Jan. 27, 2007

[box score]

BEMIDJI, Minn. (BSU Gymnasium) -- Juniors Arron Evans (G, Minneapolis, Minn.) and Marques Ramos (G/F, Henderson, Nev.) posted matching 12-point games as Ramos collected a career-high 10 rebounds to power the Bemidji State University men's basketball team to its third victory of the 2006-07 campaign, 66-59, over Wayne State College Saturday at the BSU Gymnasium. The Beavers trailed for only 17 seconds in the contest using a strong defensive effort to propel them to a Northern Sun intercollegiate Conference win.

In addition to the dozen that Evans put up and Ramos' first collegiate double-double, Alex Smith (Jr., F, Miami, Fla.) netted 11 points, hauled in eight boards and posted a block and Brandon Fields led (Fr., PG, Los Angeles, Calif.) the team with four assists while pitching in six points.

Wayne State was led by Jonathan Thomas who scored 17 points form the post and collected a game-high 11 rebounds. Bryce Caldwell added 14 points on 5-of-13 from the field and 4-of-9 form beyond the arc and Matt Rathje netted 13 points and posted eight boards.

Both teams struggled to get out of the gates. Two minutes into the contest BSU and Wayne were a combined 0-6 from the field and had not yet lit their side of the score board.

Wayne State's Thomas was the first to lift the lid off the basket netting a layup at the 17:47 mark on a pass from David Walters to put the Wildcats up 2-0--it was the only lead WSC would have all night.

Less than 30-second later, James Gibson (So., G, Miami, Fla.) drained a jumper to knot the game at 2-2.

During the next three minutes, Wayne State would come back to tie the score three times, but in each attempt BSU had an answer. Finally, Ramos would connect on his only three-pointer of the night to put the Beavers up 10-7 with 13:26 left in the half. Bemidji State would never look back.

BSU would increase its lead to as many as 13 points (25-12) in the first half on the strength of a 12-1 run spanning nearly four minutes and capped by a Ramos layup with 5:33 on the clock.

When the halftime horn sounded, the Beavers found themselves in the lead for just the second time all season, 30-20.

But as the team came out of the intermission, it struggled to get its rhythm back shooting just 1-for-8 form the field and turning the ball over twice. Meanwhile, WSC used the slow BSU start to its advantage putting an 8-2 run on the Beavers to trim the lead to four points with 15:34 to play.

Evans ended the BSU doldrums with a triple 5:06 into the second half to put BSU back up by seven, 35-28.

The Wildcats responded by scoring seven of the next 10 points to reel the Beavers to within two (38-36), but a jumper by Smith would keep WSC at an arms length.

Five times during the next 10 minutes the Wildcats came to within two points of the Beavers, but on each occasion, BSU seemed to come up with a big shot, defensive play or combination of both to retain control of the game.

With just under two minutes to play, Evans hit a free-throw and followed that up with a jumper on the Beavers' next possession to put BSU up five, 57-52 with 1:10 to go. The spread forced WSC into a position in which it needed to foul to save time. BSU was 9-of-12 from the line during the game's final minute, with six coming by why of technical fouls called on Wayne State, shutting the door on WSC's chance at a win.

The Beavers finished the contest hitting 20-of-48 from the field (.417) and 5-of-13 from beyond the arc (.385) while WSC was 21-of-54 overall (.389) and 5-for-23 from downtown (.217).

WSC claimed a slight edge on the glass in the game (35-33) but BSU forced the Wildcats into 13 turnovers while committing just 11 of its own.

The Beavers are now 12-21 all-time versus Wayne State and have evened their record to 8-8 versus the Wildcats in the BSU Gymnasium--wining each of the last three.

Bemidji State (3-17; 3-8 NSIC) will be back in action next weekend when it hits the road for a pair of NSIC tilts. Friday the team will visit Minnesota State University Moorhead and Saturday heads south for a match up with Concordia University-St. Paul. Both games are slated for 8 p.m. tip offs.

--bsu--