CROOKSTON, Minn. - Bemidji State University outscored the University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team 32-16 in the final 12 minutes of the game Thursday, February 8 at Lysaker Gymnasium to earn an 87-70 win.
Minnesota Crookston had trailed by just one point with 1:54 remaining in the second quarter before Bemidji State's run. The Beavers were guided by 23 second-half points from Alyssa Hill.
The Golden Eagles dropped to 9-14 (6-11 NSIC) with Thursday's loss to Bemidji State. The two teams split the season series after Minnesota Crookston won 73-70 in Bemidji. The Beavers have won three of their last four games, improving to 6-16 (3-15 NSIC). The Golden Eagles remain in ninth place in the NSIC standings.
The Golden Eagles were guided by 27 points from Emma Miller (So., G, Albertville, Minn.) on 9-of-17 from the field, and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. Miller has 937 career points, needing 63 to become the 13th player in Minnesota Crookston's Division II history to eclipse 1,000 points. Hope Dudycha (R-Fr., G, Austin, Minn.) chipped in 15 points. Riley Jenkins (R-Fr., G/F, Galesburg, Ill.) added nine points, as did Rayna Klejeski (Fr., F, Barnum, Minn.).
The Golden Eagles shot 23-of-55 from the field for 41.8 percent. They were 10-of-23 for 43.5 percent from beyond the arc. Minnesota Crookston went 14-of-18 for 77.8 percent from the stripe.
The key to the game was second-chance points as Bemidji State picked up 16 offensive boards leading to 18 second-chance points. They also scored 23 points off 15 Golden Eagle turnovers.
Hill lifted the Beavers with 28 points on 13-of-24 from the field. Amme Sheforgen secured her third-straight double-figure performance with 17 points and seven boards. Rachel Koenig came off the bench for 10, while Tieryn Plasch had nine points.
Bemidji State went 36-of-76 for 47.4 percent from the field. They were 8-of-21 for 38.1 percent from beyond the arc, and 7-of-11 for 63.6 percent from the foul line. The Beavers outrebounded Minnesota Crookston 46-29.
The Golden Eagles jumped out to a 7-3 lead on a Jenkins bucket. Bemidji State countered with a 16-0 run propelled by six points from Plasch to take the 19-7 advantage. Minnesota Crookston was able to trim the deficit to 21-12 on a Miller trey going into the quarter break.
The Beavers extended their lead to 25-12 to open the second stanza, propelled by a trey from Ashlynne Guenther. Minnesota Crookston caught a spark in the next possession and followed it up with a 7-0 run lifted by five points from Hope Dudycha. Sheforgen scored to extend the Beaver lead to 27-19, but Minnesota Crookston came back with three points to pull within 27-22. A Plasch trey put Bemidji State back up 30-22. However, U of M Crookston fired back with a 7-0 run as a Klejeski bucket cut the BSU advantage to 30-29 with 3:44 remaining in the frame. A basket from Hill extended the Beaver lead to 34-29 with 2:24 left. Minnesota Crookston countered with a 7-2 run to end the stanza, as a Hope Dudycha trey knotted the game 36-36 at the half.
Hill scored the first four points of the third quarter to give the Beavers an early 40-36 lead. Minnesota Crookston kept it close, eventually taking a 49-48 lead on a Hope Dudycha triple with 4:10 remaining in the frame. Bemidji State came back with a 7-0 run guided by four points from Hill to make it 55-49. Minnesota Crookston made a charge with a 5-0 run, as a pair of Miller free throws cut the deficit to one with 1:54 left. However, Bemidji State closed out the quarter on a 5-0 run with all five points from Hill to go into the quarter break with a 60-54 lead.
The Beavers opened the final stanza on a 5-2 run to lead by nine with 8:22 left in the game. Minnesota Crookston came within six points on a Miller triple. Four-straight points from Bemidji State pushed the lead back out to 10 with 6:40 left. Jenkins fired back with a trey to cut the BSU lead to seven with 6:04 left. However, Bemidji State followed it up with a 9-2 run to take a 14-point lead on a Sheforgen trey. Minnesota Crookston came back within 11 on a Miller three-pointer. However, Bemidji State was able to close out the 87-70 victory down the stretch.
Minnesota Crookston hits the road Saturday, February 10 to play Northern State University at 4 p.m., in Aberdeen, S.D.
