BSU to host Minn. Duluth Dec. 2 before trip to face St. Cloud State Dec. 4

Bemidji State University women’s basketball plays host to the University of Minnesota Duluth Thursday, Dec. 2 followed by a road trip to St. Cloud State University Saturday, Dec. 4 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference-opening weekend. The Beavers and Bulldogs tip-off at 7:30 p.m. from the BSU Gymnasium followed by a 4 p.m. start against the Huskies from Halenbeck Hall in St. Cloud, Minn.

Minnesota Duluth leads the all-time series against Bemidji State, 78-30. The Beavers and Bulldogs last met Feb. 27, 2021 in the NSIC Tournament Semifinal, a 76-67 win by UMD to advance to the NSIC Championship. UMD has won nine straight in the series, dating back to Jan. 7, 2017. Bemidji State and Minnesota Duluth first met in 1968, a BSU win.

After starting the season 2-0, Bemidji State returned from the Southeastern Thanksgiving Tournament with two losses to the University of Sciences, 57-54, and Southeastern University (Fla.), 81-76.

In Friday’s game, sophomore center Rachael Heittola recorded her second double-double of the season as the Beavers nearly made a 13-point comeback against the Devils of USciences. The Beavers opened the game on a 12-0 run while the Devils followed with an 11-0 run to end the quarter. USciences outscored BSU, 16-8, in the second quarter before a game-high, 13-point lead early in the third quarter. The Beavers went on a 16-0 run over a four-minute span to regain a lead, 35-33. The Devils scored seven of the next 10 points to take its final lead of the game.

Heittola’s double-double was fueld by a team-high 21 points and 11 rebounds. She went 8-of-9 from the free throw line and 3-of-4 from 3-point range. Junior forward Taylor Vold followed Heittola with eight rebounds.

BSU shot 35.3 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from 3-point range and 83.3 percent from the free throw line and won the rebounds margin, 36-33. The Devils limited the Beavers to a season-low 18 points in the paint.

On Saturday, Bemidji State and Southeastern traded leads 10 times through the first half before SEU pulled away to start the third quarter. The Fire held a lead by as many as 15 points late in the third quarter, but the Beavers scored 20 fourth-quarter points to pull back to within three. Bachmann hit her first 3-pointer of the game to cut the SEU lead to 76-73 with 1:10 to play. Following a basket by SEU, junior guard Maddie Schires sank her fifth 3-pointer of the game to bring BSU within two, 78-76, with 27 seconds to play. Following one free throw by SEU, Schires took the potential game-tying 3-pointer that was off target to close the game.

Heittola, Schires and Yoder each led BSU with 15 points while Yoder added nine assists, seven rebounds and a career-high seven steals. All of Schires’ points came by 3-pointers while Bachmann accounted for four assists.

BSU shot 42.1 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from long range and 78.3 percent from the free throw line against SEU. The Fire won the rebound margin, 36-27, and the battle in the paint, 48-26.

BSU ranks third in the NSIC with 41.0 rebounds per game, fourth with 58.8 points allowed, fifth with a 36.7 field goal defense, sixth with 72.0 points per game, seventh with a 43.2 field goal percent and 12th with 37.5 rebounds allowed per game.