The Bemidji State University women’s basketball team put up a fight against the University of Minnesota Duluth on Saturday afternoon but couldn’t come away with the victory as they fell 63-51. The loss extends BSU’s losing streak to eight games dating back to their upset victory over No. 21 Augustana College on Jan. 8. With the loss BSU falls to 5-15 (2-14 NSIC). Minnesota Duluth improves their season record to 11-9 (9-7 NSIC).

Katrina Newman led the Bulldogs on the attack with a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. Newman was eight for 12 from the field. Kelsey Hewitt added 12 points and seven rebounds for UMD. Courtney Doucette chipped in nine points off the bench. The Bulldogs outshot the Beavers 49.1 percent to 30.3 percent for the game. Both teams struggled from three with UMD connecting on three of 11 and BSU hitting three of 20. Bemidji State used a trap defense to froce the Bulldogs into 24 turnovers compared to their 17 on the game.

Colleen McKay (Sr., C, Barnum, Minn.) led BSU with 17 points and four boards on six of 12 from the field. Jessie Althoff (So., F/C, Becker, Minn.) added 14 points and seven boards. Kate Warmack (Fr., C, East Grand Forks, Minn.) made her first career start for the Beavers on Saturday and was strong on the glass tying Althoff for the team lead in rebounds with seven.

After being down four at half, the Beavers tied the game 40-40 when Shannon Thompson (So., G, Rosemount, Minn.) dished out to Anna Hebrink (Sr., G, Austin, Minn.) who dialed in from downtown with 12:29 remaining. McKay converted two free throws to give the Beavers a two-point lead 11:59 left on the clock. However, the Bulldogs countered with an 8-0 run to take the lead back 48-42 with 8:59 left. The Beavers were able to get the lead back down to two following baskets from Althoff and McKay but the Bulldogs got the lead back out to as many as seven with 3:04 remaining. Althoff forced a Hewitt turnover and preceded to hit a jumnper to bring the Beavers within three with 2:43 remaining but UMD’s Doucette countered with a three to put the Bulldogs back up six with 2:17 left in the game. The Bulldogs were able to convert at the charity stripe at the end of the game to keep the Beavers at bay.

Minnesota Duluth went into the break with a 32-28 lead over Bemidji State. The Beavers started the game on a 10-2 run and held a 14 point lead with 9:42 remaining in the first half after using a zone trap to force the Bulldogs into six turnovers in the first 10 minutes of the game. UMD countered with a 21-0 run of their own led by six points from Newman to turn the 14-point deficit into a seven point lead with 2:20 left in the first half.

Hewitt led the Bulldogs with eight points in the first half on four of seven shooting from the field. Newman added six points on three of six shooting from the floor. UMD outshot BSU 48.3 percent to 31.6 percent in the opening period. The Bulldogs outrebounded the Beavers 24-19.

Bemidji State was paced by Althoff’s nine points on four of nine shooting from the floor. Morgan Lee (Fr., G, Hayward, Wis.) and McKay each added six points in the first half for the Beavers.  

BSU will hit the road next weekend to face the University of Minnesota, Crookston on Friday and MSU Moorhead on Saturday. Both contests will begin at 6 p.m.