Local Sports

Moorhead women win 12th straight, beat MSU 66-52

No one in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference has enjoyed playing the Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team this season. The Dragons entered Friday's contest against Minot State winners of 11 straight games and had just cracked the national Division II coaches Top 25 poll for the first time this year at No. 24.

Moorhead extended its winning streak to 12 (9-0 in conference play) with a 66-52 win over the Beavers at the MSU Dome, but not before MSU gave the Dragons all they called handle for three quarters.

"I thought we competed and came out with good focus and were scrappy defensively," MSU head coach Sheila Green Gerding said. "Offensively, our spacing was good and we were doing what we're supposed to do. There's just moments in there where we go crazy, and that's when we start turning the ball over."

MSU started the game with a 6-0 lead after back-to-back threes and had a 18-14 lead after the first quarter.

The Beavers were already shorthanded after second-leading scorer Mariah Payne broke her hand earlier in the week, but they had another scary moment when senior Kori Eurich took a hard fall late in the first quarter and had to leave the game. However, Eurich later returned to the game in the second quarter.

Moorhead used a 9-0 run in the second quarter to take a 33-23 lead, but the Beavers responded with a 10-2 run to close out the half, including a 29-foot buzzer beater from Madison Wald to close out the half.

"Our energy level was really good in the first half, but we eventually lost focus," MSU guard Kari Clements said. "We were a little fatigued but I think we bounced back eventually."

The third quarter was dominated by two big runs, one for each team. Minot State opened the first 2 minutes and 30 seconds with a 12-0 run but Moorhead did the rest of the scoring in the quarter with a 15-0 run in the final 7:30. The run extended to 19-0 in the fourth quarter after two unanswered baskets.

"There's never an excuse to give up a run like that, that's just something that shouldn't happen," Green Gerding said. "You have to be focused for 40 minutes and you just can't allow that. Communication has been an issue for us all year and when it breaks down things get a little crazy out there."

Clements led the Beavers with 15 points, while Madison Wald racked up 11 and Eurich chipped in 10. Minot State had success from beyond the arc, shooting 11-of-22.

"It was great, I thought our spacing was good and they were executing," Green Gerding said. "I thought we did a good job of getting to the middle and then kicking it out to our shooters."

Moorhead was led by Cassidy Thorson and Drew Sannes, who scored 16 and 13 points apiece.

The Beavers (3-12, 1-8 NSIC) face Northern State at 4 p.m. today at the MSU Dome, while Moorhead (12-1, 9-0) takes on University of Mary at 4 pm. today in Bismarck.

Garrick Hodge covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @Garrick_Hodge.