Jan. 26, 2008

MARSHALL, Minn. (R/A Facility) (box score) – In a game that saw the score tied on four occasions and the lead change hands eight times, Southwest Minnesota State University handed the Bemidji State University men’s basketball team a 69-61 loss on Saturday night from the R/A Facility in Marshall, Minn.

Despite outshooting the Mustangs 51.1 percent (23-45) to 41.9 percent (26-62) in the game the Beavers committed 14 more turnovers (20-6) than the Mustangs which allowed the Mustangs to net 22 more points off turnovers than the Beavers (26-4) to help lift the Mustangs to the NSIC victory.

Alex Smith (Jr., C, Miami, Fla.) led a quartet of Beavers in double-digit scoring for the fourth time this season as he netted 14 points on 7-of-9 from the field while grabbing six rebounds. Seth Haake (So., G, Eden Prairie, Minn.) added 11 points on 4-of-6 from the field, 2-of-2 from the three-point line and 1-of-1 from the free-throw line while Arron Evans (Sr., G, Minneapolis, Minn.) and Patrick Cassidy (Fr., F, St. Paul, Minn.) chipped in 10 points apiece, respectively. Jimmy Johnson (Fr., C, Andover, Minn.) joined Smith with a team-high six rebounds while Evans led the Beavers with three assists.

Four Mustangs netted double-figures in the contest with Matt Fletcher leading the way with 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting, 2-of-9 from behind the arc. Kevin Andrews chipped in 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting while Ryan Crome added 12 points and Ross DeMasi had 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds for the games lone double-double performance.

The Mustangs jumped out to an early 4-0 lead just :52 seconds into the game off a Matt Fletcher jumper and a Ross DeMasi layup. Smith got the Beavers on the board at the 18:37 mark of the first half to bring the Beavers to within 4-2. The teams traded baskets for the next few possessions until a Ryan Krome layup gave the Mustangs their largest lead of the game 13-6 just 7:18 into the game.

The Mustangs would extend its lead to seven two more times over the next 4:02 and continued to hold a seven point lead at 21-14 with 8:40 left in the half. The Beavers went on a 8-0 run over the next 3:10 and grabbed its first lead after two free-throw shots by Jimmy Johnson (22-21). The teams each scored 12 points over the final 5:30 of the first half and BSU went into the break holding just its fifth halftime lead of the season at 34-33.

The Mustangs came out of the intermission on a mission scoring the first 14 points of the half to grab its largest lead of the game, 47-34, with 14:11 left in the game. The Mustangs continued to apply pressure as they pushed its lead to 15 at 54-39, outscoring the Beavers 21-5 during the first 8:17 of the second half.

The Beavers whittled away at the SMSU advantage closing the Mustangs lead to six points twice. Evans connected on two free-throw attempts to close the Mustangs lead to 63-57 with 5:07 left in the second half and then a jumper by Cassidy with 3:37 brought the Beavers to within 65-59, the closet the Beavers would get to the Mustangs. The Mustangs went onto outscore the Beavers 4-2 over the final 3:37 and garner a eight point win, 69-61.

BSU finished the game shooting 51.1 percent (23-45) from the field, 5-of-11 from the three-point line (.455) and 10-of-10 from the free-throw line (1.000) while SMSU was 41.9 percent (26-62) from the field, 4-of-18 from the three-point line (.222) and 13-of-18 from the free-throw line (.722).

The teams finished the game even on the glass with each grabbing 30 rebounds.

The Mustangs extend their lead in the series to 47-35 versus the Beavers and extend their winning-streak to five games over BSU.

Bemidji State (5-15; 2-9 NSIC) returns to action next Friday and Saturday as the Beavers will host Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota State University Moorhead from the BSU Gymnasium. Game times are set for 8:00 p.m.

Bemidji State University, located in Bemidji, Minn., is an NCAA Division II institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

--beavers--