Feb. 2, 2007

[box score]

MOORHEAD, Minn. (Alex Nemzek Hall) -- Bemidji State University freshman Seth Haake (G, Eden Prairie, Minn.) posted 17 points Friday, but it would not be enough as Minnesota State University Moorhead used a 51-percent second-half shooting effort to blow past the Beavers en route to a 70-56 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victory at Alex Nemzek Hall in Moorhead, Minn.

Committing just three first-half turnovers, claiming an 18-13 edge on the glass and shooting better than 43 percent in the first 20 minutes of play, the Beavers went into the locker room up eight, 34-26, at the break. But in a classic tale of Jekyll and Hyde, BSU came out of the intermission a different team.

In the second half, BSU was out rebounded 23-8, was out shot 51.6-35.0 percent, committed eight turnovers and saw its eight-point halftime lead flip to a 15-point deficit (62-47) with 5:09 to go in the final stanza.

MSUM's Blake Strouth led a quartet of Dragon players in double-figures with a game-high 18 points. He also led all players with 11 rebounds for the game's only double-double. Kyle Nelson scored 12 while Jamal O'Neal and Grant Fossum each netted 11 in the contest.

Haake posted his fourth double-figure scoring total in the last five games netting 17 points on 6-of-10 from the floor, 3-of-5 from downtown and a perfect 2-for-2 at the free-throw line. Alex Smith (Jr., F, Miami, Fla.) added 12 points and a game-high four blocked shots, while Marques Ramos (Jr., G/F, Henderson, Nev.) posted 11 points and Sergej Baskow (Fr., F, Ludwigsburg, Germany) controlled a BSU-high five rebounds on the night.

As the game got underway, the teams would each go on short runs to grab the lead. BSU would start first using threes by Arron Evans (Jr., G, Minneapolis, Minn.) and James Gibson (So., G, Miami, Fla.) sandwiched around a layup by Smith to jump out to a six-point lead, 8-2, 3:24 into the contest.

MSUM would respond with a 7-0 streak of its own to go ahead, 12-8. But momentum would swing in favor of the Beavers as BSU would score 10 of the next 11 points, with six coming from Smith in the paint, to go up 18-13.

During the final seven minutes of the half, the Dragons would trim the Beavers' lead to two points on one occasion, but a layup and triple from Ramos on back-to-back possessions followed by a Haake three on the return trip down the floor would put BSU up eight, 29-21, with 4:09 on the clock.

The Beavers would go on to build their lead to as many as 10 points on two occasions before settling for a 36-28 halftime advantage.

The Dragons stunned BSU as the second half got underway netting the first 12 points of the stanza to take a five point lead, 43-38, before 5:13 had come off the clock.

BSU scratched its way back into the game, knotting the score at 43-43 on a Smith free-throw with 13:15 to go, but the team would score just 13 points in the remainder of the game going 4-for-12 from the field and turning the ball over five times before the final horn sounded.

BSU finished the night 20-of-50 (.400) from the floor, 7-of-14 from three-point land and 9-of-12 (.750) from the line. MSUM was 22-of-51 (.431) from the field, 5-of-16 (.278) from downtown and 21-of-29 (.724) from the stripe.

The Dragons held a 36-26 edge on the boards and committed only six turnovers while forcing BSU into 11.

MSU Moorhead takes a 80-78 lead in the the all-time series with the win and has now defeated BSU in three-straight meetings.

Bemidji State (3-18; 3-9 NSIC) will be back in action tomorrow as it heads south for a match up with Concordia University-St. Paul (15-4; 9-2 NSIC). The game is slated for an 8 p.m. tip off at CSP's Gangelhoff Center.

--bsu--