BISMARCK, N.D. (Activity Center)– Bemidji State University men’s basketball perimeter tandem of Arron Evans (Sr., G, Minneapolis, Minn.) and Seth Haake (So., G, Eden Prairie, Minn.) combined for 32 points on 5-of-7 from three-point land, but it was not enough as the University of Mary Marauders outlasted the Beavers, 79-68, in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Friday at the Activity Center in Bismarck, N.D.

The University of Mary used six more three-pointers than the Beavers in the contest as the Marauders hit 12-of-20 from the three-point arc (.600) while the Beavers were 6-of-10 (.600) from behind the arc.

In addition to Evans and Haake, Sergej Baskow (So., C, Ludwigsburg, Germany) netted his eighth double-digit scoring effort of the season with 10 points on 4-of-6 from the field while grabbing five rebounds. Haake dished out a career-high six assists in the contest while Patrick Cassidy (Fr., F, St. Paul, Minn.) grabbed a game-high seven rebounds as the Beavers opened a 32-22 advantage on the glass in the loss.

A quartet of players led the Marauders to the win. Geoff West netted 18 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field and 3-of-5 from the three-point line while connecting on all five free-throw attempts. Zach Dosch chipped in 14 points, Jordan Engelhardt recorded 13 points and Danny Sandvig had 10 points to round out the double-digit point totals for UM. Eric Erdmann grabbed a game-high seven rebounds.

The first half started with both teams hitting their first three-point field goal attempts. Erdmann got the Marauders on the board at 19:15 with his lone three-point field goal of the game followed by a three-pointer by Brady Fairbanks (Fr., G, Bena, Minn.) to tie the game at 3-3. The score was tied at 6-6 with 15:42 left in the first half before the Beavers separated themselves from the Marauders with a 7-0 run to push their lead to 13-6 with just under six minutes gone in the contest.

The Beavers would go cold over the next 8:46 of the first half and the Marauders took advantage going on a 15-3 run to take its largest lead of the game at 21-16 off of a Danny Sandvig jumper with 5:18 remaining in the half. The Beavers battled back to tie the game for the fourth time in the half at 23-23 off a Baskow jumper but UM went on a 7-5 run to close out the half and took a 30-28 lead into the intermission.

Fairbanks got the Beavers going quick in the second half as his layup tied the game at 30-30 just :47 seconds into the second half. The teams traded three-point field goals in the next two possessions to keep the score tied at 33-33. Back-to-back three-pointers by Engelhardt and West gave the Marauders their largest lead of the game at 39-33 with 17:22 left in the game.

Haake brought the Beavers to with in two points of the Marauders as he made a layup and a jumper on back-to-back possessions for the Beavers, 39-37. Unfortunately, that would be as close as the Beavers would come to over taking the lead as UM pushed its lead to 10-points during the next 2:48. The 10-point lead was the first double-digit lead for either team in the game.

A three-point by UM’s Jordan Wilhelm virtually sealed the game for the Marauders as Wilhelm’s three-pointer gave UM a 16-point lead (76-60) with just 2:06 remaining in the contest. BSU tried to generate one last run but there was not enough time remaining on the clock and UM was able to hold on for an 11-point win, 79-68.

The University of Mary finished the night 25-of-45 (.556) from the field and 17-of-26 (.654) from the free-throw line. BSU ended the night at 24-of-49 (.490) from the field and 14-of-24 (.583) from the free-throw line.

With the win the University of Mary extends its win streak over the Beavers to four games and have not lost to the Beavers since joining the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Marauders now lead the all-time series 6-1 over the Beavers.

Bemidji State (6-18; 3-12 NSIC) will be back in action tomorrow when the Beavers travel to Aberdeen, S.D. to take on the fifth ranked team in the nation the Northern State University Wolves at Wachs Arena at 8:00 p.m.

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

--beavers--