LAKELAND, Fla. - Concordia-St. Paul women's basketball (4-1) capped off a perfect non-conference season, picking up a neutral site 58-55 win over University of the Sciences (4-1) on Saturday afternoon at The Furnace hosted by Southeastern University.

The Golden Bears won all four of their non-conference games and improve to 4-1 overall on the young season. They'll return to Northern Sun play, seeking their first league win with an 0-1 record, hosting Winona State (4-1, 1-0 NSIC) on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Gangelhoff Center.

Concordia handed the Devils their first loss of the season, a strong Division II program who made the 2019-20 NCAA East Region Tournament prior to canceling their season last year. This year, they were off to a 4-0 start including a 57-54 win over Bemidji State on Friday and had been receiving votes in the latest WBCA Division II Top-25 poll.

Today's game was another low scoring affair for the Devils, while the Golden Bears looked to match pace after scoring 74 yesterday in their win over tournament host Southeastern. Meghan DuBois made a pair of free throws 1:15 into play, and Concordia held that 2-0 lead for the next four-plus minutes as the Golden Bears played shutout defense in the first 5:32 of the game.

While CSP's defense continued to lock teams down as it has throughout the early part of the season, the offense didn't pick up its first bucket until Sydney Schultz scored off the bench with 3:35 to play in the first quarter on a feed from DuBois, tying the game at four.

The Devils scored the next five points as CSP had just four points in the first eight and a half minutes of the game when DuBois set-up Lindsey Becher and Sydney Zgutowicz for back-to-back layups, with Zgutowicz returning the favor and finding DuBois for an open three-pointer for a 7-0 burst before the end of the quarter.

It was the start of a 13-1 run that put Concordia ahead 17-10, holding the Devils to one point and without a field goal over a nearly seven minute stretch of play. Concordia led by as many as eight (19-11) in the first half and after Sciences cut the gap to one, 23-22 with 2:22 to play, the Golden Bears closed the half strong and led 31-24.

In the first half, Concordia played dominant defense, holding Sciences to 27.3 percent (9-33) shooting from the field and 11.1 percent (1-9) from the arc. After committing 25 turnovers in Friday's win, Concordia took care of the ball in the first half with just six giveaways, as well.

In the third quarter, Sciences turned things around, using a 17-4 run over a five minute stretch to take a 45-40 with 1:34 to play in the third.

Freshman Megan Gamble closed the quarter with a burst off the bench, connecting on a free throw and then finishing in the lane with time winding down. DuBois opened the fourth with a three-pointer to put Concordia back on top in a fourth quarter that would feature twists and turns with two ties and five lead changes, matching the total from the previous three quarters combined.

Sciences reclaimed the lead 49-48 with 5:35 to play when the teams went cold from the field at the same time. A free throw from Riley Wheatcraft tied the score at 49 with 3:45 to go, and Jadyn Hanson made a pair of free throws to put CSP in front 51-49 25 seconds later.

After Concordia went up by four (53-49) with 2:21 to go, the Devils climbed back into the game with four straight points to tie it with 1:25 remaining.

In the closing minute-plus, the Golden Bears executed, with Zgutowicz converting the first of two free throws but Wheatcraft collecting the offensive rebound and dishing to Becher for an open layup and an unconventional three-point play with 1:12 to go.

When Kendall Keyes connecting with her foot on the line for a long two, CSP still held a 1-point lead (56-55) with 50 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, solid ball movement and cutting allowed Wheatcraft to enter a post pass to Zgutowicz, who quickly dished to her left to an open Becher on the right wing for the 15-foot jumper with 17 seconds left.

Keyes missed a three to tie at the buzzer as the Golden Bear defense held firm on the final possession.

DuBois led four Golden Bears in double-figures with 12 points in 40 minutes of action for the third straight game, adding seven rebounds, seven assists and a pair of steals. She also converted three from the arc (3-8).

Zgutowicz and Wheatcraft each had 11 points, with Zgutowicz collecting six rebounds with three assists and Wheatcraft grabbing eight rebounds.

Becher had 10 points and swatted two more shots to give her 18 blocks in five games to open the year.

Defensively, CSP held Sciences to 35.6 percent (21-59) from the field, 21.7 percent (5-23) from the arc and dominated the glass 41-29 including 10-8 on the offensive end, an impressive figure with CSP also shooting better (41.3%) from the field.

The Golden Bears also had 10 fewer turnovers than yesterday in the win, committed four fewer fouls and reached the foul line 10 more times, leading to an 8-point margin at the stripe.

Sciences was led by Jess Huber's game-high 20 points, adding six rebounds. She was the only Devils player to reach double-figures on the day.