BEMIDJI, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team was out-scored 44-26 in the first and third quarters combined as they fell to Bemidji State 79-57 on Sat., Dec. 21 at BSU Gymnasium. The Golden Eagles were unable to stop the Beavers, who shot 53.3 percent from the field from the game.

Bemidji State picks up their first season sweep in the series since the 2012-13 season. The Golden Eagles have still won seven of the last 10 games in the rivalry series putting the two schools located just 88 miles apart on U.S. Highway 2. Minnesota Crookston leads the series 21-19 in the NCAA Division II era.

Bemidji State is off to one of their best starts in recent history, as the Beavers improved to 6-4 (3-3 NSIC) with Saturday's victory. Minnesota Crookston falls to 2-8 (1-5 NSIC) with the loss in Bemidji.
Minnesota Crookston was paced by Abby Guidinger (Jr., G/F, Waukesha, Wis.), who continues to be the top offensive threat for the Golden Eagles. Guidinger had 17 points on 7-of-16 from the field. She is averaging 16.3 points per game for Minnesota Crookston over the last three.

Bren Fox (So., F/C, Norwood Young America, Minn.) chipped in eight points and eight rebounds, while Julia Peplinski (So., F/C, Hustisford, WIs.) came off the bench for eight points and 10 rebounds.
The Golden Eagles shot just 21-of-62 from the field for 33.9 percent. Minnesota Crookston was 5-of-22 from beyond the arc for 22.7 percent. They were 10-of-18 for 55.6 percent.Minnesota Crookston had 15 turnovers on the game and out-rebounded Bemidji State 41-37.

Bemidji State looked to Brooklyn Bachmann for 13 points and five rebounds. Bachmann averaged 15 points per game in her two games against Minnesota Crookston this season. Trinity Myer added 13 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Taylor Bray added 12 points, while Rachael Heittola came off the bench for 13 points and six boards.

The Beavers were 32-of-60 from the field for 53.3 percent. Bemidji State was 5-of-12 for 41.7 percent from behind the three-point line and 10-of-18 for 55.6 percent from the foul line.

The Beavers opened the game on a 13-2 run culminating with a basket from Bachmann. Minnesota Crookston halted the run with a Paige Cornale (So., G, Oak Creek, Wis.) hoop to trim the lead to 13-4. Minnesota Crookston built their run to 5-2 with a Peplinski trey from the wing as they pulled within 15-7.

Bemidji State countered with a 7-2 run ending with a Sydney Zerr trey as they extended their lead to 22-9 with 1:31 remaining in the first quarter. The Golden Eagles used a 5-0 run led by a Cornale triple to cut the lead to 22-14 late in the first quarter. However, Myer hit a jumper as time expired in the stanza to push the lead back out to 24-14.

The two teams traded baskets early in the second quarter. Both teams then struggled to find the net until Myer used a put-back with 5:35 left in the stanza to extend the advantage to 30-18. Minnesota Crookston responded with a Paige Weakley (Sr., G/F, Kearney, Mo.) triple as they pulled to within 30-21.

Bachmann countered on the opposite end with a trey to push the lead back out to 33-21 for the Beavers. Claire Wolhowe made it a 6-0 run for Bemidji State as they took the 15-point lead at 36-21. Minnesota Crookston halted the run as Peterson drained a contested three-pointer to cut the gap to 36-24. The Golden Eagles made it a 5-0 run of their own as Guidinger sank a jumper to pull Minnesota Crookston back within 10 at 36-26.

Minnesota Crookston sliced the lead down to eight as Post found her way to the hoop for a pair to trim the lead to 38-30. Bemidji State countered with a Zerr trey to extend the lead back out to 41-30. A Guidinger jumper late in the second stanza cut the deficit to 41-32 going into the half.

Kylie Post (So., G, Corcoran, Minn.) went 1-of-2 from the line to give Minnesota Crookston the first point of the third quarter as they trimmed the lead to 41-33. Bemidji State countered with a 9-2 run ending with a Myer lay-in as they pushed the lead out to 50-35.

Minnesota Crookston responded with a 6-2 run led by five points from Guidinger, as they cut the lead to 52-41. Bemidji State countered on the other end with a 4-0 run of their own to extend the advantage back out to 56-41.

A Peplinski put-back snapped the Beaver run as the Golden Eagles pulled to within 56-43. The Beavers pushed their lead out to 17 at 61-44 using a pair of Coley Rezabek free throws. That would be the tally going into the quarter break.

Gabby Dubois used an old-fashioned three-point play to open the fourth quarter as they pushed the lead to 64-44. Myer then used a steal and a transition bucket to widen the gap to 66-44. Weakley stopped the BSU run with a jumper to trim the deficit to 66-46.

The Golden Eagles would trim the lead to 19 at 68-49 with a Fox put-back. Bemidji State countered with a 6-0 run following a Heittola bucket to widen the gap to 74-49. Minnesota Crookston used back-to-back buckets from Guidinger to pull to within 74-53. A Mary Burke (R-Fr., F, Virginia, Minn.) put-back brought the score back within 19 points at 74-55. Rezabek stopped the Minnesota Crookston 6-0 run with a triple to put Minnesota Crookston away as the Beavers won 77-55.

The Golden Eagles return to play Fri., Jan. 3 at St. Cloud State University with a 5:30 p.m. tip.