Box Score Mankato, Minn. – The Minnesota State Mavericks were defeated in the final seconds of the game by the Beavers of Bemidji State Friday evening, 61-59, in the Taylor Center.
The Mavericks allowed the Beavers to open the game with the first two points off a jumper. Senior guard Tiffany Moe scored the first points for the Mavericks. The two teams battled back-and-forth until the Beavers pulled away, going on a 15-4 scoring spree, taking the lead by 11 points. The Mavericks would end the half with a 10-point deficit, 29-19.
Maverick leaders in the first half were Moe with six points and freshman forward Ali Wilkinson with five. MSU was outrebounded by the Beavers 29-19 with sophomore guard Jennie Noreen grabbing five for the Mavericks. There were four lead changes in the half with the score tied twice.
Senior forward Liz Trauger opened the second half with the first points from the arc. The Mavericks largest deficit came at 10:49 by 22 points until MSU went on a 23-7 run to put them within six points of the Beavers. With 37 seconds left in the game, a jumper by Noreen tied the game, but a last second shot by the Beavers gave them the two-point advantage.
Leading the Mavericks was Trauger with 15 points, grabbing six rebounds and Wilkinson adding 12 points and six rebounds. Noreen brought down a career-high nine rebounds as the Mavericks outrebounded the Beavers 32-31.
MSU shot 34.6 percent from the field and 30.4 percent from the arc, putting down all seven shots from the arc in the second-half. The Mavericks took 12 steals from the Beavers while dishing out 13 assists.
The Mavericks now 10-9 overall and 5-7 in the NSIC will battle the Bulldogs of Minnesota Duluth tomorrow evening in the Taylor Center, game slated for 6 p.m.
