WINONA, Minn. (McCown Gymnasium) (box score)- Senior guard Amy Lawson (Spencer, Iowa) set a BSU single game best with 38 points and became just the 13th player in BSU history to net 1,000 points in a career to help lead BSU out of a 10-point deficit with 16:18 left in the game to stun Winona State University, 84-82. BSU also got 18 points from junior guard Heidi Matzke (Red Lake Falls, Minn.) her 13 double-digit scoring effort of the season.

From the opening tap both teams were hitting on all cylinders with both teams hitting on their first two field goal attempts. With just 2:00 gone in the first half the score was knotted at 7-7. BSU went on a 6-0 run to push its lead to six (13-7) over the next 2:21 with Karlee Simonson ( Sr, F, Rockford, Minn.), Lawson and Colleen McKay (Fr., Barnum, Minn.) netting field goals to give the Beavers the early lead. The Warriors went on a 7-0 run to regain the lead 14-13 with 12:48 left in the half.

The teams traded baskets over the next 3:49 and with 8:57 left in the first half the score was tied at 19-19. A Matzke layup gave the Beavers a three point lead (25-22) with 6:59 left in the half but the Warriors went on a 16-9 run to close out the half to take a 38-34 lead into the break.

The Beavers shot a remarkable 51.7 percent in the half (15-29) led by Lawson’s 17 first half points but were out scored 9-to-4 off second chance points and points off turnovers to help the Warriors gain a four point lead at the break.

The Warriors came out firing in the second half building its lead to 10-points it’s largest of the game with 16:18 remaining (48-38). With the Warrior lead at 10 the Beavers started to cut into their led as they went on a 10-3 run over a 2:07 span. A Simonson layup closed the gap to just three points (51-48) with 13:18 left in the contest.

After a 13-to-7 run by the Warriors pushed its lead back to nine points (64-55) with 7:58 remaining, Bemidji State answered with eight straight points to close the gap to one (64-63) with 6:12 remaining in the contest. A free throw by Amanda Reimer gave the Warriors a two point lead (65-63).

On the ensuring possession Lawson sank her third three pointer of the game to give the Beavers its first lead since the 2:16 mark of the first half. Lawson scored the next five of the next seven points for the Beavers to push their lead to its largest of the game at 74-68 with 1:40 remaining.

Clutch free-throw shooting by the Beavers over the final 1:25 of the contest help the Beavers hold on to a two point victory. The Beavers went 9-of-11 in the final 1:25 of the game and finished the contest 13-of-17 (.765) from the line, while the Warriors were 11-of-13 (.846).

Lawson finished a career game netting a career-high 13 field goals and five three pointers for a career-high 38 points. She also grabbed eight rebounds and dished out eight assists in win. Joining Lawson and Matzke in double figures was Simonson as she recorded 12 points in the win for the Beavers on 5-of-10 from the field.

The Warriors were led by a quartet of players in double-figures as Natalie Gigler led the Warriors with 22 points. Jenny Steffen added 17 points while Ana Wurtz and Amanda Reimer chipped in 12 points apiece. Molly Anderson chipped in a game high 13 assists and 10 rebounds for the lone double-double of the contest.

The Beavers shot a remarkable 53.4 percent from the field (31-58) and 9-of-16 (.563) from behind the arc while the Warriors were just 45.5 percent from the field (30-66) and 11-of-22 from behind the three point line (.500.).

The win moves BSU’s overall record to 10-7 overall and 6-3 in NSIC play and drops Winona State to 14-6 overall and 4-5 in the NSIC. The Beavers move to 38-23 all-time versus WSU and snaps a two game losing streak versus the Warriors.

The Beavers will next be in action on Tuesday, Jan. 22 when they will host No. 13 Minnesota State at the BSU Gymnasium. Earlier this season the Mavericks upended the Beavers 101-74 in Mankato, Minn. Game time is set for a 6:00 p.m. start.

Bemidji State University, located in Bemidji, Minn., is an NCAA Division II institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

Notes: Lawson nets a BSU single game best 38 points to break Holly Logghe's mark of 36 points set during the 1994-95 season...Lawson becomes the 13th player in BSU history to record 1,000 points in a career...she sits in 11th place on BSU’s all-time scoring list with 1,036 points...Lawson nets career-high 13 field goals and five three pointers...Lawson joins Kim Babula as the only players in BSU history to net 1,000 points and dish out 500 assists in a career.