Box Score Mankato, Minn. --- The #5 Minnesota State Mavericks may have led by five heading into the second half Friday evening, but the Bemidji State Beavers were up to the task as they dropped in 51 second-half points to hand MSU an 82-74 loss.

With the loss MSU falls to 18-3, with a 14-3 record in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play. With the win, BSU improves to 12-9, with a 10-7 mark in league play.

BSU came out firing quickly in the second half as it tallied the first six points of the second frame to take a 37-36 lead. The lead would change hands two more times before the Beavers took the lead for good at 45-43, with 15:33 left in the second half.

The Beavers would lead by as much as 12 points the rest of the way as they closed out the second half outscoring the Mavericks 37-31 to claim an 82-74 win.

Junior Gage Wooten led the Mavericks with 19 points, matching his career-high. Junior Connor O'Brien notched his 11th career double-double with an 11-point, 12-rebound performance. Senior Jarvis Williams added 15 points, while sophomore Zach Monaghan dished out seven assists.

Dermaine Crockrell led all scorers with 29 points, while Mason Walters tallied 17 points.

As a team, MSU shot 45.8% (27-of-59) from the field, while bringing down 37 rebounds.

BSU connected on 10-of-23 (43.5%) shots from three point land and finished with an overall shooting percentage of 50.8% (30-of-59).

The trio of Williams, Wooten and sophomore Zach Romashko paced the MSU offense in the first half as they tallied 23 of MSU’s 36 first-half points. Williams led the Mavericks with 10, while Romashko and Wooten poured in seven and six points, respectively. O’Brien posted six first-half rebounds as well.

As a team MSU shot 45.5% (15-of-33) from the field in the first half. The Mavericks outrebounded BSU 19-11 and passed out nine helpers.
Walters led the Beavers with 13 points in the first session, while Lance Rongstad passed out four assists.

Minnesota State wraps up its two-game home stand Saturday as it hosts the Minnesota, Crookston Golden Eagles. The opening tip is set for 6 p.m.
                                                                                
                                                                                                            -30-