their lack of inside scoring by burying seven three's compared to the Jags one.

Two Bison three's and four points from Marena Whittle put the Jags in a 10-4 hole a little more than three minutes in, but they were able to respond with a 12-2 run of their own fueled by six points from Mikale Rogers to take a 16-12 lead with 11:26 to play.

But just as the Jaguars looked to be in an offensive rhythm, the Bison went on a 23-6 surge to seize a 35-22 lead with 5:14 to play.

Markovic broke the run with three straight field goals to bring IUPUI within seven, 35-28, but a Taylor Thunstedt three with 1:40 to play in the half would be the final basket sending the Jags into the break trailing by 10, 38-28.

Out of the half, the Jaguars were able to close within eight three times in the first five minutes, but each time the Bison moved their lead back to double figures.

For the next 11 minutes, the Jags made enough stops to make a run but timely NDSU buckets and untimely IUPUI turnovers kept it behind by double digits.

Trailing by 12, 60-48, buckets from Martha Burse and Scott, and a free throw from Gunn inched the Jaguars within seven with 3:54 to play, but a missed lay-up from Scott on one end resulted in an easy transition bucket for NDSU on the other upping the Bison lead back to three possessions, 62-53.

The defensive pressure from Gunn resulted in a quick shot and a turnover from NDSU, and on the other end she scored two straight lay-ups to shrink the deficit to five, 62-57, with 2:30 to go. Two Danielle Lawrence free throws with 1:08 remaining made it a one-possession game, but NDSU barely escaped the ensuing pressure following the made free throw resulting in an easy lay-up for the Bison upping their lead back to five.

Burse quickly got a runner to go on the other end to make it a three-point game once again with 48 ticks on the clock, but from that point it came down to free throws and North Dakota State's Brooke LeMar hit six in the final half minute to close out a 68-63 win for the Bison.

The Jags will return home on Sunday, Jan. 11, to host Summit League Preseason favorite South Dakota State. Tip is set for 3 p.m. at The Jungle.