ST. PAUL, Minn. - #3-ranked Minnesota State University (15-0, 8-0 NSIC) extended their season-long win streak to 15 games with a 62-50 win over the Concordia University women's basketball team (12-7, 4-4 NSIC) on Friday evening. The Golden Bears pressured MSU in the second period, but the Mavericks held Concordia off in the final ten minutes for their first NSIC win over the squad.
After trailing the Mavericks 35-27 at the half, the Golden Bears held Minnesota State without a field goal for more than eight minutes in the second half. They drew to within a single point, 41-42 following a Candace Olstad jumper at the 12:34 mark. The Mavericks committed a season high 23 turnovers, but balanced the game by winning the rebound battle and also pressuring the Golden Bears into a 33.9% shooting average. Concordia, whose three-point game contributes largely to its season scoring, was 0-for-20 from long range in the game.
Concordia held the early lead in the game, using their size advantage to put in points from the paint. A Gillian Bjerke layup at the 10:47 mark gave the Golden Bears an 18-13 lead. The Mavericks came back to tie the game with a 7-2 run and then used a rare three-pointer from Heather Johnson to take their first lead. Making her first career start, Kelly Supernaw knotted the game back up at 23-23 with an old-fashioned three-point play with 5:45 to play. Minnesota State's offense put together a 12-4 scoring run to end the first half and lead 35-27 at the intermission.
Following Concordia's defensive stand that nearly tied the game in the second half, the Mavericks slowly began to edge out the Golden Bears to extend their lead. Alex Andrews contributed to the MSU cause not only with double figures in scoring, but also with an impressive rebounding game that gave her a double-double on the night. Andrews sandwiched a rebound on a missed CU three-pointer between a set of field goals that put Minnesota State up 53-44 at the 7:40 mark.
The Golden Bears felt the pressure to put together another scoring streak with the hopes of handing the #3-ranked team their first season loss, but shot after shot from beyond the arc went off-target and Concordia was held to only two field goals in the final four minutes of play.
Guard Zoraa Quoie was the only player to finish in double figures for the Golden Bears. She hit 5-of-10 shots from the field on her way to 12 points and also had four steals. Bjerke and Supernaw each added nine points. Kali Olstad had a team high six rebounds. The Golden Bears shot 33.9% from the field. Taking away their cold night from long range, the Golden Bears actually shot 51.3% (20-30) from two-point shots.
Minnesota State was led in scoring by Joanne Noreen with 16 points. She also had seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. Andrews had 15 points to go with her 13 rebounds. The Mavericks, who entered the game with the second highest field goal average in the NCAA, were held to a season low 38.5% by the Golden Bears. They out-rebounded Concordia 45-29.
The Golden Bears continue a homestand on Saturday afternoon, playing a 4:00 pm game against Southwest Minnesota State.
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