WINONA, Minn. (McCown Gymnasium) -- The Bemidji State University men’s basketball team went into the halftime break within striking distance of No. 23 Winona State University but the Warriors blew past BSU in a second half shoot out. Saturday, WSU scored a BSU opponent season-high 51-point second half to complete the season series sweep of Bemidji State, 98-79.

Seth Haake (Jr., G, Eden Prairie, Minn.) and Jake Lindstrom (Fr., G, Cottage Grove, Minn.) would score 15 and nine points respectively during the first 20 minutes helping BSU keep pace with a WSU team that would knock down 44.4 percent (16-36) of its first half shots. BSU shot 60 percent (15-25) during the first 20 minutes while shooting 50 percent (15-25) from beyond the three point arc.

The lead changed hands six times while the score would be tied on three occasions during the first half of play. Bryce Tesdahl (Fr., G, Crosby, Minn.) scored a lay up to tie the game (2-2) and Haake would knock down a three-pointer just 1-minute and 31-seconds into the game, giving the Beavers their first lead (5-4).

The lead changed hands twice during the next minute of play, but back-to-back three’s by WSU’s David Johnson began a 21-6 run and would put BSU down by its largest deficit of the half on a pair of free-throws by Travis Whipple as the Warriors took a 27-14 lead with 9:52 remaining before the halftime buzzer.

BSU turned the momentum over the next 7:34 as the Beavers went on a 28-14 run to regain their third lead of the half, which ended just the way it began with a Haake free-throw. The Warriors closed out the half on a 6-2 run taking a 47-44 lead into the intermission.

WSU came out of the halftime break and picked up right where it left off, netting seven of the first nine points of the second half, and stretching the lead to as many as 14 (70-56) with 12:34 left to play.

But BSU was not prepared to go down without a fight. Patrick Cassidy (So., F, St. Paul, Minn.) would net seven straight points for the Beavers cutting the lead to seven (70-63) but that is as close as BSU would get.

The Warriors quickly pushed its lead back to 14 points (81-67) behind six points from Josh Korth. The Beavers closed the gap to 12 a couple more times before games end but would fall, 98-79 to No. 23 Winona State in Winona, Minn.

Haake led the Beavers’ offensive attack for the 11th time this season with 19 points for his 13th straight double-digit scoring performance. Four other Beavers collected double-digit scoring performances in the contest. Cassidy totaled 12 points while Lindstrom, Bryce Tesdahl (Fr., G, Crosby, Minn.), and Tyler Wruck (So., G, Foley, Minn.) all had eleven in the game.

Haake had team-highs with six rebounds and four assists while Taylor Hall (Fr., C, Blaine, Minn.) had a game-high three steals which was also a career-high.

The Warriors held a 37-28 edge on the glass over BSU with David Johnson and Josh Korth each hauling down eight to lead the effort.

WSU had five players in double-figures as junior guard David Johnson paced the team with 29 points.

The Warriors finished the game out shooting the Beavers by the slimmest of margins as they shot 53.2 percent (33-62) from the field, 50 percent (15-30) from three-point range and 81 percent (17-21) from the free-throw line. Bemidji State shot 50 percent (29-58) from the floor, 45.8 percent (11-24) from behind the arc and 66.7 percent (10-15) from the charity stripe.

With the loss BSU is 66-80 in the all-time series with the Warriors and fall to 2-3 versus ranked opponents this season.

Bemidji State (8-17; 6-12 NSIC) will be back in action on Wednesday, Feb. 25 when the Beavers welcome Minnesota Duluth (18-10; 12-6 NSIC) to the BSU Gymnasium. Game time is slated for 8 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--