BEMIDJI, Minn. (BSU Gymnasium) [box score] - 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 13-to-6 run to close out the half to help seal its third conference win of the season and improve to 7-6 overall. The Beavers went on to hand the visiting Golden Eagles a 87-73 loss Saturday at the BSU Gymnasium in Bemidji, Minn.

Heidi Matzke (Jr., G, Red Lake Falls, Minn.) led a quartet of players in double-figures with 21 points, a career-high 10 rebounds and five assists. Joining her as BSU’s top scores were Stephanie Peterson (Sr., C, Bismarck, N.D.) who tied a season-high 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting, Amy Lawson (Sr., PG, Spencer, Iowa) who netted 15 points and dished out 11 assists and Karlee Simonson (Sr., F, Rockford, Minn.) who chipped in 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Lawson and Matzke each recorded their first double-double of the season with their spectacular performances. For Lawson it was her fourth career double-double and for Matzke it was her second, respectively. Matzke’s 10 rebound performance was a career-high including six on the offensive end of the floor, as BSU held a 50-43 edge on the glass in the game. Matzke’s 21 points was the fourth time this season that she broke the 20-point scoring barrier.

A trio of players paced the Golden Eagles offense. Jessica Biddle led the Golden Eagles with 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the floor. Joining Biddle in double-figure scoring was Jamie Zelinsky and Katie Cheline who each netted 13 points in the game. Gina Jaroszewski led UMC on the boards as she grabbed 10 rebounds while Diana Taddy dished out five assists.

Ana Garcia would get the Golden Eagles on the board first on a pair of free-throws to give UMC an early 2-0 lead. The lead did not last long as BSU went on a 7-0 run over just a :43 second span to take a 7-2 lead. Lawson got things started with a three and Peterson and Matzke each added a jumper during the run. The Golden Eagles put a 12-4 run on BSU on the back of six straight Jessica Biddle points to give UMC a 14-11 lead.

The teams continued to go back and forth until a free throw by Katherine Jamnick (So., C, Soudan, Minn.) would give the Beavers the lead for good at 10:45 of the first half. The Beavers pushed its lead to as large as seven points (38-31) but saw a pesky Golden Eagle team go on a 6-0 run to close the gap to one point at 38-37 with 3:44 remaining in the half. BSU closed out the half on a 13-to-6 run as Matzke scored the Beavers last nine points of the half to give the Beavers a 51-43 halftime lead.

As the second half got underway BSU added to its 13-to-6 run to close out the half as the Beavers scored the first five points of the half. A jumper by Peterson got the half started while Simonson netted three of her 10 points in a minute span during the start of the half to help give BSU its largest lead of the game of 13-points (56-43).

UMC would reel BSU to within five, 67-62, but that was as close as it would come as Bemidji State powered through to complete the win, 87-73.

Bemidji State made 10 more field goals than did Minnesota, Crookston and shot 14 points higher as BSU connected on 36-of-72 (.500) shots while UMC was just 26-of-72 (.361) from the field. BSU also used a 36-to-20 advantage in the paint in the fourteen point victory.

With the win the Beavers improve to 15-6 all-time versus Minnesota, Crookston and extend its win streak to four games versus UMC. With the win the Beavers improve to 7-6 on the season and 3-2 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action.

Head coach Mike Curman is just one win shy of his 100th win as a head coach with tonight’s win over Minnesota, Crookston.

Bemidji State (7-6; 3-2 NSIC) returns to action next weekend when it hosts a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tilts. The Beavers host the Northern State Wolves on Friday, Jan. 11 and then will host the University of Mary on Saturday, Jan. 12 in hopes of moving up the standings of the NSIC. Both games are set for 6:00 p.m. starts.

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