MARSHALL, Minn. – Bemidji State University (10-7 overall, 8-5 NSIC) would outscore the Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team (9-7 overall, 6-6 NSIC) 24-10 in the third quarter, which would be enough to power the Beavers to a 70-67 victory in a cross-division battle on Saturday afternoon inside the R/A Facility.
 
After leading 26-21 at the half, The Mustangs would give up an 8-0 run to open the quarter and a 7-0 run to close the quarter, giving BSU a 45-36 lead into the fourth quarter that would be too much to recover from.
 
The Mustangs shot 32.8 percent from the field (22 of 67) and 29.4 percent (5 of 17) from behind the arc while shooting a program-record 18 of 18 from the free throw line. The Beavers shot 46.2 percent from the field (24 of 52) and 28.6 percent from the three-point line (6 of 21) while shooting just 64 percent (16 of 25) from the free throw line.
 
BSU would turn the ball over 21 times, seven more times than SMSU, but limited the Mustangs in transition, outscoring SMSU 16-15 off turnovers. 
 
Rachael Heittola would lead the way for the Beavers, scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to disrupt SMSU.
 
Sadie Stelter would lead the way for the Mustangs, scoring a team-high 19 points while collecting nine rebounds and three assists.
 
Three Mustangs would score double figures, with Stelter being joined by Meleah Reinhart, who added 18 points, and Abuk Akoi, who collected a double-double, scoring 12 points and adding 10 rebounds. Sam Wall would lead the bench unit, scoring nine points and grabbing seven rebounds. 
 
Reinhart and Stelter each picked up layups in the first two minutes of the game to take a 4-2 lead before over three minutes of scoreless basketball. The scoring would pick back up at the 4:52 mark with BSU scoring five straight points to take a 7-4 lead. 
 
Reinhart would sink a pair of free throws to end the rally before Akoi would connect from deep off the backboard to take a 9-7 lead with 2:41 to go in the quarter. BSU would close the quarter scoring the final three points, lifting the Beavers to a 10-9 lead at the break. 
 
Stelter would open the second quarter scoring with a fast break layup off a steal to reclaim the lead for SMSU at 11-10. After an SMSU layup and BSU layup and free throw to tie the score at 13-13, the Mustangs would score six straight points to get to a 19-13 lead. 
 
Heittola would try and get the Beavers back into the game with a 5-0 run to chip within one, but an Akoi jumper from the elbow and Wall three would help end the Beaver momentum and get SMSU's lead back to six at 24-18. 
 
With 42 seconds to go in the half, BSU would hit a three to cut the SMSU lead in half, but Stelter would answer with a heavily contested jumper from the elbow with the shot clock winding down to give SMSU a 26-21 lead at the end of the half. 
 
BSU would open the second half on an 8-0 run while holding SMSU scoreless for nearly four minutes to take a 29-26 lead with 6:11 to go in the quarter. Bri Stoltzman would score her first bucket of the game to start the Mustang scoring in the second half at the 6:03 mark to make it 29-28. Wall would get back in the scoring column with a pair of free throws, and after a BSU three would get inside and make a layup to tie the game at 32-32 at the 4:50 mark. 
 
BSU would answer with a 6-2 run, but Stoltzman would pick up an offensive rebound and put back to cut the SMSU deficit to 38-36 with under three minutes to go in the third. BSU would close the quarter on a 7-0 run, taking a 45-36 lead into the fourth quarter. 
 
The Mustangs would begin their charge instantly, scoring the first eight points of the fourth quarter in just over a minute and a half of action to cut the BSU lead to 47-44. BSU would answer with a 5-0 run before a Reinhart bucket to keep the Mustangs within six at 52-46. 
 
Each team would trade points, with the Mustangs eventually cutting the lead to 59-54 after a pair of Reinhart free throws, but the Beavers would make a layup to go back up seven with 1:29 to go. Akoi would answer, drilling a three with 1:22 to go to make it a two-possession game at 61-57. 
 
Each team would make a pair of free throws and a layup to get to 65-61, and after a pair of BSU free throws, Stelter would connect from deep to cut BSU's lead to 67-64 with 24 seconds left. The process would repeat, as SMSU would follow a pair of free throws with a three from Jenna Borchers, her first points of the game, to make it a 69-67 game in favor of the Beavers with 17 seconds to go. 
 
With 13 seconds to go after a BSU timeout, Stelter would get it done at the defensive end, drawing an offensive foul to give SMSU the ball back trailing 69-67. SMSU would get a chance at the tie, but Akoi would miss a contested layup with under four seconds to go, forcing SMSU to foul with 2.2 seconds to go. BSU would make a free throw, and a Wall heave would fall short to give the Beavers the victory. 
 
 
 
The Mustangs conclude their road through the NSIC North next weekend, heading to Duluth to take on Minnesota Duluth on Friday, Jan. 28 at 5:30 p.m., before going to play St. Cloud State on Saturday, Jan. 29 at 3:30 p.m.