ABERDEEN, S.D. – Trailing by 17 at the break, the Bemidji State University Women's Basketball team surged out of halftime reeling off the first 11 points to pull to within six. Despite the big run, Northern State was able to hold off the Beavers to claim the 81-61 victory on Saturday night in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play inside Wachs Arena.
Northern State (8-2, 4-0 NSIC) held a 47-30 halftime lead and all of that changed over the first few minutes of the second half. Bemidji State (2-5, 0-4 NSIC) scored the first 11 points in just over two minutes of the third quarter to pull to within six. Sam Pogatchnik and Alyssa Hill hit back-to-back jumpers to start the run. After Hill hit two from the line, Alayna Suprenand added a layup before Hill drilled a three-pointer to leave BSU within six at 47-41.
Northern State was able to outscore the Beavers by eight for the rest of the third quarter to take the 62-48 lead into the final frame.
Trailing by 18 early in the fourth quarter, the Beavers made another push. Tieryn Plasch hit a triple and after back-to-back layups by Pogatchnik and Amme Sheforgen, BSU trimmed seven points off the lead in 50 seconds to pull to within 11 at 66-55. The teams weren't able to score over the next several minutes and after Sydney White answered a Northern State basket with a layup to keep the deficit at 11, the Wolves closed the game on a 13-4 run to claim the 81-61 victory.
To start the game, Northern State scored the first six points to take the 6-0 lead at the 8:04 mark. Bemidji State answered and took their first lead at 8-7 on a transition layup by Erin Barrette. Trailing by six again, the Beavers got back to within two late in the quarter with a three-point-play by Hill before Northern State scored the final four points of the opening quarter for the 26-20 lead.
A Pogatchnik three-point-play three minutes into the second quarter had the Beavers back to within eight, but the second quarter was all Wolves as they outscored BSU 21-10 in the second to take the 47-30 lead at halftime.
Hill led the Beavers with 20 points, reaching 20 points for the second time this season. She went 6-10 from the field, made a pair of three-pointers and went 6-8 at the foul line. Hill also grabbed five rebounds. Pogatchnik tallied 14 points for the second time this season, going 5-8 from the field and 4-5 at the foul line. Suprenand collected five assists and five points. White also added five points and four rebounds.
Bemidji State went 22-52 (42.3) from the field, 4-17 (23.5) from three and 13-17 (76.5) at the foul line. Northern State went 32-63 (50.8) from the field, 3-14 (21.4) from three and 14-18 (77.8) at the foul line. Madelyn Bragg led four Wolves in double-figures with 20 points and seven rebounds.
The Beavers will now return home to host UMary this coming Thursday beginning at 7:30 p.m. inside the BSU Gym. BSU will close the week playing at St. Cloud State next Saturday (Dec. 16) 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).
