GRAND FORKS, N. D. -  Northern Arizona women's basketball played a strong first half, but could not match North Dakota in the second as the Lumberjacks lost their second straight game 69-55 at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center on Friday night.  NAU was led by Amy Patton's game-high 23 points in 34 minutes.

Patton finished 9-of-21 shooting and 4-of-12 on three-point attempts.  The freshman guard from Tempe, Ariz., added two steals and a team-high six rebounds.  Patton was second in the Big Sky Conference in scoring and first in rebounding prior to Friday's game.

NAU (2-9) played within a possession of North Dakota (3-8) for most of the first half before the Fighting Sioux extended its lead to eight with just under four minutes to play.  The Lumberjacks responded cutting the lead to six  entering the break down 35-29.

After a made three-point shot by Caty Huntington to open the second half cutting the Sioux' led to three, North Dakota turned in a 12-2 run over the next four and a half minutes pushing its lead to 47-34 at the 15:22 mark.  The Fighting Sioux would hold a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game.

NAU converted 21-of-58 for the game (36.2-percent) while North Dakota made 21-of-54 (38.9-percent).  The Sioux were led by Kayla Bagaason's 20 points on 7-of-11 with four three pointers.

The Lumberjacks were outrebounded 43-27 for the game and 14-9 on the offensive end.

NAU is two games into a seven-game road swing and will face North Dakota State on Monday, December 21 at 6 p.m.  The Lumberjacks are 2-0 against North Dakota State all-time.