Black scores season-high 25 points on Senior Night in loss to Wolves

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Senior guard Sharif Black set a season high in scoring during Bemidji State University men’s basketball’s senior night in a 104-76 loss to No. 12 Northern State University at BSU Gymnasium. Black finished the game with 25 points while fellow senior Christian Pekarek led the Beavers (11-14, 8-12 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) with five assists against the Wolves (25-3, 18-2 NSIC).

Black helped give the Beavers their only two leads of the first half, the first coming off a 3-pointer to go up, 5-4, and the second off his ninth point of the half to lead, 16-15. The Wolves followed with an 11-0 run over the next two minutes, including three consecutive 3-pointers, to go up by double-digits. Black’s 14 first-half points helped cut the lead down again to three, while NSU ended the half on a 13-2 run to take a 52-38 lead.

Both teams traded scores to begin the second half, until Black laid in a basket and assisted on a 3-pointer to bring BSU within single digits again, 57-48. The Wolves continued to shoot well from both beyond the arc and in the paint to pull away as the second half wore on.

Black ended the second half with 11 points to finish with a season-high 25 on the night. He also chipped in a team-high five rebounds and four assists. Sophomore guard Jai’Vionne Green and freshman forward Derek Thompson each followed Black with 11 points, while senior guard Christian Pekarek led BSU with five assists on the night.

Bemidji State finished the night shooting 48.3 percent from the field, 45.0 percent from beyond the arc and 68.8 percent from the free throw line. Northern State won the battle in the paint, 42-30, and scored 16 points off eight Bemidji State turnovers.

Bemidji State closes out the regular season Friday, Feb. 16 at University of Mary and Saturday, Feb. 17 at Minot State University.