CROOKSTON - The Bemidji State women’s basketball team dropped its first game of the season Saturday, as the Beavers lost to Minnesota Crookston 80-52 in their Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opener at Lysaker Gymnasium.
The Beavers (4-1, 0-1 NSIC) couldn’t stop UMC’s long-range shooting, as the Golden Eagles (4-1, 1-0 NSIC) went 12-for-28 (42.9 percent) from 3-point range and 30-for-72 (41.7 percent) overall.
UMC converted six 3-point field goals in the first quarter while taking a 24-12 lead through the opening period.
BSU managed to cut UMC’s lead to eight in the second quarter but the Eagles went on a 13-3 run to close out the quarter and take a 39-25 halftime lead.
The Golden Eagles extended the halftime lead to over 20 in the third quarter, eventually taking a game-high 33-point lead with just under three minutes left to play in the game.
Center Sierra Senske led the Beavers with 14 points and grabbed four rebounds. Aimee Pelzer followed in scoring with 11 points while chipping in six rebounds and three assists. Katie Miller, BSU’s leading rebounder, tied Pelzer with six boards and scored three points, all from the free-throw line.
The Beavers shot 19-for-55 (34.5 percent) from the field and 3-for-14 (21.4 percent) from beyond the arc.
It was BSU’s first game this season against a Division II opponent.
BSU’s 18 turnovers were the most of the season and led to 17 points for Minnesota Crookston.
Forward Katrina Nordick led UMC with 20 points, while Micaela Noga and Alexa Thielman added 15 and 14 points, respectively. Both made four 3-pointers.
Minnesota Crookston 80, Bemidji State 52
BSU 12 13 14 13 -- 52
UMC 24 15 21 20 -- 80
BEMIDJI STATE (4-1, 0-1 NSIC) -- Senske 4-8 5-5 14; Pelzer 4-11 2-2 11; Zerr 2-10 0-0 5; Durand 2-6 0-0 4; Sheley 2-8 0-0 4; Knuti 2-3 0-1 4; Rappe 1-1 1-2 3; Miller 0-2 3-4 3; Larson 1-2 0-0 2; Cordes 1-4 0-0 2; Zerr 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-55 11-14 52.
MINNESOTA CROOKSTON (4-1, 1-0 NSIC) --
Nordick 8-18 2-2 20; Noga 5-10 1-2 15; Thielman 4-15 2-2 14; Gruber 4-6 3-3 11; Odor, Isieoma 5-9 0-1 10; Michaelis 2-4 0-0 5; Hughes 1-9 0-0 3; Taylor 1-1 0-0 2; Weber 0-0 0-0 0; Klein 0-0 0-0 0; Leland 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-72 8-10 80.
