DULUTH, Minn.
– The Bemidji State University women’s basketball team fell to University of Minnesota Duluth 82-63 in a Northern Sun
Intercollegiate Conference game played at Romano Gymnasium Wednesday.
The Beavers (12-14, 6-13 NSIC) never had a lead in the game,
but battled in the first half. BSU got down early 9-1, as Minnesota Duluth came
out of the gates hot, getting scoring from three different players. Junior Colleen McKay (C, Barnum,
Minn.) and freshman Jessie Althoff (C, Becker, Minn.) got the Beavers back in the
game scoring BSU’s first nine points, guiding the Beavers to an 8-2 run that
made the score 11-9 in the favor of UMD. A 9-2 run by the Bulldogs put BSU back
on its heels, giving the home tam a 20-11 lead. Freshman Shannon Thompson (G, Rosemount,
Minn.) knocked down a 3-pointer
with 10:42 remaining to cut the deficit to six at 20-14. With 7:16 reading on
the scoreboard, BSU was down 24-20 after a jumper from sophomore Taylor Davis (F, Crookston, Minn.).
Unfortunately for the Beavers, that would be as close as they would get to
tying the game, as UMD went on a 6-0 run to take a 10 point lead, en route to a
13-point lead at the half. The Bulldogs led 40-27 after a 3-point dagger from
UMD’s Jordanne Even dropped as the halftime buzzer sounded.
The Beavers didn’t quit in the second half and won the first
11 minutes of the frame 20-15 to cut the deficit to eight after a lay-up from
freshman Emily Kaus (C, Eagan, Minn.)
went through the hoop. BSU kept coming at UMD and the score was 59-52 with 7:50
remaining in regulation, as Althoff drained a 3-point shot. The Beavers were
able to keep the deficit between nine and 11 all the way to 5:17 left on the
clock. A 2:30 scoring drought by BSU led to a 17-point deficit with 2:43 remaining
and the score at 73-56, leading to the eventual 19-point loss when the final
horn went off.
Althoff was the top scorer for BSU, tallying 14 points for
her team-leading 13th game in double-figures. Junior Anna Hebrink (G, Austin,
Minn.) added 13 points. McKay had
nine points, seven in the first half, adding five rebounds. Sophomore Samantha Baldwin (G, St. Thomas, N.D.)
had a team-high six rebounds. BSU only have nine assists, just its fourth game
this season with less than 10 helpers. Thompson had three to lead BSU. The teams
went for a combined 47 turnovers, matching the give-away total from the last
meeting between the two squads, Jan. 23 at BSU. UMD shot 54 percent from the
field, 42.9 percent from 3-point land and 91.7 percent (22-of-24) from the
line. The Beavers struggled, shooting 39 percent from the field, 41.2 from
3-point range and 66.7 percent (10-for-15) from the charity stripe. With one
block in the game, Kaus now has 41 to sit third on BSU’s top season blocks
list. She is one shy of tying for second.
The Beavers will close the 2009-10 season Feb. 27 at Wayne
State College beginning at 4 p.m.
--bsu--
