BISMARCK, N.D. -- For the first time in 14 years, the Bemidji State women鈥檚 basketball team is riding a three-game conference win streak.
The streak was in doubt Friday night at U-Mary, but the Beavers pulled out a 66-61 victory in Bismarck, N.D., to win their fourth overall game in a row.
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The last time BSU won three straight conference games came Jan. 20-27, 2007. Even better, with Minnesota Duluth idle this weekend due to COVID-19 protocols, Bemidji State now holds sole possession of first place in the NSIC North Division standings.
READ MORE: Beavers, seeing fruits of their labor, off to historic start
Although the game opened with a bang for the Beavers -- a 7-0 start in the opening 1 minute, 47 seconds -- things took a disastrous turn from then on out. BSU (4-1, 3-0 NSIC North) missed its final eight shots of the quarter, going scoreless as the Marauders (1-4, 1-2 NSIC North) racked up the final 13 points of the first quarter and another two to open the second quarter.
Bemidji State fell behind 19-10 before clawing back into things -- ultimately down just 31-27 at halftime. And, in the third quarter, the Beavers started asserting their own will to take over the game.
BSU outscored U-Mary 21-11 in the third, including an 8-0 run between Brooklyn Bachmann and Gabby DuBois that got them in front 38-35. The Marauders inched back ahead by two, but Trinity Myer and Sydney Zerr took a turn for an 8-0 burst to restore the lead at 46-40.
Bemidji State carried a 50-42 lead into the fourth quarter and nursed it through the finish. Taylor Vold and Zerr hit dagger 3-pointers down the stretch, keeping the lead safely from U-Mary鈥檚 grasp and bringing home the victory.
Bachmann finished with 15 points to lead the Beavers, while Zerr had 12. Rachael Heittola produced nine points and 10 rebounds, as well.
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Lauren Rotunda tallied a game-high 17 points along with eight rebounds for the Marauder cause in the loss.
The two teams will meet again at 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, in Bismarck, N.D., to close the series. Another victory would give BSU its first four-game conference win streak since 1992.
Bemidji State 66, U-Mary 61
BSU 7 20 21 18 -- 66
U-M 13 18 11 19 -- 61
BEMIDJI STATE (4-1, 3-0 NSIC) -- Bachmann 15, Zerr 12, Heittola 9, Myer 9, Bray 8, DuBois 8, Vold 3, Rezabek 2, Wolhowe 0. Totals: 26-63 FGs, 4-11 FTs, 66.
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U-MARY (1-4, 1-2 NSIC) -- Rotunda 17, Williams 14, Schneider 12, Gillette 9, Voit 6, Kottsick 3, Borot 0, Doll 0, Grove 0, Schweitzer 0. Totals: 23-55 FGs, 10-11 FTs, 61.
