KANSAS CITY, Mo. – John Sutherland started the new season strong posting a career-high 29 points and made it a double-double with 13 rebounds in leading the Bemidji State University Men's Basketball team to the 76-63 win over Henderson State on Friday in Kansas City.
Sutherland's big game led three Beavers in double-figures with Jonny Tennyson adding 18 points and seven rebounds. Dalton Albrecht went for a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Sutherland was 12-17 from the field and had three assists in 38 minutes. Tennyson logged 35 minutes, going 6-11 from the field and 3-7 from three. Fellow starters Brayden Williams had nine points and Colin Schaefer, in his first game with the Beavers, went for seven points and a team-best six assists and four steals.
Bemidji State went 28-61 (45.9) from the field, 10-32 (31.3) from three and 10-17 (58.8) at the foul line.
BSU held the early 12-9 lead on a three-pointer by Schaefer just over four minutes in. Henderson State went on a 12-2 run to open their largest lead of the game at 21-14 at the 11:47 mark.
Out of a timeout, Bemidji State answered with a 13-0 run to take a six-point lead. Sutherland started the run with a layup and after Tennyson dialed long distance, Daxton Dayley, in his first game as a Beaver, tied the game at 21 on a jumper near the midway point of the half. Albrecht put the Beavers in front with a triple and following a layup by Tennyson, Sutherland closed the run he started with a free throw at the 7:59 mark for the 27-21 lead.
The Reddies fought back to tie the game twice the remainder of the half before BSU closed with the final four points with Sutherland hitting a jumper and two foul shots by Tennyson had the Beavers holding the 39-35 halftime lead.
BSU stretched the lead into double-digits just over six minutes into the second half on a pair of layups by Sutherland for the 55-43 lead.
Henderson State had one last push near the midway point of the half getting to within eight, but the Beavers were not to be denied. Sutherland answered with a jumper to ignite a 10-0 run to put the game out of reach. Albrecht and Williams added three-pointers, before an Albrecht jumper at 5:10 left BSU in command at 69-51.
Bemidji State kept the lead by at least 11 points the rest of the way for the 76-63 victory.
Henderson State went 28-61 (45.9) from the field, 3-10 (30) from three and 4-7 (57.1) from the foul line.
The Beavers will close their Kansas City trip on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. against Missouri Southern.
For more information on the Bemidji State Men's Basketball program, follow the Beavers on X (@BSUBeaversMBB). Like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) and follow them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversMBB).
Nestled in Northern Minnesota's wooded region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, BSU 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).
