MOORHEAD, Minn. (BSU Gymnasium) -- Senior Derek Thompson broke the program rebound career record Saturday evening as Bemidji State University men's basketball took an 83-77 loss at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Senior Travis Bianco led BSU with 21 points as the Beavers fall to 7-16 overall and 4-15 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

Bianco now has at least 20 points in four of his last six games after shooting 7-of-15 from the floor along with six rebounds and one assist.  Thompson recorded the record-breaking rebound with 9:26 in the second half while finishing the game with nine rebounds. He surpassed Steve Vogel (1975-78) who previously held the record of 694 rebounds.

Bemidji State jumped out to a 4-2 lead early behind a 3-pointer from Bianco. MSU Moorhead scored 12 straight points to go ahead, 14-4, and lead for the rest of the game. The Dragons pulled ahead by 14 points, 27-13, midway through the opening quarter before senior Gare Ewefada sparked a 7-2 run to cut the deficit to single digits.

The Beavers trailed by six points, 43-37, coming out of halftime when both teams traded scores over the first two minutes. A dunk off a BSU turnover pushed the MSUM lead back to double-digits, 49-39. MSUM followed with a 10-3 run behind 4-of-5 shooting from the floor to take a game-high, 15-point lead with 15:20 to play.

Bemidji State rattled off 13 unanswered points midway through the half, shooting 6-of-7 from the field with one 3-pointer. BSU's defense held MSUM 0-of-5 shooting over a span of 3:34. Trailing by just two points, 66-64, BSU allowed an offensive rebound that ended as a MSUM 3-pointer to snap the streak.

The Beavers stayed within four points until late in the game when the Dragons went 5-of-6 from the free throw line to seal the game.

Bemidji State closes out its regular season Thursday, Feb. 17 at the University of Minnesota Duluth and Saturday, Feb. 19 at home during senior day against St. Cloud State University.

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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