Jan. 13, 2006
MOORHEAD, Minn. -- [box
score] The Bemidji State University women's basketball
shot a season-low 27 percent (17-of-63) from the floor Friday
dropping a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference contest
to Minnesota State University Moorhead, 62-50, at Alex Nemzek
Hall.
After giving up the first four points of
the game, BSU spent the all but 2:41 playing with its back
against the wall, attempting to come form behind. But on this
night, the Beavers struggled offensively and were out rebounded
49-39 making a come back unattainable.
MSUM gained their first bucket just six seconds
into the game and would extend its lead to four (4-0) before
the first minute had come off the clock.
The Beavers would cut the lead to one twice
during the first five minutes of play, but a Dragon seven-point
run would give the hosts an eight-point cushion (17-9) with
13:35 to play in the half.
MSU-Moorhead took its largest lead of the
half, 26-17, six minutes later as Lindsey Anderson hit a three-pointer
that would all but end the offensive output off the first
20 minutes as the teams combined for just seven points during
the final 7:47 of the first stanza. The Beavers closed the
gap to five points (28-23), but went 3-for-13 during the stretch
including an 0-for-6 performance from behind the three-point
arc.
The Dragons didn't fair much better shooting
1-for-9 from the field, 0-2 from three-point and and 0-2 from
the line while turing the ball over five times before the
horn sounded.
The teams went into the lockerooms with the
score stuck at 28-23 in favor of the Dragons.
Out of the break the Beavers again gave up
four unanswered points as the Dragons stretch their lead to
nine points (32-23) by the 19-minute mark. But the small run
would spark a fire under Bemidji State and the Beavers put
MSUM in a tailspin during the next 2:29.
With 19 minutes to play, the Beavers rattled
off 12 unanswered points to turn its nine-point deficit into
a three-point lead (35-32) hitting five-of-seven shots, forcing
three MSUM turnovers and collecting a pair of steals.
But as quickly as the tide turned in BSU's
favor, it switched back to the side of the home team.
The Dragons would hit three consecutive three-point
field goals to go back up by six (41-35) and would protect
its lead form the line for the final 13:05.
The Beavers would crawl back from 14 points
down late in the game to come within five (55-50) with 2:37
ticks on the clock, but MSUM was 7-for-8 from the line down
the stretch and escaped with the 62-50 win.
Stephanie Peterson (So.,
F, Bismarck, N.D.) paced BSU the netting 13 points on 4-of-10
from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 form the line. She also
added a game-high 11 rebounds for her third consecutive double-double.
Nancy McConkey (Jr., F, Superior, Wis.) added
12 points going 3-of-5 while hitting 6-of-6 at the line. Freshman
Heidi Matzke (G, Red Lake Falls, Minn.) scored
eight points in the loss hitting BSU's only three-pointer
of the night.
MSUM's Katie Walden led all players with
14 points while Jessica Trautwein pulled down 10 board for
the Dragons in the win.
The Dragons out rebounded and out shot the
Beavers (33.9 to 27.0), but BSU won the turnover battle forcing
MSUM into 21 while committing just 17. The Beavers also made
the most of their free-throw opportunities draining 15-of-18
shooting better than 83 percent from the line on the night.
The loss drops BSU's overall record to 7-8
while it is 1-2 in NSIC play. MSU-Moorhead evens its record
to 7-7 on the year and slides past BSU in the conference standings
with a 2-1 record in league play.
The Beavers will be back in action tomorrow
as they travel to Aberdeen, S.D. to face Northern State University
(10-3; 2-1 NSIC) for another NSIC match-up. The game is slated
for a 6 p.m. start at the Barnett Center.
