Bemidji State finishes heavy road-month at Concordia, Minnesota State

The Bemidji State University women’s basketball team travels to Concordia University-St. Paul and Minnesota State University Friday, Jan. 26 and 27 to wrap up a road-heavy January schedule. The Beavers begin the weekend against the Golden Bears at 6 p.m. Friday at Gangelhoff Center followed by the weekend finale against the Mavericks at 4 p.m. Saturday at Stewart Center.

The Beavers and Golden Bears have met 41 times before Friday’s game in a series led by CSP, 29-12. BSU began the series with 10 wins over the first 13 games while CSP has taken control of the series with record 26 wins over the last 28, dating back to Jan. 13, 2001. Concordia-St. Paul won last year’s lone matchup, 68-60, in Bemidji, Minn.

Senior center Sierra Senske is the only returning Beaver to score in double figures against CSP last season, finishing with 10 points, while she led the with seven boards. Bemidji State made a late comeback with a 25-point fourth quarter but fell for the third straight time to Concordia-St. Paul.

The Beavers and Mavericks began their series in 1976, led by MSU, 31-13. Minnesota State has won the last seven games against Bemidji State, including a 75-64 victory in Bemidji last season.

Junior forward Emma Rappe recorded a career-high 15 points off the bench against MSU last season on 6-of-12 shooting from the field. She played 18 minutes while sinking 3-of-6 shots from 3-point range. After MSU jumped out to a 20-10 lead after the first quarter, BSU climbed back to within five points but slipped in the fourth quarter to drop their seventh straight to the Mavericks.