BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Bemidji State University Men's Basketball team continued their strong play at home improving to 5-0 inside the BSU Gym following their 78-62 win over the University of Mary on Thursday night in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.
Bemidji State (7-4, 3-2 NSIC) collected their seventh win of the season and moved back over .500 in conference play at 3-2. BJ Davis put together a career-night leading the way with 21 points on 6-13 shooting and 3-8 from three. He also went 6-6 at the foul line and added three rebounds in 28 minutes. The 21 points for Davis eclipses his previous high this season with the Beavers of 10 against Oak Hills Christian. Dalton Albrecht turned in his eighth double-double of the season with 20 points and 13 rebounds. John Sutherland just missed a double-double with 13 points and eight rebounds.
After UMary (5-6, 1-5 NSIC) opened the scoring with a three-pointer 15 seconds in, the Beavers tallied the next six points on a pair of triples by Davis for the 6-3 lead. The Marauders evened the score at eight, just to watch BSU reel off the next eight points. Sutherland scored the first three points at the foul line and after a three by Albrecht, Davis closed the run with a layup for the 16-8 lead near the midway point of the opening half.
UMary made their biggest push of the first half answering with their own 7-0 run to pull to within one at 16-15, but the Beavers answered as Daniel Ijadimbola hit a layup and Jonny Tennyson sent down a big dunk to help spark a 7-0 run that Brayden Williams capped with a three-pointer for the 23-15 advantage.
The lead moved out to 13 at 30-17 on a three-pointer by Ijadimbola, but the Marauders surged back before halftime finishing the final three minutes on a 13-4 run to leave Bemidji State with just a 34-30 halftime lead.
It was tough sledding to start the second half for both teams and with BSU still up six at 46-38 just over seven minutes in, Bemidji State started to gain a little separation going on a 7-2 spurt over the next three minutes. Albrecht scored five points and Davis the other two from the foul line.
The Marauders got as close as eight down the stretch, but the Beavers closed the game on a 12-4 run to secure the 78-62 victory.
Bemidji State held the edge in second chance points (6-3), bench points (18-13) and points in the paint (28-26). The Beavers went 26-60 (43.3) from the field, 8-27 (29.6) from three and 18-25 (72) at the foul line.
UMary was 23-65 (35.4) from the field, 8-26 (30.8) from three and 8-14 (57.1) from the foul line.
With the results from Thursday around the conference, Minnesota State and MSU Moorhead lead the way at 5-0. Minnesota Duluth and Minot State are tied for third at 4-1. Winona State is fifth at 4-2, followed by Bemidji State tied with Northern State for sixth at 3-2.
Bemidji State will close the week playing at St. Cloud State this Saturday afternoon starting at 1 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).
