UMC MEN’S BASKETBALL GOES ICE COLD IN FIRST HALF, FALLS TO BEMIDJI STATE

The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles had a hard time shaking off the holiday break rust as they shot 18 percent in the first half and didn’t score for over seven minutes as they trailed 30-16 at halftime and couldn’t recover in a 70-46 loss to the Bemidji State Beavers in a Northern Sun Conference game played at Bemidji.

FIRST HALF –
Bemidji State jumped out to a 4-0 lead before UMC finally scored over three minutes into the game with a three-pointer from Leonard Dixon (Jr. Demascus, OR).  After A BSU basket, Zen Goodridge (Jr. Orlando, FL) scored in the paint and Brian Sitzmann (Sr. Savage) made two free throws and the Golden Eagles led 7-6 with 14:34 left in the first half.  Bemidji State answered with a 5-0 run before Dixon made another three-pointer to bring UMC within an 11-10 deficit with 12:33 left in the half.  Bemidji State opened up the game with a 6-0 run to take a 17-10 lead.  UMC missed their next eight shots and Bemidji State missed six shots in a row and with 5:18 left in the half, Uzo Dibiamaka (Soph. Adelaide, South Australia) made a free throw to stop the scoreless drought to get within a 17-11 deficit.  24 seconds later, Bemidji State answered with a layup for a 19-11 lead. Bemidji State continued to build on the lead and outscored UMC 11-6 in the final four minutes and took a 30-16 lead into halftime.
UMC only made four shots in the half while shooting 18 percent (4 of 22).  Bemidji State shot 44 percent (14 of 32) from the field.

SECOND HALF –
Whatever UMC Coach Dan Weisse said at halftime seemed to work because the Golden Eagles scored the first five points of the second half with another three-pointer from Dixon and two free throws from Dibiamaka to get within a 30-21 deficit 95-seconds into the half.  Five minutes into the half, UMC trailed 38-28 after another three-pointer from Dixon.  Bemidji State had another 10-point lead (43-33) with 12 minutes left in the game and continued to build on their lead over the next five minutes.  UMC missed six shots in a row and only made one of nine shots while Bemidji State took and had a 58-37 lead with less than seven minutes left in the game.  The lead was the biggest of the game at this point. UMC stopped the run when Dixon scored on a layup with 6:25 left to get within a 58-39 deficit.  Bemidji State continued to build on their lead the rest of the game and won 70-46.

UMC drops to 1-7 in the Northern Sun Conference and 4-10 overall and will host Upper Iowa on Friday.  Bemidji State improves to 3-5 in the NSIC and 6-6 overall.