DULUTH, Minn. — The Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs started off with a bang on Friday night.

The Bulldogs (7-1, 2-0 NSIC) never looked back after gaining a 41-16 halftime advantage against the Minot State Beavers (6-2, 0-2 NSIC). Although the Beavers outscored the Bulldogs 38-31 in the second half, their deficit proved too large.

Senior forward Brandon Myer scored 23 points on an efficient 7-for-11 shooting to help the Bulldogs to the NSIC victory. MSU senior guard Nibra White led the Beavers with 14 points on six made field goals.

MSU junior forward Kody Dwyer (12 points) and senior guard/forward Trevor Rothstein (10 points) also scored in double figures.

Both teams shot under 20 percent from behind the arc. The Beavers committed 13 turnovers, while the Bulldogs converted those miscues into 10 points.

The Beavers will square off against St. Cloud State (4-4, 1-1 NSIC) at 5:30 p.m. this evening in St. Cloud.

MSU WBB unable to keep up with Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — The Minot State women’s basketball team fell in a low-scoring affair in their first of a two-game conference road trip on Friday night.

The Beavers lost 60-48 to Minnesota Duluth.

Minot State (3-3, 0-2 NSIC) started the game well, getting out to a 9-7 lead. The Bulldogs (5-3, 2-0 NSIC), however, went on an 8-0 run to take their first lead of the game at 15-9.

The Beavers battled back to cut the deficit to one. The Bulldogs would go on another big run, outscoring the Beavers 12-0 over the next few minutes, taking a 27-16 lead into halftime.

The Beavers would crawl back in the game to start the third quarter, cutting the lead to eight, at 31-23, and would continue to chip away throughout the third quarter, trailing 33-28 with just over five minutes remaining.

It would not last, however, as the Bulldogs would score seven unanswered to end the quarter leading by 12.

The two teams would battle throughout the fourth quarter, but the Beavers would not be able to get back into the game, falling 60-48.

The Beavers were led by Mariah Payne, scoring 21 points. Calli Delsman was the only other Beaver in double figures, scoring ten points. Haley Hildenbrand led the team in rebounding with 11. Payne added nine rebounds, and five assists to lead the team.

The Beavers finish their conference weekend road trip in St. Cloud, Minn., at 3:30 p.m. this evening as they take on St. Cloud State.

— MSU athletics

Majettes hockey drops 3-2 decision at Devils Lake

DEVILS LAKE — Two third-period goals helped Devils Lake defeat the Minot High School girls hockey team on Friday night.

The Majettes (0-2) fell 3-2 in a tight contest against the Firebirds (1-2). Minot put pressure on Devils Lake junior goalkeeper Molly Black, who finished with 48 saves.

Minot senior forward O’Malley Eslinger found the back of the net just 2:09 into the contest. Junior defenseman Alyssa Enns provided the assist for Eslinger’s first goal of the night.

The Firebirds countered with an unassisted goal from junior forward Madisyn White after one minute elapsed in the second period. White’s goal knotted the score at 1-1, but neither team scratched in the frame’s remainder.

Devils Lake junior forward Hannah Houle created some distance with an unassisted goal just 1:38 in the third period. The Firebirds were not done there, however.

Freshman forward Abbey Reule received assists from eighth-grader Ashlyn Abrahamson and senior forward Elle Black on her insurance goal later in the period. With just over two minutes to play, Eslinger found the back of the net on an unassisted goal. Despite Eslinger’s efforts, the Majettes fell just short of equalizing.

Minot junior goalkeeper Amber Borkhuis made 16 saves. The Majettes will face off against the Grand Forks Knight Riders (2-1) at 2 p.m. this afternoon at Eagles Arena.

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