The Bemidji State University women’s basketball team fell to No. 17 Minnesota State University, Mankato 94-77 in a first round Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference/Sanford Health Women’s Basketball Tournament game Wednesday in Mankato, Minn. The loss ended the 2012-13 season for the Beavers and dropped their overall record to 11-16.

Junior guard Morgan Lee (Hayward, Wis.) led the team in scoring with 22 points on 8-for-17 (47.1%) shooting from the field. The 20-point performance was her fourth this season with 20 or more points. Seniors Shannon Thompson (G, Rosemount, Minn.) and Emily Kaus (C, Eagan, Minn.) played their final games in the green and white Wednesday. Thompson finished with 11 points, seven assists and four steals on 40 percent shooting from the field. Kaus played 26 minutes off the bench and totaled eight points and eight rebounds with a four blocked shots to tie a season-high. Junior center Kate Warmack (East Grand Forks, Minn.) scored 14 of her 20 points in the second half and added six rebounds with three blocks and two steals.

Bemidji State totaled seven blocks and posted 46.3 percent from the field, while MSU recorded a 51.5 percentage shooting night. The Beavers turned the ball over 23 times and allowed the Mavericks to pull down 15 offensive rebounds. BSU lost the battle in the paint 46-30.

The first half started off with two consecutive 3-pointers from MSU that were followed by one from Thompson that brought the score to 6-3. With 16:02 left in the half, the Beavers started a scoreless three and a half minutes that allowed the Mavericks to open a six point run and lead 18-10.

With 12:24 showing on the clock, Thompson sunk a layup and a free throw that put BSU within five points of Minnesota State, 18-13. Halfway through the first period Lee made a 3-pointer that put the Beavers only one point behind, until a layup from MSU put the road team three points behind, but Lee seemed determined and converted on a layup to bring the score to 22-21 in favor of the Mavericks.

Another scoreless three minutes for Bemidji State, which started with 4:21 left in the half, gave the Mavericks a 9-0 run. Warmack ended the half with a two-point basket that brought the score to 42-34 heading into the locker room.

With 15:31 left in play the Beavers had been keeping up with the Mavericks almost shot for shot, staying within 10-15 points of each other. With 9:54 showing on the game clock, a lay-up from Kaus cut the deficit to just eight at 67-59.

Unfortunately for BSU, the lead went back to double digits less than a minute later and with 6:05 left on the clock, the Beavers trailed off and allowed five unanswered points to trail 76-61. The trend continued for the rest of game and a final bucket from Jessie Althoff (Jr., F, Becker, Minn.) ended the game with the Beavers losing 94-77.

Head coach Mike Curfman completed his eighth season at Bemidji State and owns an 82-136 record as the Beaver bench boss.