ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (McArthur Center) – Tyler Behrendt poured in a career-high 18 points, on 6-of-12 from beyond the arc, and added a team-high five assists to lead the Bemidji State University men's basketball team to a 67-63 victory over Eckerd College Friday to open the Eckerd Thanksgiving Classic.

In addition to a career day from Behrendt, Travis Bianco added a double-double with 16 points and a team-best 10 rebounds, and Cody Landwehr recorded a season-high 12 points.

BSU got quickly in the opening moments of the game. Propelled by five points by Mohamed Kone, the Beavers led 9-2 just 2:28 into the contest. The Tritons battled back to tie the game, 9-9, at the 16:03 mark of the half, but the Beavers did not relinquish the lead and instead, BSU went on a 15-6 run over the next six minutes to take its largest lead of the game, 24-15.

Bemidji State managed just five points over the next 6:23 as the Tritons whittled away at the BSU lead.

With 2:37 left in the half, a layup by Gianfranco Grafals put Eckard ahead, 30-29. The teams traded baskets and the lead as time ran out in the first half, but two free throws by Travis Bianco broke a 33-33 deadlock and sent the beaver to the locker room owning a two-point lead.

Leading 35-33 at the break, Bemidji State saw their lad vanish early.

Eckard evened the score on the first shot attempt of the half and took a 38-35 lead on a Grafals three-pointer just 2:05 into the frame. A pair of free throws by Grafals with 16:25 left gave the Tritons their largest lead of the afternoon, 42-38. BSU responded with back-to-back three-point field goals from Behrendt and Bianco and extended their lead to 48-44 on a lay-up by Landwehr.

Behrendt hit his fourth three-pointer of the game with just under 10 minutes to play in the game extending BSU's lead to five points, but the basket sparked a run by the Tritons. Eckard scored seven straight points during the next 83 seconds to grab a 55-53 lead, but Behrendt again struck for the Beavers hitting from beyond the arc to regain the lead. 

BSU held an edge on the scoreboard until the 3:48 mark when Grafals made a layup, but a pair of Bianco free throws and Behrendt's sixth three of the afternoon put BSU in front 64-62 with 1:38 to go and sealed the Beavers' third win of the season.

The Beavers finished the day shooting 41-percent from the field, which included matching a season-best performance from beyond the arc hitting 11-of-23 from downtown.

Now 3-1 on the season, Bemidji State will continue the Eckard Thanksgiving Classic tomorrow with a 3 p.m. opening tip versus the University of Tampa.

Nestled in Northern Minnesota's wooded region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's and women's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Western Collegiate Hockey Association, respectively, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). 

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