BEMIDJI, Minn. – Alyssa Hill put together another big game in the post, going for a team-high 13 points in just 19 minutes, but the Bemidji State University Women's Basketball team ran into a tough matchup as No. 11 Minnesota State claimed the 90-48 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference win on Saturday inside the BSU Gym. Yoder was close to a double-double adding 11 points and seven rebounds.
The Mavericks (14-2, 10-2 NSIC) entered the weekly national rankings tied for the most steals per game at 16.8. They finished right around their average coming away with 17 on Saturday. Those steals led to a 20-3 edge in points off turnovers.
Early on, Bemidji State (5-11, 2-10 NSIC) grabbed the 3-2 lead nearly two minutes in when Sam Pogatchnik connected on a triple off an assist by Yoder. Neither team was able to really find a rhythm throughout the first quarter, with MSU pushing back in front off a 4-0 run. Hill tallied her first points of the night at the 6:47 mark connecting on a layup that left the deficit at one.
Brooke Theis, Isabel Majewski and Yoder all added points over the remainder of the opening quarter in which the Mavericks came out leading 20-10.
Minnesota State began to gain some separation in the second quarter. The Mavericks scored the first 12 points of the frame, before a Yoder layup broke the run at the 4:18 mark that had MSU holding the 32-12 advantage. The Mavericks scored eight of the final nine points of the opening half to take a 40-13 lead into the locker rooms.
Six of the nine players that saw time on the court in the first half for the Beavers scored a point, with Ella Giorgi and Rachel Koenig each sending back two blocks.
Hill opened the scoring in the second half, as BSU would put together their biggest point total of the night of 22 points in the third quarter. Erin Barrette recorded her first points of the night with a layup near the midway point of the quarter. Theis, Hill, Amme Sheforgen, Majewski and Yoder all put together points the remainder of the quarter. Yoder closed the quarter strong hitting a pair of three-pointers before Theis hit a layup with time winding down in the third. Despite the big total in the third, MSU held the 28-22 edge in the quarter to take a 68-35 lead into the fourth.
Over the final 10 minutes of the game, Hill picked up the scoring for BSU. Following a jumper by Sheforgen 13 seconds into the fourth quarter, Hill scored the next seven points before Rumer Flatness hit a triple at the 2:52 mark. Majewski added the final point of the game with a free throw with 27 seconds to provide the final margin of 90-48.
Hill went 6-11 from the field and added a free throw to finish with 13 points, along with five rebounds and a block. Yoder connected on 4-11 from the field, 2-4 from three and added a free throw to tally 11 points. She also had seven rebounds, four assists and four steals in 29 minutes. Theis picked up six points on 3-9 shooting and added five rebounds. Majewski tallied five points and Sheforgen added four. Bemidji State went 19-60 (31.7) from the field, 4-19 (21.1) from three and 6-11 (54.5) from the free throw line.
Destinee Bursch paced Minnesota State with 20 points, while Joey Batt added 15. The Mavericks went 33-78 (42.3) from the field, 5-15 (33.3) from three and 19-26 (73.1) at the foul line.
Following the two games at home, Bemidji State will now travel to Wayne State this coming Friday with game time set for 7:30 p.m. They will then close the trip at Augustana on Saturday starting at 5:30 p.m.
For more information on the Bemidji State women's basketball program, follow the Beavers on Twitter (@BSUBeavers), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) or sign up for the TXTUpdates from BSUBeavers.com text-messaging system through the "Multimedia" pull down menu on the main page of BSUBeavers.com.
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and women's hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
