BEMIDJI, Minn. (BSU Gymnasium) -- Sophomore center Rachael Heittola recorded 23 points and 13 rebounds Friday night as Bemidji State University women's basketball fell to Augustana University, 69-64, at BSU Gymnasium. The Beavers fall to 10-8 overall and 8-6 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

Heittola's double-double is her fifth of the season while she also tallied her seventh 20-point game of the year, shooting 9-of-20 from the field. Senior guard Trinity Yoder was the only other Beaver with double figure scoring at 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Yoder is now seven points away from recording 1,000 in her career at BSU.

Bemidji State jumped ahead to a 22-14 lead after the first quarter behind 56.3 percent shooting from the field, including 4-of-4 for nine points from Heittola. Despite making just four field goals in the second quarter, the Beavers held the Vikings to three field goals in the period for a 35-24 lead at the halftime break.

BSU broke away to begin the second half on a 14-5 run, including two and-one conversions from Yoder and Heittola. Heittola made her second 3-pointer of the game to give BSU its largest lead of the night, 49-29, with 6:21 in the third quarter. Augustana brought the game to within six points heading into the fourth quarter after Bemidji State gave away six turnovers and missed 6-of-8 shots from the field over the final 6:21.

Augustana tied the game nearly three minutes into the fourth quarter and took its first lead of the game five minutes later, 60-59. A layup from Heittola and a free throw from senior guard Brooklyn Bachmann gave BSU a two-point lead again, 62-60, before the Beavers gave away two turnovers and missed 3-of-4 shots to end the game.

Bemidji State returns to BSU Gymnasium Saturday, Jan. 29 for a 3:30 p.m. tip-off against Wayne State College.

For more information on the Bemidji State athletic programs, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on Twitter (@BSUBeavers), or like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers).

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, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

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