St. Cloud State
5-1,3-0NSIC
Bemidji State University
3-4,0-2NSIC
Huskies dam Beavers in 69-51 victory
12/4/2021 6:09:00 PM | Women's Basketball
St. Cloud State holds Bemidji State to .392 shooting
ST. CLOUD, MINN. – The St. Cloud State University women's basketball team is not taking any prisoners. After dominating in a win over Minnesota-Crookston on Thursday, the (RV) Huskies extended their win-streak to five consecutive games thanks to an equally commanding performance against Bemidji State. Thanks to a well-balanced game plan, St. Cloud State improved to 5-1 on the season and 2-0 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play with a nice 69-51 win over Bemidji State Saturday afternoon.
BUILD THE DAM
The Huskies dominated in every facet of the game in the opening half, as they cruised to a 35-11 lead over the Beavers. In fact, St. Cloud State's defense held Bemidji State to .208 shooting from the floor and blanked them from three-point range. That's right. The Beavers were 0-8 from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes of play, while the Huskies shot .453 from the floor and .500 from three-point range, allowing them to hold the 24 point advantage.
The start of the third quarter gave many fans pause, as Bemidji State scored five unanswered points to just the St. Cloud State to 35-16. Tori Wortz (Hutchinson, Minn. / Hutchinson) put life back in the Huskies offense before fouls forced Wortz and Katrina Theis (Maple Grove, Minn. / Maple Grove) out of the game. The change seemingly swung the momentum in the Beavers direction, as they continued to chip away at St. Cloud State's lead.
The Huskies maintained their double-digit advantage, though, and led 46-25 entering the fourth and final quarter. The intensity was heightened, as Bemidji State once again tried to cut the St. Cloud State lead to less than 20. The Beavers succeeded in whiting the lead to under 20, but it wasn't enough to catch the Huskies, as they won by a final score of 69-51.
TOP HUSKIES
- Four St. Cloud State student-athletes scored in double-digits Saturday evening, led by Brehna Evans (De Pere, Wis. / West De Pere) 17 point performance. Tori Wortz (Hutchinson, Minn. / Hutchinson) added 13 points on 4-7 shooting, including a 2-2 mark from three-point range, while Nikki Kilboten (Eau Claire, Wis. / Eau Claire North) and Erin Navratil (Albany, Minn. / Albany) both scored 10.
- Kilboten didn't just put up big numbers on offense. The fifth year senior tallied a double-double with 11 rebounds and was halfway to a triple-double with five blocks. It marks the second time this season Kilboten has tallied 5+ blocks in a game, the other being in the season opener against then #4 Fort Hays State.
D-FENCE
It's hard to put into words just how dominant St. Cloud State's defense was Saturday afternoon. The Huskies held the Beavers to a .392 shooting percentage from the floor, including a .263 clip from three-point range. In fact, in the first half, Bemidji State did not score a single point from beyond the arc and made five total in the game. It marks the fifth time this season St. Cloud State has held its opponent to under .300 shooting from three-point range and the .392 overall shooting percentage is the third highest number any team has managed against the Huskies stiny D this season.
WELL-BALANCED OFFENSE
Four different St. Cloud State student-athletes scored in double-digits Saturday night, but not a single player scored over 20 points in the win over Bemidji State. It marks the second consecutive game where at least three Huskies have scored in double-digits without anyone going over the 20-point threshold. Additionally, nine of the 14 players to touch the court scored at least one basket against the Beavers, one shy of the 10 student-athletes who scored in Thursday's win over Minnesota-Crookston.
UP NEXT
St. Cloud State will continue its homestand December 9-10, when the team hosts Mary and Minot State in an NSIC North Showdown. Friday's tip off against the Mauraders is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in Halenbeck Hall, while Saturday's tilt with the Beavers is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Women's Basketball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
