The Bemidji State women's basketball team got exactly what it wanted ... eventually.
BSU broke open a close game late in the second half to hand visiting Minnesota-Crookston an 88-61 defeat Saturday night at the BSU Gymnasium.
The Golden Eagles pulled to within 59-51 just over the midway point of the second half but the Beavers ended the game on a 29-10 run for the win.
After Trissilyn Clayton hit the back end of a one-and-one at the 12:23 mark of the second half to pull within eight points the Beavers woke up.
Junior Stephanie Peterson hit back-to-back jumpers and then Nancy McConkey scored eight of her 10 points on the night over a span of two and a half minutes to take a 71-52 lead.
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Six of McConkey's points over that span came via the 3-pointer.
"I don't think many people expect it just because I'm an inside player," said the 5-foot-10 senior.
"Even the coaches are surprised but I don't know why, I'm always practicing them," McConkey added with a laugh.
It was close for much of the contest.
BSU claimed an 11-point lead midway through the first half on a Kate Bremmer 3 but the Golden Eagles cut the Beavers' lead to 32-31 with 4:37 before the half.
However, a 9-2 run by the Beavers to close out the half gave them a 41-33 leading at the start of the second half.
BSU again built a double-digit lead and again it was Bremmer who stepped up to give her team a 49-37 lead two and a half minutes into the second.
Back-to-back 3s from Jackie Artise and Megan Hulst quickly cut into the Beavers lead.
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A 3 from Colleen Boell at 14:06 gave BSU a 59-48 lead but two minutes later came Clayton's shot from the foul line to pull her team within eight.
McConkey said UMC stayed in the game because the team simply made too many mistakes.
"We had too many turnovers and I think it just slowed down our game and we also didn't get enough stops on defense," McConkey said.
The victory was a boost of confidence for the team following a disappointing road trip last weekend.
"Last weekend was tough," said McConkey of BSU's 21-point loss at MSU-Mankato and a 22-point loss at Concordia-St. Paul. "We need to be a better road team."
Peterson led BSU with 17 points. Bremmer hit 15 and Heidi Matzke added 13 in the win.
Clayton and Artise led UMC with 13 points each.
The Beavers take a break from NSIC play Monday when they host Minnesota-Duluth. It's then back to league play Friday and Saturday when they host Northern State and Mary.
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Bemidji State 88, UM-Crookston 61
UM-Crookston (0-23, 0-14 NSIC): Treasure Clemons 1-4 0-2 2, Brittany Milne 2-5 0-1 5, Kelsey Van Ackeren 2-11 2-2 7, Katie Cheline 3-5 2-3 8, Theresa Crance 1-3 4-5 6, Megan Hulst 1-6 0-0 3, Doriane Davis 2-4 0-0 4, Trissilyn Clayton 4-13 4-6 13, Jackie Artise 4-9 2-2 13. Totals 20-60 14-21 61.
Bemidji State (12-10, 8-6 NSIC): Heidi Matzke 4-8 2-2 13, Nancy McConkey 4-7 0-0 10, Kate Bremmer 6-12 0-0 15, Amy Lawson 0-1 2-4 2, Stephanie Peterson 8-11 1-1 17, Miranda Nelson 0-0 2-2 2, Bridget Smith2-8 0-0 5, Kelly Landsverfk 1-1 0-0 3, Colleen Boell 3-6 0-0 7, Melissa Roberts 2-3 0-0 5, Katherin Jamnick 1-2 0-0 2, Jenny Wenlund 3-4 1-2 7. Totals 34-63 8-11 88.
Halftime - Bemidji State 41-33. 3-point goals - Bemidji State 12-25 (Matzke 3-5, McConkey 2-3, Bremmer 3-5, Smith 1-7, Landsverk 1-1, Boell 1-3, Roberts 1-1), UM-Crookston 7-21 (Milne 1-1, Van Ackeren 1-4, Hulst 1-3, Clayton 1-8, Artise 3-5). Fouled out - none. Technicals - none. Rebounds - Bemidji State 43 (Wenlund 6), UM-Crookston 32 (Cheline 8). Assists - Bemidji State 29 (Lawson 9), UM-Crookston 9 (Milne, Artise 2). Turnovers - Bemidji State 18 (Matzke 4), UM-Crookston 18 (Van Ackeren 5). Total fouls - Bemidji State 14, UM-Crookston 14. A - 485. Officials - Brenda Magoba, Patrick Roth, Jim Erzar.
