ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Dalton Albrecht put together a big double-double with 22 points and 20 rebounds to lead the Bemidji State University Men's Basketball team to the 76-54 win over Tampa on Friday in the Eckerd Thanksgiving Classic.
The win for Bemidji State (4-1) is their first in three meetings against Tampa (2-3). Albrecht delivered a big night with 22 points and 20 rebounds. He went 8-15 from the field and 4-6 from three. Tate Olson added 13 points, five rebounds and three steals. Brayden Williams went for 12 points, while John Sutherland gave the Beavers four with double figures in scoring adding 10 points and nine rebounds.
Tampa started strong scoring the first 10 points of the game. Bemidji State answered with 13 of the next 15 points to take the 13-12 lead. Eight of the points during the run were by Albrecht.
Albrecht and Daxton Dayley hit back-to-back three-pointers to push the lead to seven at 21-14 near the midway point of the opening half. The Beavers fought off a challenge by the Spartans coming back to tie the score before Bemidji State ended the half strong to take the 42-34 lead. Olson closed the half with a three-point-play.
Sutherland opened the scoring in the second half with a layup a minute in to stretch the lead into double digits.
With Tampa getting to within six and then still down 10, Bemidji State started to put the game out of reach with a 12-0 run near the midway point of the half to stretch the lead to 22. Albrecht, Williams, Olson and Colin Schaefer all had points during the stretch that left BSU with the 65-43 lead.
Tampa got no closer than 14 the rest of the way with Sutherland, and Schaefer hitting baskets over the final few minutes to close out the strong 76-54 victory.
Bemidji State went 30-73 (41.1) from the field, 8-30 (26.7) from three and 8-13 (61.5) at the foul line. Tampa went 18-54 (33.3) from the field, 3-17 (17.6) from three and 15-24 (62.5) at the foul line. Bemidji State held the 17-8 edge on points off turnovers, 19-5 in second chance points, 20-9 in bench points and 44-22 on points in the paint.
The Beavers will close the Eckerd Thanksgiving Classic facing host Eckerd on Saturday night starting at 6 p.m.
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).
