Jan. 20, 2006
BEMIDJI, Minn. – [box
score] Manuel Guzman (Sr., C, Santo Domingo,
Dominican Republic) had the game of his life Friday versus
NSIC rival Southwest Minnesota State University. The 6-9 senior
netted a career-high 25 points while pulling down a personal-best
15 rebounds to collect his second double-double in a BSU uniform
as the Beavers rolled SMSU up 70-66 at the BSU Gymnasium.
Guzman was a force in the paint for BSU Friday,
helping the Beavers to a 35-33 edge on the glass and a 28-26
scoring advantage in the paint. He also made good on 11-of-15
free-throw attempts drawing fouls from a number of SMSU players
forcing miss-matches and cautious defensive play by the visiting
Mustang players.
Duane Fields (Sr., G, Los
Angeles, Calif.) led the Beavers out of the blocks scoring
seven of the team's first nine points, spotting the Beavers
a 9-0 lead during the first 2:15.
Despite a SMSU 7-1 run midway through the
first half to cut the BSU lead to one (24-23) and the Mustangs
tying the contest twice during the final five minutes of the
half, BSU would never relinquish the lead taking a 39-35 advantage
into the locker rooms at halftime.
On the back of Guzman who netted 13 points
while grabbing six rebounds in the first half, BSU shot 50
percent (16-32) from the floor in the half holding a slight
edge over the Mustangs (48.1%).
Guzman scored five points during the first
four minutes of the second stanza, helping BSU to build an
11-point lead (49-38). But the Mustangs would rebound scoring
eight consecutive points to reel BSU to within three points
(49-46) with 12:14 to play.
BSU used a pair of Alvin Muse
(Sr., G, South Holland, Ill.) threes and another by Fields
to to extend its lead to 60-51 with 8:25 to play. But again
the Mustangs charged back scoring 12 of 14 points, capped
by a Matt Fletcher triple, to take their first lead of the
game with just 5:53 left before the final horn.
The Beavers regained the lead 64-63 on a
Stacy Pearson-Taylor (Sr., F, Miami, Fla.)
free-throw.
After a free-throw by Chad Orum tied the
game at 64-64 with 2:57 left, SMSU took a two-point (66-64)
lead on its next possession when Jeremy VanKlompenburg found
an open lane to the hoop for a lay-up.
Guzman tied the game at the other end of
the floor with a lay-up and blocked an SMSU shot on the ensuing
possession to give BSU the ball with just over a minute to
play.
BSU head coach Patrick Smith
called a timeout and out of the break, Muse hit a clutch three
to put the Beavers up three (69-66) with 59 seconds to go.
Guzman would hit a three with two seconds to play to seal
the victory.
"Guzman was huge for us tonight with
his ability not only to score inside but to rebound, stated
Smith, and Alvin Muse has consistently hit big shots for us
and he did it again tonight."
In addition to Guzman's monster 25-point,
15-rebound night, Fields added 13 points and Muse pitched
in 11. Fields also paced the team dishing out five assists
while Guzman collected a team-best two blocks.
SMSU was led by Travis Krenske who was 5-of-14
from the field and 6-of-6 from the line for 18 points. Fletcher
added 12 and Orum scored 10 to round out the Mustangs top
three scorers. Fletcher and Krenske each grabbed seven rebounds
in the loss.
BSU improves to 25-14 all-time versus SMSU
in the BSU Gymnasium while trimming their series deficit to
42-34. The Beavers have now defeated the Mustangs in five
consecutive meetings and have won 19 of their last 20 NSIC
regular season mach ups at home verses the NSIC.
The win brings the Beavers to 8-9 on the
season while vaulting the team into a tie with Saturday's
opponent, Wayne State College, for second place in the NSIC
standings with a league record of 3-2. Tomorrow's game is
slated for an 8 p.m. start.
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