MINOT, N.D. – The Bemidji State University Women's Basketball team collected their first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference win of the season defeating Minot State 77-63 on Thursday night inside the MSU Dome.
Bemidji State (4-15, 1-14 NSIC) connected on a season-high 59.6 percent (28-47) from the field and made 10 three-pointers for the second time this season. BSU made at least 50 percent from the field in all four quarters.
Isabel Majewski went 5-8 from three for 15 points and five rebounds. Alyssa Hill added 15 points going 7-10 from the field. Ashlynne Guenther chipped in nine points and six rebounds, with Rachel Koenig adding eight points.
Bemidji State limited Minot State (8-16, 5-10 NSIC) to just a 34.8 percent (23-66) shooting effort and 4-22 (18.2) from three. It was a strong defensive start to the night with BSU holding Minot State to just 4-17 from the field in the first quarter.
Following three ties over the first six-plus minutes, Bemidji State moved out to the five-point lead with Sam Pogatchnik hitting a layup and Majewski sinking a triple. Minot State tallied a free throw to close the opening quarter with BSU leading 18-14.
Hill pushed the lead out to six at 20-14 just 43 seconds into the second quarter with a layup. MSU fought back a couple of times and were within four when Majewski drilled a pair of three-pointers in 32 seconds to stretch the lead to 10 at 32-22 near the midway point of the quarter.
Another Majewski long ball was followed by a jumper by Koenig that had the lead as high as 15. Minot State tallied the last four points of the half to leave Bemidji State with the 40-29 lead at halftime.
In Barrette kept the three-pointers rolling right into the second half connecting on a triple over a minute in to push the lead to 14. After Minot State went on a quick 5-0 run to cut the deficit to nine, Koenig, Barrette and Guenther recorded six points in just over a minute to expand the lead back to 14.
Bemidji State added one more point to the lead the remainder of the third quarter to take the 56-41 lead into the fourth quarter.
Minot State made one final push getting to within nine with 4:36 to play, but a 9-0 run followed for BSU to secure the victory. Sage Ganyo started the run with a layup, then after a Hill layup, Guenther hit two from the line. Pogatchnik closed the run with a three-point-play.
Bemidji State finished the night going 10-22 (45.5) from three and went 11-16 (68.8) at the foul line. Minot State went to the line 23 times but made just 13 (56.5). BSU held the edge in points in the paint (36-26) and fastbreak points (15-8).
BSU will now return home to host MSU Moorhead this Saturday starting at 1 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).
