Saturday, February 02, 2013

BEMIDJI, Minn. (BSU Gymnasium) –The Bemidji State University men's basketball team got nine 3-point baskets, including a season-best 4-of-6 performance from senior Mason Walters (F, 6-7, 225, Milton, Wis.), to outlast University of Sioux Falls and gain the 3-point, 72-69 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victory Saturday at the BSU Gymnasium.

BSU senior Lance Rongstad (G/F., 6-3, 205. Eleva, Wis.) poured in a game-high 20 points, which included 10 points in the game's final 2:34, and led the team with six rebounds to help the Beavers hold off a late charge by the Cougars. Dermaine Crockrell (G, Sr., 6-1, 185, Mesa, Ariz.) added 19 points and four assists.

USF took the first lead of the game just 27 seconds in, but the Beavers would match the Cougars basket-for-basket during the first two minutes of play. A Zach Noreen (F, Sr., 6-6, 255, Avon, Minn.) layup at the 2:50 mark would swing the lead in the Beavers’ favor for the first time, 6-4.

The Beavers’ lead hovered around one point until Walters drained back-to-back 3-point shots, followed by a pair of free throws from Rongstad to put the Beavers up 22-13 midway through the first half.

The Bemidji State lead would swell to 11 points with 6:32 left in the half, but the Cougars would go on a 7-2 run to head into the locker rooms at the break trialing by five, 32-27.

Sioux Falls whittled away at BSU’s lead during the opening five minutes of the second half and took advantage of a 2-for-5 shooting stretch by the Beavers to claim its first lead since the 2:16 mark of the first half, 41-39, on a 3-pointer from A.J. Holland.

A dunk by USF’s Bryan Kielpinski gave the Cougar’s their largest lead of the evening at 47-41, but the advantage would be short-lived as BSU would score 10 of the next 14 points capped by a Crockrell 3-popinter to put the Beavers up 52-51 with 8:56 to play.

The Beavers would go up seven points with just over six minutes to go, but a late 11-3 charge by USF saw the Cougars grab one-point lead, 63-62, with 1:57 left on the clock. BSU responded with a Crockrell lay in followed by one of Rongstad’s two three-point plays down the stretch put score in BSU’s favor for good.

Rongstad was a perfect 5-5 in the final two minutes of play to secure the victory.

The Beavers finished the night 25-of-49 to shoot 51 percent form the field, which included a 9-for-20 (.450) performance from beyond the arc.

The Beavers improve to 11-9 overall and 9-7 in NSIC play. BSU is back in action next weekend as it hits the road for a pair of conference contests. The Beavers will be at Minnesota State University, Mankato Friday and at Concordia University-St. Paul Saturday.

For more information on the Bemidji State ice hockey programs, follow the Beavers on Twitter (@BSUBeavers), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) or sign up for the TXTUpdates from BSUBeavers.com text-messaging system through the "Multimedia" pull down menu on the main page of BSUBeavers.com.

Nestled in Northern Minnesota’s wooded region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men’s and women’s hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

--bsu--