CROOKSTON, Minn. (Lysaker Gymnasium) - Bemidji State University sophomore Colleen McKay (F, Barnum, Minn.) posted a season-high 16 points on Saturday, but it would not be enough as Minnesota, Crookston used a 44-37 advantage on the boards to blow past the Beavers en route to a 75-63 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) victory at Lysaker Gymnasium in Crookston, Minn.

Down just 37-32 after the first half, the Beavers saw Minnesota, Crookston go on a 23-13 run midway through the second half to extend the game out of BSU’s reach, 75-63.

UMC’s Bri Zabel led a trio of Golden Eagle players in double-figures with a game-high 30 points, 17 of which came in the second half. She also led all players with 10 rebounds for the game’s only double-double. Jamie Zelinsky scored 13 points while Gina Jaroszewski netted 11 in the contest.

McKay posted her fifth double-figure scoring total in the last eight games netting a season-high 16 points on 7-of-11 from the floor and 2-of-4 from the free-throw line. Heidi Matzke (Sr., G, Red Lake Falls, Minn.) added 12 points and a game-high six assists, while Samantha Baldwin (Fr., PG, St. Thomas, N.D.) posted a career and game-high 12 rebounds.

Matzke’s 12 points moved her into 11th on BSU’s all-time points list with 1,097 while her six assists moved her into sole possession of eighth on BSU’s all-time assist list with 251.

The first half was controlled by the Golden Eagles as Minnesota, Crookston jumped out to a 3-0 lead and with the score tied at 5-5 with 18:38 left in the half the Golden Eagles went on a 7-0 run pushing its lead to 12-5. A jumper by Baldwin with 12:23 of the first half brought the Beavers back to within five (15-10) but a 16-9 run over the next 7:02 gave UMC its largest lead of the game at 31-19 with 5:21 left before the half.

A layup by Megan Bates (Fr., F, Brainerd, Minn.) at the 5:03 mark brought BSU to within 10 (31-21) which started a 13-6 run for the Beavers as they reeled the Golden Eagles to within five points (37-32) by the time the halftime horn sounded.

The Beavers stunned the Golden Eagles as the second half got underway netting 11 of the first 14 points of the stanza to take a two point lead, 42-40, before 2:56 had come off the clock giving BSU its first lead of the game.

BSU’s lead did not last long as a three-pointer by Ana Garcia with 14:32 left in the game gave UMC a 45-44 advantage starting a 33-16 run over the next 13:21 give the Golden Eagles their largest lead of the game at 75-60 with just 2:15 left in the game. Both teams went cold during the final two minutes of the game allowing UMC to hold on to a 75-63 win.

BSU finished the night 21-of-58 (.362) from the floor, 5-of-20 from three-point land and 16-of-24 (.667) from the line. UMC was 24-of-62 (.387) from the field, 8-of-27 (.296) from downtown and 19-of-22 (.864) from the stripe.

The Golden Eagles held a 44-37 edge on the boards and committed 23 turnovers while forcing BSU into 20.

The Beavers see their five game win streak over the Golden Eagles come to an end with the loss and fall to 16-7 all-time versus Minnesota, Crookston.

It is the first time under head coach Mike Curfman the Beavers have opened the conference season 0-2 and the first time since the 2004-05 season.

Bemidji State (2-6; 0-2 NSIC) returns to action next weekend when it kicks off a two-game home stand with a pair of conference match-ups. Friday the team welcomes Winona State University and Saturday, Upper Iowa University comes to town. Both games are slated to start at 6 p.m. at the BSU Gymnasium.

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

--beavers--