Box Score The University of Minnesota, Crookston had a six-game winning streak over Bemidji State University snapped Saturday afternoon as they fell 74-66 at BSU Gymnasium in Bemidji. UMC struggled to find the basket in the second half after an offensive barrage by both teams in the opening period. The Golden Eagles fall to 3-2 on the season and start Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play 0-1. Bemidji State remains unblemished on the season with a 5-0 mark and improve to 1-0 on the year in the league play.

The Golden Eagles shot 44.1 percent from the field in the first half but struggled in the second half as they finished the game shooting 22-of-61 for 36.1 percent. UMC was 6-of-20 for 30 percent from beyond the arc and struggled from the free-throw line as they were 16-of-26 for 61.5 percent. UMC was paced by Brittani Wiese (Sr., G, Albertville, Minn.) with 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting. Ashley Martell (So., G, Somerset, Wis.) added 13 points including 3 three-pointers while Laurie Tyson (Sr., C, Rosemount, Minn.) and Jaya Perkins (R-Fr., G, Lakeville, Minn.) each added 12 points. UMC was out-rebounded game narrowly 40-39. They were led on the boards by Wiese and Tyson, who each had six rebounds.

Bemidji State was paced by junior center Kate Warmack, who had a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds. The Beavers would end up with 43 points off the bench led by Ellie Wessling, who tallied a team-high 16 points on the game on 5-of-8 shooting. Lanae Rash chipped in 14 points and had eight rebounds while senior guard Shannon Thompson added 13 points, five assists and four steals. The Beavers shot 28-of-64 for the game for 43.8 percent and were 2-of-12 from beyond the arc for 16.7 percent. BSU was very successful from the charity stripe as they were 16-of-17 for 94.1 percent.

The Beavers and Golden Eagles played a high-paced offensive-laden first half as the BSU went into the break with a 44-41 advantage over the UMC. The Golden Eagles were down 44-39 with just seconds left in the first half but Perkins converted a lay-up off the out-of-bounds play with no time left on the clock to cut it to 44-41. The Golden Eagles were 15-of-34 in the opening period for 44.1 percent but struggled from beyond the arc as they connected on just 1-of-9. UMC was led by seniors Wiese and Tyson in the first half. Wiese was 5-of-6 from the field and had 11 points while Tyson added 10 points including 6-of-8 from the charity stripe. Perkins added nine points in the opening period.

The Golden Eagles were out-rebounded 21 to 19 in the opening half by the Beavers. Martell paced the Golden Eagles on the boards with four rebounds.

Bemidji State had 27 points off the bench in the first half paced by Thompson's 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting. Thompson added four steals in the first half. Rash also came off the bench for the Beavers and the junior college transfer added 10 points and seven rebounds while starter Warmack tallied nine points in the post. Bemidji State shot 17-of-35 for 48.6 percent in the opening period.

Bemidji State got out to an eight point lead early in the second half guided by six early points by Wessling but the Golden Eagles quickly charged back using back-to-back three-pointers from Jacy Christenson and Martell to cut the advantage to five points (58-53) with 12:59 remaining. The two teams then traded baskets to make it 60-55. Wiese then converted a jumper with time running out on the shot clock to cut it to 60-57 with under nine minutes left in the second period. Wiese used two free throws to cut the lead to one with 7:18 left.

The Beavers would extend their lead to five points (64-59) with 5:32 left as Warmack connected on 2-of-2 from the charity stripe and Wessling hit a lay-up with under five minutes left in the contest but the Golden Eagles would respond as Wiese connected on 1-of-2 from the charity stripe to cut it to a four-point advantage (64-60) with 3:40 remaining but a Warmack lay-up for Bemidji State would put the Beavers up six points (66-60) and then Morgan Lee connected on a pair of free throws to make it (68-60) with 2:53 left.

UMC made a late run in the game beginning with a Perkins converted three-pointer with 2:39 left to cut the lead to five and make it 68-63 BSU. A Jessie Althoff put-back of a Wessling miss with 1:30 left would ice the victory for Bemidji State as they went up 70-63 and wouldn't look back as they came away with a 72-66 win over the Golden Eagles.

The Golden Eagles will return to NSIC play next weekend as they head to University of Minnesota Duluth Fri., Dec. 7 and then St. Cloud State University Sat., Dec. 8.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics Web site at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

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The University of Minnesota, Crookston is an NCAA Division II Institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Golden Eagle Equestrian team is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).