Beavers travel to Minot State, host MSU Moorhead this week

The Bemidji State University Women’s Basketball team will travel to Minot State this Thursday for a 5:30 p.m. matchup and then host MSU Moorhead on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. inside the BSU Gym.

Bemidji State (3-15, 0-14 NSIC) had a couple of tough matchups this past week falling to Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota Duluth.

Head coach Chelsea Stoltenberg is just three wins from moving to fourth on the program wins list, currently at 68. Alyssa Hill is closing in on 500 career points, currently at 479.

BSU is averaging 55.4 points and allowing 65.3. Bemidji State is making 371-1,012 (36.7) from the field, 88-346 (25.4) from three and 167-245 (68.2) at the foul line. Opponents are making 438-1,055 (41.5) from the field, 70-285 (24.6) from three and 229-330 (69.4) at the foul line.

Hill leads the way averaging 12.4 points and 4.7 rebounds. She adds 13 blocks and 10 steals, while making 95-192 (49.5) from the field. Sam Pogatchnik averages 8.5 points and 4.3 rebounds, along with 35 assists and 16 steals. She leads the team with 31 free throws made. Amme Sheforgen is at 6.5 points and leads the team with 43 assists. Sydney White adds 5.6 points and Alayna Suprenand at 5.3 points per game.

Bemidji State continues to lead the NSIC and rank 15th nationally in defensive three-point field goal percentage (24.6). BSU ranks sixth in the NSIC in bench points per game (19.2), and seventh in blocks per game (4.1).

Individually, Hill is third in the NSIC and 60th nationally in field goal percentage (49.5) and ranks 13th in the conference in field goals (95). Sheforgen is 15th in the NSIC in blocks per game (0.78) and 16th in blocks (14). Ella Giorgi is 14th in the NSIC in blocks per game (0.80).

Bemidji State will see Minot State for the first time since the conference opener back on Dec. 1 in which MSU claimed the 68-56 victory. Minot State opened the game outscoring BSU 29-13 over the first 10 minutes and never looked back. Bemidji State got as close as nine in the fourth quarter but weren’t able to complete the comeback. Hill scored a career-high 29 points in the game.

Minot State is 8-15 overall and 5-9 in NSIC play having won three straight. Last week, MSU collected an overtime win over Wayne State (73-70) and a win against Augustana (66-60). The winning streak started back on Jan. 20 against Winona State picking up the 59-45 victory. MSU has gone 4-6 at home this season.

Minot State is averaging 59.3 points and allowing 67 points per game. MSU is making 505-1,294 (39) from the field, 130-463 (28.1) from three and 224-335 (66.9) at the foul line. Opponents are making 559-1,332 (42) from the field, 168-517 (32.5) from three and 254-336 (75.6) at the foul line.

Sydney Gustavsson is averaging 12.5 points, while adding 37 assists and 32 steals. Taylor Goss is averaging 7.9 points, along with 32 assists. Emma Mogen tallies seven points per game, with Jaime Skeggs and Emily Srejma adding 6.5 points apiece.

Minot State leads the series with Bemidji State at 12-11 carrying a one-game winning streak in the series. The loss to MSU snapped a seven-game winning streak in the series for Bemidji State. BSU is 5-5 during that time in Minot.

To close the week, Bemidji State will host MSU Moorhead on Saturday. The Dragons are 8-12 overall and 8-7 in NSIC play having lost three of their last five games. This past week, MSU Moorhead defeated Winona State (75-62) before falling to Minnesota State (80-57). They played this week already on Tuesday hosting Minnesota Crookston and coming away with the 75-52 victory.

The teams played earlier this season with MSU Moorhead claiming the 69-46 win in Moorhead. Pogatchnik led the way with 11 points, with Tieryn Plasch adding eight points. The Dragons used a big first and third quarters to claim the win.

MSU Moorhead averages 63.1 points and allows 63.1 points. The Dragons are making 463-1,229 (37.7) from the field, 115-392 (29.3) from three and 221-317 (69.7) at the foul line. Opponents are making 471-1,232 (38.2) from the field, 140-441 (31.7) from three and 180-273 (65.9) at the foul line.

Natalie Jens leads the team averaging 15.3 points and a team-best 77 assists and 47 steals. Terryn Johnson is averaging 10.3 points and 8.3 rebounds. Abby Berge adds 8.1 points.

MSU Moorhead leads the series 73-43 with Bemidji State with the Dragons winning the past four meetings. The last win for BSU was during the 2021-22 season claiming the 69-68 victory in Bemidji.

A look around the NSIC standings has Minnesota State in first at 14-1. Northern State and Southwest Minnesota State are tied for second at 11-3. Concordia-St. Paul is fourth at 11-4. UMary is fifth at 10-4. Minnesota Duluth sits sixth at 9-6. St. Cloud State is seventh at 8-6 with MSU Moorhead rounding out the top-eight at 8-7. Minesota Crookston is ninth at 6-9, with Sioux Falls and Minot State tied for 10th at 5-9.

The games will be broadcasted on the NSIC Network and on Beaver Radio Network. BSU has moved to cashless tickets for the season, so please make sure to purchase your tickets ahead of time on HomeTown Tickets by clicking here.

After the games this week, Bemidji State will host Northern State on Tuesday (Feb. 6) and play at Minnesota Crookston next Thursday (Feb. 8).