ST. CLOUD -- For the first time all season, the Bemidji State men鈥檚 basketball team is on a winning streak.
Nick Wagner fueled the back end of BSU鈥檚 weekend sweep over St. Cloud State, going off for 30 points that launched the Beavers to an 87-67 road win.
ADVERTISEMENT
The sweep also elevates Bemidji State (4-8, 3-7 NSIC North) within one game of the North Division鈥檚 final playoff spot. With four games remaining, U-Mary (4-6 NSIC North) currently holds fourth place, owning a percentage-points tiebreaker over 3-5 Minnesota Duluth and 3-5 SCSU.
On Saturday, the first five field goals for BSU came from 3-point range, which contributed to a 14-4 start in under five minutes. Although the Huskies worked back into a 20-20 tie, Griffin Chase answered with a three to give the Beavers the lead for good.
Derek Thompson restored a double-digit advantage at 44-33 on a triple of his own, which led to a 46-36 halftime score.
Wagner had a respectable 13 points at the break, but he produced another 17 over the final 20 minutes -- including 11 points during a decisive three-minute span in the second half.
St. Cloud State was as close as 50-44 with 17 minutes to go, but Wagner answered through a 3-pointer that brought momentum back to Bemidji State. Not long after, Wagner got hot as part of a 15-0 BSU run that saw the lead grow to 77-54.
The Huskies never challenged again, as the Beavers led by as many as 24 before finishing off their first 20-point win of the year.
Wagner鈥檚 season-high 30 points came on 11-for-17 shooting, which included an 8-for-14 clip from beyond the arc. Thompson also hit 20 points, while Chase and Tyler Behrendt chipped in 10 apiece. As a team, Bemidji State shot 15-for-37 from deep.
ADVERTISEMENT
Anthony Roberts finished with 18 points and nine rebounds to pace SCSU.
The Beavers will now return home for the final two weeks of the regular season. They鈥檒l first host Minnesota Duluth on Feb. 12-13 at the BSU Gymnasium, with Friday鈥檚 tipoff set for 6 p.m. and Saturday鈥檚 for 3:30 p.m.
Bemidji State 87, St. Cloud State 67
BSU 46 41 -- 87
SCSU 36 31 -- 67
BEMIDJI STATE (4-8, 3-7 NSIC) -- Wagner 30, Thompson 20, Behrendt 10, Chase 10, Landwehr 8, Kone 5, Albrecht 2, Kaufmanis 2, Casper 0, Olizia 0, Olson 0, Senske 0. Totals: 35-74 FGs, 2-2 FTs, 87.
ADVERTISEMENT
ST. CLOUD STATE (5-7, 3-5 NSIC) -- Roberts 18, Donaldson 14, Tomasi 10, Bagley 8, Schuemer 8, London 4, Taylor 3, Mutimer 2, Alexander 0, Grantham 0, Pavlov 0, Willert 0. Totals: 28-60 FGs, 4-8 FTs, 67.
