BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Bemidji State University Women's Basketball team nearly erased an 18-point deficit Thursday night before the University of Mary caught fire down the stretch for the 72-59 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victory.
Trailing 34-22 at the half and then by 18 at 44-26 four minutes into the third quarter, the Beavers (2-6, 0-5 NSIC) refused to go away.
Sydney White hit a tough layup and then added two from the line to help pull Bemidji State to within 10. A layup by Amme Sheforgen that was converted into a three-point-play trimmed the deficit to eight at 50-42. Before the third quarter ended, the teams exchanged baskets before Alyssa Hill closed the quarter with a layup leaving UMary (6-6, 4-2 NSIC) with the 55-46 lead.
To start the fourth quarter, Sheforgen was at it again hitting a free throw and then a layup just over a minute in to bring BSU to within six. UMary then got a couple of big three-pointers by Megan Zander and Mariah McKeever to stretch the lead out to 12.
An Ella Giorgi layup at the 6:35 mark had the Beavers back to within 10, but that would be as close as they could get the rest of the way. The Marauders finished the final frame outscoring BSU 11-8 to provide the final margin of 72-59.
Early on, UMary built a 5-0 lead over the first three minutes of the game. After trailing by eight, BSU got back to within six a couple of times on layups by Erin Barrette and Hill before the Marauders capped the quarter with a layup for the 14-6 advantage.
UMary began the second quarter on a 6-0 run to stretch their lead to 20-6. Bemidji State fought back to only be outscored 20-16 in the quarter, but UMary took the 34-22 lead into halftime.
The Marauders then opened the second half on a 10-4 run to move out to their largest lead of the night before the Beavers made their push.
Hill reached double-figures in scoring for the sixth time this season, leading the Beavers with 16 points on Thursday night. She went 7-14 from the field, added five rebounds, two steals and a block. White hit double-figures for the second time this season with 12 points on 5-7 shooting. Sheforgen added nine points and six rebounds, with Giorgi chipping in seven points and three rebounds.
Bemidji State went 23-54 (42.6) from the field, 4-18 (22.2) from three and 9-11 (81.8) at the foul line. BSU held the 24-15 advantage on bench points. UMary went 29-60 (48.3) from the field, 4-13 (30.8) from three and 10-20 (50) at the foul line. The Marauders held a big edge in second chance points (15-4) and points in the paint (48-38).
The Beavers will play at St. Cloud State this Saturday afternoon starting at 3 p.m.
For more information on the Bemidji State Women's basketball program, follow the Beavers on X (@BSUBeaversWBB), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) and follow them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversWBB).
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).
