BEMIDJI, Minn. (BSU Gymnasium) -- The scoring duo of Rachael Heittola and Trinity Yoder each recorded 21 points to lead Bemidji State University women's basketball to a 66-63 win over the University of Mary Saturday afternoon at BSU Gymnasium. Heittola's eighth 20-point game and Yoder's fourth help the Beavers improve to 13-8 overall and 11-6 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference while the Marauders fall to 12-14 and 6-11 in the NSIC.

Heittola and Yoder each connected on eight field goals and five free throws while Heittola added eight rebounds and Yoder dished out six assists. Freshman forward Jana Swanson came off the bench to tally seven rebounds and four points.

A trio of BSU scorers combined for 14 of the team's 19 first-quarter points to hold a 19-15 lead. Heittola chipped in six of her 21 points in the opening quarter before UMary went on a run in the second quarter to take the lead.

Following a layup from Heittola for her 10th point, the Marauders scored nine straight points to take a game-high, 34-27 lead with 1:11 before halftime. Yoder put in a layup to stop the run and found fellow senior guard Brooklyn Bachmann under the hoop to score just before halftime for a three-point deficit, 34-31.

Yoder scored BSU's first four points of the second half before another layup from Heittola brought BSU within one, 38-37. Less than three minutes later, the Beavers went on a 9-0 run to grab a six-point lead, 51-45. Junior guard Coley Rezabek accounted for the final five points of the BSU run before UMary cut its lead to four, 54-50, heading into the fourth quarter.

UMary put in the first basket of the fourth quarter which was followed by six straight points from Heittola and Yoder to take an eight-point, 60-52 lead with 5:48 to play. UMary scored the next six points of the game to pull within two points but never came closer as Heittola sealed the game with free throws.

Bemidji State returns to the road Feb. 11-12 to take on Northern State University and Minnesota State University Moorhead.

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).

--bsu--