Dec. 28, 2005
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – [box
score] The Bemidji State University men's basketball team
took the a 2-0 lead over No. 18 University of South Dakota
just 59 seconds into the game as Manuel Guzman
(Sr., C, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) hit his first
attempt of the night. The basket gave BSU an advantage it
would never relinquish in a 101-80 victory over the nationally-ranked
Coyotes in the first game of the Sioux Valley Clinic Holiday
Classic hosted by Augustana College at the Elmen Center in
Sioux Falls, S.D. The 100-point effort by BSU was the first
for a USD opponent since the University of Minnesota Duluth
notched 110 points in a overtime contest two years to the
day earlier (Dec. 28, 2003).
The Beavers were led by senor captain Derik
Hollyfield (G, Aurora, Ill.) who dropped in 20 points
on 8-of-14 from the field and 3-of-6 from beyond the three-point
line. He also added four assists, three rebounds and two steals
in 25 minutes of play. Will Watson (Sr.,
G, Baton Rouge, La.), Stacy Pearson-Taylor
(Sr., F/G, Miami, Fla.) and Sherwin Johnson
also each posted double-digit point totals while Guzman recorded
his best overall effort of the season rounding out the top
five in scoring with 11 while grabbing a game-high and career-best
12 rebounds for his first double-double in a BSU uniform.
In addition to Guzman's 12 boards, Johnson
hauled in a season-best eight rebounds to help BSU gain a
48-40 edge on the glass.
Bemidji State ripped the nets for better
than a 50 percent from the field on the night hitting 42-of-83
field goal attempts including a 9-for-25 (.360) effort from
outside the three-point arc.
The Coyotes struggled offensively shooting
38 percent from the field (24-62) and were led by junior All-American
candidate Turner Trofholz who netted a game-high 23 points
while using an 11-rebound effort to gain double-double honors.
The Beavers grabbed the lead early and powered
to a 56-37 halftime lead thanks Hollyfield's 17 points on
7-of-10 from the field and 2-of-2 from downtown. The Beavers
also put together a 10-0 run midway through the first 20 minutes
to put USD's back against the wall early.
After the Coyotes rattled off the first six
points of the second half to reel the Beavers to within 13
points (58-45), BSU would counter with back-to-back layups
to increase its lead to 17 (62-45) with 16:42 to go in regulation.
The score would hover around 15 points for
the next 12 minutes but when Trofholz brought USD to within
11 (86-75) with just over 4:30 left on the clock, BSU would
pin back its ears to score 15 of the final 20 points of the
game on the back of Watson who netted a pair of big three's
down the stretch.
The win is the first over South Dakota in
the Patrick Smith era at BSU while the Beavers
improve to 3-4 versus the North Central Conference in 2005-06.
The victory also gives the Beavers a winning record (2-1)
versus nationally-ranked opponents this season after defeating
Preseason No. 24 Pittsburg State Nov. 25.
The win brings BSU to 5-6 on the season while
South Dakota totes a 10-2 overall record. The Beavers will
look to get back to .500 tomorrow when they continue classic
play facing the host Augustana in an 8:00 p.m. tip-off a the
Elmen Center.
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