ANCHORAGE – North Dakota State forward Holly Johnson had 14 points and five rebounds Wednesday as the Bison earned a 61-56 comeback win over Prairie View A&M in the consolation game of the women's Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout at Sullivan Arena.

NDSU (3-3) also got 13 points and five assists from senior point guard Katie Birkel, plus 12 points, four assists and two steals from Dani DeGagne as the Summit League squad erased a 17-point first-half deficit.

Prairie View (0-4) was led by 20 points and eight rebounds from forward Latia Williams, while guard Kiara Etienne added 11 points and center Larissa Scott had eight points and nine rebounds. Williams was unstoppable in the first half, hitting all eight of her shots as the Panthers built a 39-27 halftime edge.

But the Bison kept chipping away and eventually tied it 46-46 on a pair of DeGagne free throws with 9:50 remaining. Tied 50-50 a few minutes later, Birkel fed teammate Hannah Linz for a three-pointer that would give NDSU the lead for good. Prairie View, from the Southwestern Athletic Conference, stayed within five points the rest of the way but could not tie or take the lead, and Birkel clinched it with two free throws at the 28-second mark.

It was the first Shootout appearances for both teams in the 33-year history of the women's tournament.