Video – Beaver Fever Friday – Allison Cordes – Womens Basketball

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Bemidji State University women’s basketball was handed a road loss in head coach Chelsea DeVille’s return to her alma mater Augustana University, 86-61, Saturday in Sioux Falls, S.D. BSU (6-16, 3-15 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) saw an early deficit and never made a comeback against AU (18-7, 13-5 NSIC).

Bemidji State was not able to find a stop to Augustana’s offense after a 27-15 first-quarter deficit and saw the deficit grow following halftime. The Vikings finished shooting above their season average at 50.0 percent from the floor.

Both teams opened the game shooting from deep with neither converting, as Bemidji State and Augustana combined for 0-for-5 from 3-pointer over the first minute. Senior guard Aimee Pelzer scored the first of her seven first-half points on a 3-pointer to trail AU, 4-3, early in the first. The Vikings followed up with a 10-0 run to take a 14-3 lead halfway through the first quarter.

Augustana held Bemidji State to 2-for-11 shooting from the floor to begin the game before BSU cut its deficit to single-digits before the end of the period. After the Vikings took another double-digit lead, senior guard Tatum Sheley and sophomore forward Emma Rappe each hit 3-pointers to cut the Beavers’ deficit to single-digits for the final time during the game.

Following a 44-25 Augustana lead at halftime, the Vikings scored seven straight points to lead by at least 20 points for the remainder of the game.

Junior center Sierra Senske led BSU with 12 points and six rebounds while going 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Pelzer followed with 11 points as the only other Beaver in double-digit scoring and added five assists.

The Vikings totaled six players in double-figure scoring with a trio leading the team with 14 points.

Bemidji State remains on the road during its next weekend while traveling to No. 17 Minnesota State University Moorhead and Northern State University. The Beavers first take on the Dragons Feb. 10 in Moorhead, Minn., before the final regular season road game of the season against the Wolves Feb. 11 in Aberdeen, S.D.