ST. CLOUD, Minn. – With points at a premium, it was a defensive battle all game long. The Bemidji State University Women's Basketball team continued to fight on the road, but a late push in the fourth quarter was enough to send St. Cloud State to the 60-52 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victory on Saturday inside Halenbeck Hall.
Bemidji State (2-7, 0-6 NSIC) started the game strong, scoring the first four points of the game. Sam Pogatchnik hit a layup just 10 seconds in and then a layup by Alyssa Hill had the Beavers up 4-0 41 seconds in.
With St. Cloud State (7-3, 4-2 NSIC) back to within one at 8-7, the Beavers reeled off the next seven points to stretch the lead to eight. Hill started the run with a layup, and following a three-pointer by Tieryn Plasch, Pogatchnik closed the run with a jumper at the 4:09 mark of the opening quarter for the 15-7 lead.
The Huskies finished the rest of the quarter strong outscoring BSU 7-1 to leave the Beavers ahead 16-14 entering the second quarter.
Hill quickly moved into double-figures in scoring, connecting on a three-pointer 12 seconds into the second quarter to push the lead to five.
After SCSU answered back with five straight points to tie the game at 19, the teams would change leads four times heading into halftime. Bemidji State was ahead by two at 26-24 on a layup by Hill before the Huskies scored the final three points of the half to hold the 27-26 lead at the break.
Pogatchnik started the second half just like she did the game, scoring 48 seconds in hitting the layup and was also fouled. She converted the three-point-play to put BSU back in front by two.
With SCSU ahead by four, Amme Sheforgen had an offensive rebound and putback and then Plasch hit another three-pointer answering a basket by the Huskies to leave SCSU in front by one at 37-36.
St. Cloud State closed the third quarter strong getting ahead by as much as nine before taking the 46-39 lead to the fourth quarter.
Hill and Sydney White helped the Beavers get back to within five a couple of minutes into the final frame. The Huskies then went on a 7-0 run that lasted over five minutes and left SCSU with the 57-43 lead.
Sheforgen and Pogatchnik combined for nine points down the stretch, but the deficit was too much to overcome with St. Cloud State taking the 60-52 victory.
Hill had a game-high 16 points and added eight rebounds. It was the seventh time this season reaching double-figures in scoring. She went 7-17 from the field and added both a three-pointer and free throw. Pogatchnik hit her season-high in points with 14 for the third time this season going 5-8 from the field, while adding a three-pointer and three free throws. Sheforgen had a season-high 11 points on 5-8 shooting. She made it a double-double with 10 rebounds.
Bemidji State went 20-56 (35.7) from the field, 4-14 (28.6) from three and 8-11 (72.7) at the foul line. St. Cloud State went 20-52 (38.5) from the field, 2-14 (14.3) from three and 18-26 (69.2) at the foul line. The Beavers held the edge in second chance points (12-6) and points in the paint (30-28).
The Beavers will now return home to host Valley City State for their final non-conference game of the season on Tuesday night starting at 5:30 p.m. inside the BSU Gym.
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).
