The Bemidji State University women’s basketball team fell 77-59 in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference contest at University of Mary Friday in Bismarck, N.D. A cold streak in the first half put the Beavers in a hole it couldn’t get out of as the squad moved to 7-12 overall and 5-9 in NSIC play.

The Beavers and Marauders (14-4, 11-3 NSIC) traded baskets during the first six minutes of the first half to sit knotted at 11-11. BSU then used an 8-3 run to take a 19-14 lead with 8:55 remaining in the frame, capped by a freshman Tatum Lee (G, Hayward, Wis.) bucket. It would be all U-Mary for the rest of the first as it posted an 18-3 finish to the first 20 minutes to take a 36-22 advantage into the locker room.   

The Beavers struggled from the field in the first half with a 21.9 shooting percentage, while the Marauders shot 44.4 percent from the field. Three of BSU’s seven field goals came form beyond the arc as it went 3-for-8 (37.5%) from downtown. Junior Shannon Thompson (G, Rosemount, Minn.) led BSU with six points and four rebounds.    

BSU was able to hang around in the first 10 minutes of the second half and trailed by 13 at 51-38 with 10:35 to go in regulation, but that was as close as the Beavers would get, as the Marauders opened a 20 point lead with 5:55 left, en route to the 18 point victory. BSU shot the ball well from 3-point land with a 53.3 percentage (8-for-15), but it didn’t help the overall shooting from the field. The Beavers shot 31.0 percent in the game, allowing U-Mary to post a 46.3 shooting percentage.

Senior forward Taylor Davis (Crookston, Minn.) led BSU in scoring with 12 points off the bench. She shot 4-for-7 (57.1%) from the field, 2-for-4 (50%) from 3-point land, was 2-for-2 from the line and added five rebounds in 16 minutes of play. Sophomore Kate Warmack (C, East Grand Forks, N.D.) fell just one point and one rebound shy of a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.
 
The Beavers close the weekend at Northern State University Saturday with a 6 p.m. game.