Box Score

BEMIDJI, Minn. – Bemidji State University held Southwest Minnesota State scoreless for more than five minutes during a key second half run to rally for a 96-86 victory in NSIC men's basketball at the BSU Gymnasium on Saturday night.
 
SMSU (14-3 overall, 9-3 NSIC), which built a six-point lead at halftime, held a 55-49 lead with 16:21 left in the second half, but BSU rallied with the decisive 8-0 run over the next five minutes to take a 57-55 lead.
 
The Mustangs' KJ Davis ended the run with a field goal at the 10:46 mark tying the score at 57-57, but the Beavers answered with a 14-2 run to build a 71-59 advantage with 7:54 remaining to hand SMSU just its second road loss this season.
 
Taylor Schafer scored a team-high 22 points to pace SMSU, connecting on 7 of 16 shot attempts, including 3 of 8 from 3-point range. Four other Mustangs scored in double figures with Carter Kirk scoring 14, Ryan Bruggeman chipping in with 13, while Davis and Joey Bartlett each added 11 points. Kirk led SMSU with eight rebounds.
 
SMSU, which shot 61 percent in the opening half, finished the night shooting 53 percent (35 of 66) from the field.
 
The loss drops SMSU into a first place tie with Upper Iowa in the NSIC South Division standings.
 
BSU (6-11, 4-8 NSIC) held a 40-27 rebound advantage and made 21 of 29 free throws. The Beavers closed the game shooting 52 percent (33 of 64) from the field and made nine 3-pointers. Jai'Vionne Green led BSU with 25 points on 10 of 19 shooting.
 
The 96 points is the second highest allowed by SMSU this season.
 
The teams played a tight opening half with 14 lead changes and 11 ties. BSU led 23-16 lead with 12 minutes left in the first half, but SMSU came back with a 12-3 run capped by a Ryan Bruggeman field goal to take a 28-26 lead with 8:15 remaining.
 
BSU would regain the lead and take a 37-32 lead with 5:13 left, but SMSU closed the half with a 16-5 spurt to take a 48-42 lead into the break.
 
Southwest Minnesota State returns home next weekend to open a four-game homestand. SMSU will take on Concordia-St. Paul on Friday, Jan. 20, with tip-off slated for 8 p.m.