Dec. 4, 2004

PUEBLO, Colo. – [box score] The Bemidji State University men’s basketball team evened its record to 5-5 Saturday evening with a 87-67 triumph over New Mexico Highlands University in its final game of the Chuck Stephens’ Classic in Pueblo, Colo. BSU was lifted to victory by senior forward Amir Major (Chicago, Ill.) who recorded his first career double-double.

The Beavers led from the opening tip to the final buzzer—never trailing and never allowing the game to be tied.

Junior Duane Fields (Los Angeles, Calif.) lit the BSU side of the scoreboard just 30 seconds into the game hitting one of the Beavers’ season-high 12 three-point field goals. New Mexico Highlands would respond with a jumper by Anthony Fuller to climb to within one point (3-2), but that was as close as the Cowboys would get as BSU would use five points from junior Alvin Muse (South Holland, Ill.) and an addition all four from Major to propel BSU on a 16-5 run and extend its lead to 10 points (19-9) just eight minutes into the game.

BSU would go up by 12 (26-14) for its largest lead in the half with 8:36 to play in the first, but NMHU rattled off 10 unanswered points during the next 4:01 to shrink the BSU advantage to just a basket (26-24). But BSU would successfully hold of the charging Cowboys to take a 35-33 lead into the locker room at the half.

Bemidji State came out of the break with something to prove. The Beavers scored the first 12 points of the half (47-35) as Major ignited the run with an additional six points.

NMHU would creep to as close as five points (47-42) just minutes later, but BSU powered through to finish the game strong scoring 52 points in the second half to push to the 20-point, 87-67 win.

Major led the way for BSU collecting career-highs with 20 points and 10 rebounds on 6-of-10 from the field and 8-of -10 from the line. Muse pitched in 19 points hitting 7-of-12 from the field and a team high 5-of-9 from beyond the arc. Junior Spencer Carter (Chicago, Ill.) continued to be a pivotal player for the Beavers scoring 14 points while adding seven boards and a block.

Tim Thompson who scored 16 points led New Mexico Highlands. Anthony Fuller added 15 points and a team-high five rebounds.

For the game BSU held a 35-29 edge on the boards scoring 16 second-chance points. The Beavers also forced the Cowboys into 17 turnovers while committing just 14 and scoring 19 points of turnovers. BSU was 28-of-61 (45.9 percent) from the field, 12-for-23 from three-point land (52.2 percent), having one of it best nights at the line hitting 19-of 24 (79.2 percent).

The win improves the Beavers’ overall record to 5-5 and ends a brutal streak of seven games in 13 days where BSU posted a 5-2 record. The Beavers return to Bemidji, Minn. for a Dec. 8th match-up with St. Cloud State University. The 7:30 p.m. tip-off at the BSU Gymnasium will be preceded by a special ceremony unveiling the newly replaced playing surface and honoring the family of the financial force behind the project.