DULUTH, Minn. --- The Minnesota State women's basketball team pushed its win streak to five games bouncing Minnesota Duluth, 65-59, in the first round of the NSIC / Sanford Health Tournament Wednesday evening at Romano Gymnasium.

The Mavericks (13-16, 10-12 NSIC), who have won seven of their last nine games, will advance to the quarterfinals against Augustana (24-3, 19-3 NSIC) on Sunday. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m., at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Senior Claire Jordan led Minnesota State with a game-high 19 points. Senior Claire Ziegler tallied her third straight and 11th double-double of the season with a team-best 13 rebounds and 11 points. Junior Monica Muth filled her stat line with 11 points, six rebounds, and team-best five assists. Freshman Kirstin Klitzke also reached double digits in scoring with 10 points.

Minnesota State dictated the pace of the game early jumping out to a 14-3 lead after Muth found senior Logan Anderson in the paint for a layup at the 5:50 mark. Minnesota Duluth (16-11, 13-9 NSIC) battled back to cut the deficit down to six, 16-10, with 1:51 to play in the quarter. The Mavericks led after the first frame, 17-10.

In the second quarter, the Bulldogs pushed back outscoring the Mavericks, 11-10. Minnesota State got things started opening up an 11-point edge, 23-12, after sophomore Taylor Klug netted a triple with 5:37 on the clock. The Bulldogs then stormed back cutting the edge down to single digits, 23-19, following a Payton Kahl layup. However, Minnesota State led at the intermission, 27-21.

At the break, MSU shot 35.7% from the field in comparison to UMD's 27.6%. Jordan paced Minnesota State with nine points, while Ziegler chipped in six points and nine rebounds.

The Bulldogs continued to cut into the Mavericks lead in the third frame trimming it down to three, 35-32, by the 7:25 mark of the third quarter. Minnesota Duluth then took its first lead of the night, 40-38, after Katie Start netted a fast break layup. The Mavericks responded to push their lead back up to six, 50-44, after Muth netted a jumper with 43 seconds to play in the quarter. MSU took a 50-44 lead into the final quarter.

Both teams traded possessions in the final frame to lock the contest at 51 with 6:22 remaining. Ziegler retaliated for the Mavericks with two crucial baskets in the paint to make the score 55-51 with 4:33 to play. The Bulldogs then made one final push to pull within one, 55-54, after Ann Simonet delivered a layup. The Mavericks responded with a game sealing 6-0 run sparked by a Jordan triple to put the game out reach, 61-54, with 50 seconds to play. Minnesota State went on to close out the remaining time to pick up its fifth straight win, 65-59.

Both teams pulled down 43 rebounds each, while UMD held the edge in assists (20-10). Minnesota State shot 40.0% from the field and 30.8% from three. Minnesota Duluth shot 32.8% from the field and 28.0% from long range.