MINOT, N.D. -- The Minot State women's basketball team took a 45-35 advantage into the fourth quarter but could not hang on and fell 59-54 to the Mary Marauders at home Saturday in NSIC action.
The Beavers (5-7 overall, 1-5 NSIC) had two players score in double figures, led by Natasha Elliott, who had 16 points. Kate Head tacked on 13 points and three steals and Lorelei McIver added six points and nine rebounds.
Emma Mogen pulled down three offensive rebounds to pace an offense that racked up second-chance opportunities for Minot State, grabbing 12 boards and turning them into six second-chance points.
The Minot State defense was effective at taking away the basketball in Saturday's game, forcing 22 Mary turnovers while committing 19. Those takeaways turned into 22 points on the other end of the floor. Vilborg Jonsdottir led the way individually for the Beavers with three steals.
How It Happened
After falling behind 4-2, Minot State went on a 6-0 run with 8:35 left in the first quarter, culminating in a bucket from McIver, to take an 8-4 lead. The Beavers then lost some of that lead, but still entered the quarter-break with an 11-9 advantage. Minot State did most of its first-quarter damage in the paint, scoring eight of its 11 points close to the basket.
Minot State built that first-quarter lead to 21-18 before going on a 6-0 run starting at the 3:06 mark in the second period, highlighted by a bucket from Mogen, to increase its lead to 27-18. The Beavers kept that lead for the remainder of the period and enjoyed a 30-21 advantage heading into halftime. Minot State forced six Mary turnovers in the period and turned them into nine points.
Minot State wasted no time building on its lead, going on a 5-0 run, punctuated by a basket from McIver, to expand its lead further to 35-21 with 7:28 to go in the third. Before the conclusion of the third period, the Marauders had cut into that lead somewhat, but the Beavers still entered the fourth quarter with a 45-35 edge. Minot State took advantage of seven Mary turnovers in the quarter, scoring nine points off of takeaways.
Mary then erased the Minot State lead in the game's final quarter for a 59-54 comeback victory. Minot State pulled down four offensive rebounds to score two second-chance points out of nine total in the period.
