CROOKSTON, Minn. (Lysaker Gymnasium) -- Despite its struggles to shake the University of Minnesota, Crookston during the first half, the Bemidji State University women's basketball team put together a 16-4 run in the opening minutes of the second stanza to seal its fourth conference win of the season and improve to 7-5 overall. The Beavers went on to hand the hosting Golden Eagles a 69-56 loss Saturday at Lysaker Gymnasium in Crookston, Minn.
Amy Lawson (Jr., PG, Spencer, Iowa) led a trio of players in double-figures with 15 points, six rebounds and three assists. Joining her as BSU's top scorers were Karlee Simonson (Jr., F, Rockford, Minn.) who netted 12 and Stephanie Peterson (Jr., C, Bismarck, N.D.) chipped in 11 and grabbed nine rebounds. In her return to the BSU lineup after sitting out with an arm injury since Nov. 25th, senior Nancy McConkey (F, Superior, Wis.) added nine points.
Bridget Smith (So., G, Burnsville, Minn.) led all players grabbing a career-high 11 rebounds, including six on the offensive end of the floor, as BSU held a 50-36 edge on the glass in the the game.
Kelsey Van Ackeren paced the Golden Eagle offensive effort with 15 points while Katie Cheline added 12 points. Rose Vigness hauled in a team-best seven rebounds.
Lawson would get BSU on the board first with a jumper, but the Golden Eagles played right with BSU early twice tying the game and would use a Van Ackeren triple to take their first lead of the contest, 7-6 just 5:25 in. But the advantage would be short-lived. During the next 1:39, Bemidji State rattled off seven consecutive points, including four from Peterson, to stretch its lead to 13-7.
UMC would withstand the early Beavers' run and would battle back to regain the lead, 16-15, with just over nine minutes to play in the half. The Golden Eagles put a 9-2 run on BSU on the back of eight straight points by Cheline.
A layup by Simonson put BSU back in front, 17-16, as the Beavers would extend their lead to as many as seven points (24-17) before settling for a 31-29 halftime lead.
As the second half got underway, the teams traded baskets. But when Heidi Matzke (So., G, Red Lake Falls, Minn.) hit her only three-pointer of the game with 17:21 left on the clock, it would put BSU up 38-34 and spark a 16-4 run that would put the game out of reach for the Golden Eagles.
UMC would reel BSU to within six, 54-48, but that was as close as it would come as Bemidji State powered through to complete the win, 69-56.
Despite not having one of its best shooting efforts of the season hitting just 28-of-66 (.426) and three-of-18 from beyond the three-point arc, BSU outshoot the Golden Eagles who were 21-of-60 with a 7-for-23 (.304) effort from downtown.
With the victory, BSU improves to 13-6 all-time versus Minnesota, Crookston and makes it two straight over the Golden Eagles.
Bemidji State (7-5; 4-1 NSIC) returns to action next weekend when it hits the road for a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tilts. The Beavers make their inaugural trip to Bismarck, N.D. to play first-year conference foe University of Mary Friday evening. Saturday, the team will travel to Aberdeen, S.D. for a chance to pick up some ground on first-place Northern State University. Both games are set for 6 p.m. starts.
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