BOX SCORE

MARSHALL, Minn. - Miley Hunziker tied a career-high with 18 points, while Laura Kramer grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds to lead Southwest Minnesota State to a 73-63 victory over Bemidji State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference basketball on Saturday night.

Hunziker connected on 7 of 10 shots from the field and added six rebounds to lead SMSU (13-7, 6-6) to its second straight victory. 

The win came in front of more than 1,500 spectators as fans packed SMSU's R/A Facility for "Hawaiian Night."

Bemidji State (11-9, 5-8) was paced by Sydney Epema's 12 points. 

Megan Stadler, Abby Kenealy and Tori Fink also scored in double figures, finishing with 15, 12 and 11 points, respectively.

SMSU turned the ball over just 11 times in the win.

The Beavers took advantage of a poor shooting performance by the Mustangs in the contest's opening 10 minutes.  BSU held as large as an eight-point lead with 8:31 left before the break.

SMSU went to work in the first half's final five minutes, erasing the deficit and finally taking the lead after Miley Hunziker grabbed an offensive rebound and hit a layup to put her squad head 29-28 with just less than two minutes remaining before halftime.

BSU quickly answered with a Katie Pettit 3-pointer and Shannon Thompson jumper, but SMSU managed to knot the contest at 33 apiece before the half after a bucket from Fink and a pair of free throws from Stadler.

SMSU never trailed in the second half, peaking with a 12-point advantage at 55-43 with nine minutes left in the contest.

The Beavers, however, would not go away in the closing minutes of the game.  BSU trimmed the deficit to four points with less than two minutes remaining and looked to be in striking distance.

BSU again cut the difference to four points with 1:35 left off a pair of free throws from Shannon Thompsn.

But the Mustangs finished the game on a 9-3 run.  Free throws from Voss, Stadler and Miley Hunziker paired with a big 3-pointer from Lucia Puchelova was too much for the Beavers in the final minute and a half, and SMSU opened the lead to double-figures in the final 16 seconds.

BSU and SMSU produced balanced efforts on the glass; each team grabbed 44 rebounds.

The Mustang defensive effort shined as SMSU forced 19 turnovers and turned them into 15 points.

SMSU closes this four-game homestand next weekend, hosting Minnesota State Moorhead and Minnesota, Crookston.