RIVERSIDE, Calif. — The Highlanders put together a strong second half and surged ahead late, but North Dakota closed on a final push as the Highlanders came up just short in a 76–74 battle Saturday afternoon at SRC Arena.

Four Highlanders scored in double figures, led by Marqui Worthy, who finished with 20 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and four steals in another high-impact performance. Dylan Godfrey sparked UCR throughout the second half, scoring 14 points on 4-for-5 shooting from three after the break.

Osiris Grady controlled the interior with a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Jailen Daniel-Dalton added 11 points and six rebounds. Andrew Henderson contributed 12 points, including key baskets during UCR's second-half surge.

Trailing 41–32 at halftime, the Highlanders responded immediately with a 7–0 run to close the gap. UCR continued to push the pace, eventually stringing together a 12–3 stretch capped by back-to-back threes from Godfrey that extended the lead to 70–58 with 5:31 remaining, the team's largest advantage of the game.

North Dakota rallied in the closing minutes, tying the game late. After a three from De'Undrae Perteete evened the score at 74–74 with 24 seconds left, the Fighting Hawks scored on their next possession, and UC Riverside's final attempt at the buzzer was just off the mark.

UC Riverside moves to 2–2 on the season and now turns its attention to Tuesday's road matchup at CBU, set for 7 p.m. in Riverside.