BEMIDJI 鈥� For about 20 minutes, the net seemed a bit wider for Tieryn Plasch.
The Bemidji State women鈥檚 basketball team found itself with a 39-26 halftime lead over St. Cloud State Thursday evening at the BSU Gymnasium, thanks in large part to the sophomore guard鈥檚 red-hot shooting from beyond the arc.
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Plasch nailed six 3-pointers through the first two quarters, beating her previous career-high point total of 17 points against Minot State on Dec. 7 before the halftime buzzer sounded.
鈥淐oming into the game, we knew they were going to be really high up in the gaps,鈥� Plasch said. 鈥淪o, as a shooter, I had to be ready to shoot it. In the first half I was (ready), and in the second half they adjusted, which led to my teammates being able to get downhill and get in the paint.鈥�
Despite that great start, the Beavers鈥� momentum came to a screeching halt in the third quarter.
St. Cloud State came out of the locker room and ripped off a quick 10-2 run, drawing within five points of Bemidji State and forcing a timeout.
In their last couple NSIC matchups, those quick momentum swings after solid starts have spelled doom for the Beavers.
Last Saturday, the swing came in the second quarter, when Minnesota State Moorhead came storming back to capture the lead and eventually, the win.
The evening prior, an offensive lull in the third quarter pushed the game out of reach, as Northern State outscored BSU 17-7 to take a commanding 56-38 lead heading into the final frame.
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This time around, Bemidji State stabilized.
鈥淪t. Cloud changed what they were defensively and really got in our shots and kind of stymied us a little bit,鈥� head coach Chelsea Stoltenberg said. 鈥淪o for us, (it was) just that refocus, compose. I just keep telling them my message is we have to play like we鈥檙e up 10 always, because then we play a little looser. So in that timeout I took early, it was just that message.鈥�
Though the Huskies tied up the game at 45-45 just a few minutes after the timeout, they were never able to capture the lead in the third. By the time the quarter was wrapped up, the Beavers were still in front, 56-52.
鈥淏efore the game started, coach said play like we鈥檙e up 10, play like we鈥檙e down 10 鈥� no matter what, stay calm,鈥� Plasch said. 鈥淚n the locker room, we said they鈥檙e going to go on their run, so we just have to stay calm and do what we鈥檝e been doing the whole game. I felt like they went on their run, but we did a good job of staying present and just doing what we were told.鈥�
Momentum swung like a pendulum in the final quarter, as St. Cloud State and Bemidji State traded leads and ties down to the final few minutes.
But the Beavers were the last ones in control.
Junior forward Rachel Koenig converted a clutch layup and an ensuing free throw with 56 seconds remaining to give BSU a 73-69 lead. With 16 seconds left, she tallied another backbreaking basket in response to a 3-point play from the Huskies, slipping into the paint for a layup that handed Bemidji State a 75-72 lead.
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Sophomore forward Ashlynne Guenther nailed three free throws down the stretch, handing the Beavers (3-6) a 78-74 win over St. Cloud State (6-5) and their first NSIC victory of the season.
鈥淚 just told them, 'Alright do you believe in yourselves?鈥�" Stoltenberg said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all smiles and excitement after that win, but I鈥檓 really trying to instill confidence and belief. It鈥檚 hard to do that when you don鈥檛 walk away with the win, so that hopefully is a big message to ourselves.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 huge,鈥� Plasch said. 鈥淟ast year, it took us forever to get a win. And then once we did, we had two more after that. So I feel like this will start to give us some momentum."
Though Plasch didn鈥檛 match her stellar first half scoring in the second, a bevy of teammates stepped up to keep the baskets coming for the Beavers.
Koenig was especially effective, collecting 20 points with her slick cuts into the paint.
鈥淪coring is just contagious, but it鈥檚 easier to play defense, so when you have a teammate that鈥檚 kind of going cheat code on it, it鈥檚 really high energy,鈥� Stoltenberg said. 鈥淏ecause (Plasch) hit those, Rachel was able to open up in the paint a little more and what we did was went to a little attacking action, and she was just always ready for the ball on her cuts and she made some tough, very timely finishes, too.鈥�
Freshman guard Aubrey Heyer also had a solid night, finishing with 13 points as well as a team-high five rebounds.
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As a group, Bemidji State was highly aggressive at the rim, earning 28 trips to the free throw line.
鈥淏eing tough and going downhill, getting to the free throw line and not always evading contact, was the message,鈥� Stoltenberg said. 鈥淲hen you slow it down and you take the momentum off and you鈥檙e shooting free throws, you're doing our offense a big service as well.鈥�
Bemidji State 78, St. Cloud State 74
SCS 17 9 21 26 22 鈥� 74
BSU 18 21 17 22 鈥� 78
St. Cloud State 鈥� Eggebrecht 27, Lambe 16, Gerads 11, Briggs 8, Stamer 7, Zarneke 5. Totals: 28-56 FGs, 6-18 3-pt. FGs, 12-18 FTs.
Bemidji State 鈥� Plasch 22, Koenig 20, Heyer 13, Guenther 9, Barrette 5, Giorgi 4, Theis 3, Hanni 2. Totals: 24-49 FGs, 6-11 3-pt. FGs, 24-28 FGs.
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