SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - The Sacramento State women’s basketball team nearly came all the way back from a 19-point deficit to make it a three-point game with seven minutes to play, but a 13-3 closing kick by visiting Northern Colorado enabled the Bears to pull away late, escaping with a 72-59 victory on Thursday night at The Nest.

Sophomore Benthe Versteeg finished with a team-high 14 points to go with six assists and a pair of steals, leading a trio of Hornets (1-15, 0-5) in double figures. Senior Solape Amusan added 12 points and five rebounds to go with a pair of steals, while sophomore Irune Orio also chipped in 12 points, four rebounds, and a pair of blocks.

Versteeg reached double digits for the seventh time overall this season, and the fifth time in her last eight contests while also collecting her 10th game with six or more assists, including her fifth straight performance in the latter.

Amusan, meanwhile, hit double digits for the second time in her last three games, posting her highest point total since netting 18 points against Santa Clara on Nov. 29, while Orio hit double figures for the fourth time overall and her third in her last four contests.

Junior Seilala Lautaimi led the Hornets with six rebounds to go with eight points, hitting 4-of-5 from the field.

Delaynie Byrne finished with 20 points and six boards to lead three players in double figures for Northern Colorado (8-7, 3-1).

Trailing by as many as 17 in the second quarter after a scintillating first quarter that saw the teams open a combined 9-for-10 from the field, the Hornets slowly began to chip away, closing the half on a 10-4 run to cut into the Bears’ advantage.

Sacramento State then won the third quarter, using an 8-2 burst late in the period to make it a five-point game with 2:22 to play, but staying within striking distance at the end of three despite UNC scoring six of the final eight points in the quarter.

The Hornets opened the fourth on fire, getting an and one from Versteeg and a three-pointer by Kaylie Edge over the first three minutes of the quarter, pulling to within 59-56 with 7:28 to play in the game. However, that would be as close as Sacramento State could get.

Northern Colorado clamped down on defense, holding the Hornets to a single field goal and a free throw the rest of the way, closing the game on a 14-3 run to pull away.

The Bears shot 56 percent overall from the field for the game, never shooting lower than 50 percent in any period, while Sacramento State’s best quarter came in the third when the Hornets finished shooting 57 percent to help power their comeback.

On the glass, Sacramento State finished with a 33-32 advantage, outrebounding its second straight opponent and its seventh overall, while cleaning up on the offensive end, grabbing 15 offensive rebounds to only seven for Northern Colorado.