Megan Topping/MDN MSU senior guard Sydney Gustavsson (21) works the ball against Bemidji State at home on Saturday, December 7, at the MSU Dome.

The Minot State University (MSU) women’s basketball team held Bemidji State to just 19 percent from 3-point range in a 4-for-21 shooting performance on the way to a 57-47 victory against the Beavers at home Saturday.

Maya Aguilar led the Beavers (2-8, 1-2) with 20 points. Jessica Mogen also tacked on nine points and two steals off the bench and Emma Mogen chipped in as well with nine points and six rebounds.

MSU out-rebounded Bemidji State 41-36 in Saturday’s game, led by six boards from Lara Dobbins.

MSU’s defense held Bemidji State to only 19 percent shooting from beyond the arc and 30.8 percent from the field. The Beavers did not have much luck cleaning up their misses on the offensive glass either, as they finished with seven offensive rebounds and managed seven second chance points while Minot State cleared 32 defensive rebounds.

After playing to a 5-5 tie early in the game, MSU went on a 7-0 run with 5:22 left in the first quarter, culminating in a bucket from Aguilar, to take a 12-5 lead. The Beavers then lost some of that lead, but still entered the quarter break with a 17-15 advantage. Minot State got a great contribution from its bench in the period, as non-starters accounted for seven of its 17 total points.

MSU built that first quarter lead to 30-19 before going on a 5-0 run starting at the 4:29 mark in the second period, highlighted by a three from Emma Mogen, to increase its lead to 35-19. The Beavers cut into that lead, but the Beavers still enjoyed a 35-23 advantage heading into halftime. MSU was strong from deep in the period, knocking down four three-point shots to account for 12 of its 18 points.

MSU continued to preserve its halftime lead before going on a 6-0 run, punctuated by a basket from Dobbins, to expand its lead further to 50-37 with four seconds to go in the third, a score which remained until the end of the third quarter. Minot State played well near the basket, scoring 10 of its 15 points in the paint.

The Beavers then held on for the victory in the fourth quarter. Minot State fired away from deep in the quarter, knocking down one shot to account for three of its seven points.