2/19/2010 - WOMEN'S BASKETBALL Beavers battle Winona State in final home game

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This Week: The Bemidji State University women’s basketball team hosts Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference-foe Winona State University in its final home game of the 2009-10 season Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. in the BSU Gymnasium. The Beavers will be hosting a WBCA Pink Zone event and it will serve as Senior Day for Kim Rosecrans.
 
About Bemidji State: The Beavers are 12-12 overall and 6-11 in the NSIC, placing them 11th. BSU is coming off a 0-2 NSIC road weekend, losing 68-58 to Minnesota State University Moorhead and 91-82 to University of Minnesota, Crookston.
• Freshman Jessie Althoff and junior Colleen McKay scored career-highs with 21 and 20, respectively in the loss to UMC.
• The Beavers are 4-6 at home this season, 3-6 in conference play.
• Sophomore Sydney Epema leads the team in scoring with 10.6 points per contest.
• Epema’s 55 3-pointers leads the team and is fifth in the NSIC. BSU is averaging 7.0 3-pointers per game, which is 35th in the nation.
• Freshman Emily Kaus has 39 blocks (1.8 bpg), which is second in the NSIC, 41st in the nation and ranks fourth on BSU’s top single-season blocks list.
• The Beavers are 7-2 when leading at the half.

About Winona State: The Warriors are 14-10 overall and 9-8 in NSIC play to sit in a tie for seventh with Southwest Minnesota State University. WSU has lost its last two games and are 2-3 in the last five. Last weekend, the Warriors lost to Wayne State College 76-61 and Augustana College 93-71 in two road contests. WSU is 4-5 on the road this season and 6-7 away from home. Senior Ana Wurtz leads the team in points with 14.1 per game. Sophomore Michelle McDonald is averaging 11.8 points and a team-high 8.0 rebounds per game.  

Series History: The Beavers hold a 39-26 advantage against the Warriors all-time. BSU is 2-3 in its last five contests versus Winona State. The Beavers downed WSU 79-69 in Winona Dec. 12.   
 
Last Action: The Beavers fell in two NISC road contests last weekend, losing to MSU Moorhead 68-58 and Minnesota, Crookston 91-82.

at MSU Moorhead -  The Bemidji State University women’s basketball team ran into a fiery Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragon team Feb. 12 night at the Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse, losing 68-58 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference contest.
    The Dragons (17-6, 11-5 NSIC) jumped out to a 19-point halftime lead, shooting 50 percent from the field and went 5-for-11 from beyond the arc, owning the rebounding margin 20-14. The Beavers struggled on both ends of the floor and shot 37.9 percent in the half, going 0-6 from the 3-point line and committing 13 turnovers.
    The Beavers (12-11, 6-10 NSIC) couldn’t get a shot to drop until 3:45 into the game, making the score 2-6. For the first 10 minutes of the game, the Dragons were shooting 64.7 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc, owning a 25-13 lead at the media timeout with 9:48 remaining. BSU was 40 percent from the field, but 0-4 from 3-point land. MSUM came out of the timeout and knocked down a 3-pointer that gave it a 15 point advantage. The Beavers continued to struggle through rest of the first half and the Dragons didn’t back down, finishing the half with a 19-point lead at 43-24.
    The Dragons stretched their lead to 56-30 with 12:06 left in the frame, their largest lead of the game. BSU was then able to cut the deficit to 10 with a 22-6 run over the next 8:26 of the game, getting scoring from seven different players. MSUM ended the run with a couple of free throws, but then freshman Katie Pettit (G, Howard Lake, Minn.) responded with a pair of freebies of her own with 3:03 left. Neither team scored until there was 1:45 reading on the clock, as the home team hit a free throw to go back up 11. A missed jumper by Pettit led to an offensive rebound and jumper by MSUM on the other end of the floor, giving the home team a 13-point lead. A free throw shot by the Dragons made it 14, then the Beavers pushed the ball up the floor and converted on a two lay-ups to bring the deficit back down to 10 with 28 seconds left and the score 68-58. That would turn out to be the final score as the Beavers’ attempt to scratch and claw their way back into the game fell short.   
    Junior Colleen McKay (C, Barnum, Minn.) had a team-high 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Sophomore Samantha Baldwin (G, St. Thomas, N.D.) had seven points and seven rebounds in the game. By the end of the game, BSU shot 40.3 percent and MSUM was 47.1 percent from the field. The Dragons made all five of their 3-pointers in the first half.

at Minnesota, Crookston -  Inconsistent play by the Bemidji State University women’s basketball team led to a 91-82 loss to University of Minnesota, Crookston Saturday in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference game played at Lysaker Gymnasium.
    The Beavers (12-12, 6-11 NSIC) and Golden Eagles were tied 9-9 with16:16 remaining, then BSU scored 11 unanswered points to take a 20-9 lead in the game and take three minutes off the clock. UMC then scored seven unanswered to cut the deficit to four. The Beavers were able to hold a 3-8 point lead through most of the half, owning a 29-21 lead with 4:08 left in the frame. The Golden Eagles found a rhythm to close the half, going on a 15-6 run to take a one point lead with 48 seconds remaining. Junior Colleen McKay (C, Barnum, Minn.) converted on a lay-up with 33 seconds left to give the lead back to BSU to end the half up one 37-36. Freshman Jessie Althoff (C, Becker, Minn.) scored 14 points in the first half, as BSU shot 45.7 percent from the field.
    The game was tied 41-41 with 17:38 remaining, then UMC took a 44-41 lead it wouldn’t relinquish for the rest of the game. BSU was able to trade baskets with the home team and erase a six-point deficit with a 7-1 run that tied the game 52-52 with 14:07 left. During the run, McKay score four points and Althoff hit a 3-pointer. The Golden Eagles continued to stay ahead of the Beavers, but McKay and Althoff wouldn’t let UMC get too ahead, scoring all the points for BSU during a six minute span. Sophomore Taylor Davis (F, Crookston, Minn.) gave the two Beaver centers a rest and scored on a lay-up to make the score 61-66 with 8:12 remaining. The home team then put together a 10-2 run that gave them a 13-point lead at 81-68 with 3:56 to go. The Beavers were able to cut the deficit to six at 83-77 with 1:05 remaining off a freshman Katie Pettit (G, Howard Lake, Minn.) 3-pointer. BSU put UMC at the line and they only made one free throw, giving the Beavers a chance to cut down the deficit. BSU wasn’t able to score, putting the Golden Eagles at the line again. Again, UMC only made one and went up eight. Sophomore Samantha Baldwin (G, St. Thomas, N.D.) then knocked-down a 3-point shot with 38 seconds left to cut the home team’s lead to five. BSU fouled and UMC made both free throws to make a three-possession game, out of the reach of the Beavers as they lost by nine.    
    Both Althoff and McKay scored career-highs with 21 and 20, respectively. McKay added a team-high eight rebounds. BSU had 26 fouls in the game, sending the Golden Eagles to the line 45 times, with them making 37 of them. BSU outshot UMC 42.7 to 41.8 percent.
    
NSIC Preseason Poll:  The Bemidji State women’s basketball team is ranked 13th in the 2009-10 edition of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll, released today by the league. The Beavers received 37 points after going 3-24 overall and 1-19 in NSIC play, tying them for 13th last season.

NSIC Preseason Player to Watch: Sophomore Sydney Epema played in all 27 games for BSU, starting 24 in 2009…She averaged 11.1 points per game in overall contests and a 11.0 clip in conference play…Recorded double-digits in points in 16 games, including nine games in a row in double-figures and two over 20…Established a career-high 22 points in a 112-108 overtime loss to Upper Iowa, Nov. 29, playing in 40 minutes…Was the team’s top scorer in seven games…Led the team in 3-pointers made with 73 and owned a .353 shooting percentage from beyond the arc…Her 207 3-point attempts established a BSU single season record…Also, led the team in minutes with 30.0 and averaged 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists.

Curfman in Season Openers at BSU: BSU head coach Mike Curfman is 1-4 in season openers in his career at Bemidji State since joining the program for the 2005-06 season.

Season Openers Record
Nov. 16, 2009    Mayville State    Mayville, N.D.     W, 82-60
Nov. 16, 2008    South Dakota    Vermillion, S.D.    L, 47-83
Nov. 16, 2007    Colorado State-Pueblo    Pueblo, Colo.    L, 67-74
Nov. 17, 2006    Augustana College    Manakto, Minn.    L, 76-92
Nov. 15, 2005    Mayville State    Mayville, N.D.    L, 89-94

Sydneeey for Threee: Sophomore Sydney Epema surpassed her career-high in 3-pointers made Jan. 3 against Wayne State, sinking seven from beyond the arc. She has 55 3-pointers this season to lead the team and sit fifth in the NSIC in 3-pointers made. She has attempted 140 3-pointers for a 39.3 percentage, which stands 51st in the nation. Last season, Epema made 73 3-pointers in a BSU single-season record 207 attempts. She finished second in the NSIC in 3-pointers. Her 128 career 3-pointers made stands fifth all-time on BSU’s 3-pointers made chart.

Career 3-Pointers Made
Rk    Player    3PTM    3PTA    Years
1    Erin Walker    244    609    1997-00
2    Maggie Gernbacher    213    558    2003-06
3    Holly Logghe    212    526    1992-96
4    Kris DeMaris    168    423    1987-91
5    Sydney Epema    128    347    2008-SA

Player of the Week: Freshman Katie Pettit was named NSIC Player of the Week Dec. 14 after guiding BSU to a 2-0 NSIC road trip at Winona State and Upper Iowa. She averaged 17 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals in 29.0 minutes of work. In the win against WSU, Pettit scored a career-high 26 points, adding five rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block, while shooting 80.0 percent from the field and 80.0 from beyond the arc. Pettit is the first BSU player to earn the conference award since the 2007-08 season and she is the first BSU freshman to win the award since the 1998-99 campaign.

Doubling-up in the Debut: Pettit recorded a double-double in her collegiate debut against Mayville State, Nov. 16. She had 18 points and 10 assists in the game. Last season, the Beavers only record three double-doubles and the season-high for assists was nine.  

Double the Fun: Freshman center Emily Kaus recorded her first-career double-double in the 79-65 victory against Western New Mexico Nov. 28. She had 10 points and 13 rebounds. In BSU’s next contest against MSU Moorhead Dec. 4, Kaus recorded her second double-double with 10 points and 11 kills. She is the first freshman since the 2004-05 season to record two double-doubles in a season and is the first player since the 2005-06 season to post consecutive double-doubles.

Twice as Nice: Junior Colleen McKay recorded her third-career double-double in a 71-61 win against University of Mary Jan. 16, scoring 10 points and adding 10 rebounds. She had two double-doubles in her sophomore campaign on back-to-back nights Feb. 6-7.

Emily says, “NO!”: In 22 games played, freshman Emily Kaus has recorded five or more blocks in two different games, including establishing the new school record for blocks in a game with seven against Western State Nov. 27. Last season, there wasn’t a player all year to record more than four blocks in a game. She has 39 (1.8 bpg) blocked shots this season, sitting second in the NSIC and 41st in the nation. She is fourth on BSU’s top season blocks list.

BSU Top Season Blocks List
Rk    Player    Blocks    Average    Season
1    Sonia Stehr    51    1.7    1995-96
2    Kelly Harvey    42    1.5    1994-95
3    Lois Weiers    40    1.3    1985-86
4    Emily Kaus    39    1.8    2009-10

Freshmen PROduction: The 2009-10 freshmen class has had an immediate impact on the Beavers this season, playing like pros in all areas of the game. The freshmen are averaging 31.0 points per game, the most by any class on the team. They are also averaging 14.6 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 4.5 steals per contest. They have three double-doubles this season by two different players - Pettit and Kaus x2 -, which is the first time in BSU program history two freshmen have recorded a double-double in the same season.

Scoring by class (# in the class)
Freshmen (4)    31.0
Sophomores (5)    25.1
Juniors (3)    14.4
Senior (1)    2.2        

2-0 Start: The last time BSU started the season 2-0 was in 1999-00 with wins over Morningside and Middlebury. The Beavers have started 2-0 only eight times in the 43 years of the program.

4-1 after 5: BSU went 4-1 to start the season, earning its best record since the 1986-87 season. That squad also started 4-1 and finished with a 25-3 mark, making a run in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national championships.

Triple-digits: BSU poured in 108 points in a 108-63 victory against Martin Luther College Nov. 20. The 108 points tied a all-time high for points in a game by a Beaver squad. It also marked the 12 game a BSU team has scored in triple-digits. The last time the Beavers scored 100 points and won was against the University of Minnesota-Morris, Feb. 22, 2003.

Date    Opponent    Score
11-20-09    vs. Martin Luther College    W, 108-63
11-29-08    Upper Iowa    L, 108-112
2-22-03    UM-Morris    W,101-43
2-28-97    @ Southwest State*    W,103-93
2-1-97    Wayne State    W, 107-67
1-6-96    UM-Crookston    W, 101-56
12-17-94    @ St. Francis    W, 100-49
1-28-92    St. Scholastica    W, 107-59
12-17-90    @ Echerd College    W, 105-82
2-14-87    Winona State *    W, 101-69
11-16-84    @ St. Catherine    W, 108-35
    Hamline    W, 103-28
    Mayville St.    W, 104-42

Extra Frames: The Beavers pushed the Dec. 4 game against MSU Moorhead to two overtimes before falling 75-66. BSU had only played four extra sessions in head coach Mike Curfman’s first four years at BSU. Two were against MSU Moorhead and the two were against Minnesota Duluth. The last time BSU played in a double overtime contest was during the 1984-85 season. The Beavers lost the game 74-73 at Minnesota Duluth.

No ‘I’ in Team: Eleven different Beavers have played in at least half of the conference games this season and 14 have seen the court.  Nine players have recorded at least 100 points overall this season and 11 different players have scored in NSIC play.

Road Warriors: The Beavers are 5-5 on the road this season, 3-5 in the NSIC.  Last season, BSU didn’t win a single road game and in the past 10 seasons, the most road wins the Beavers have accumulated in a season is five (2007-08 and 2002-03). BSU has recorded four NSIC road wins twice in the past 10 seasons (2006-07 and 2003-04).

NCAA National Stats: The Feb. 14 edition of the NCAA Division II national ranking summary placed the Beavers 35th in 3-point field goals per game (7.0 3-pointers per game), 46th in 3-point percentage (35.1%), 47th in scoring offense (72.7 ppg), and 48th in free throw percentage (74.1%). Freshman Emily Kaus is 41st in blocks per game with 1.8 per contest. Sophomore Sydney Epema is 51st in 3-point field goal percentage at 39.3 percent and 73rd in 3-point field goals made with 2.3 per game.  

When it Rains it Pours: Sophomore Taylor Davis poured in 31 points, in a performance off the bench, against St. Cloud State Jan. 8. The point total tied her for eighth on BSU’s top game scoring list with Maggie Gernbacher (vs. Colorado State-Pueblo, 2004-05). She was just eight points shy of tying the single game record, held by Amy Lawson (vs. MSU Moorhead, 2007-08). Davis established career-highs in points, field goals made and attempted (14-of-21) and minutes (31).

 --bsu--