Kari Gibb/MDN MSU senior Emma Mogen (5) led the Lady Beavers on the road in Minnesota in round one of the NSIC postseason play on Wednesday, February 26.

ST. CLOUD, Minn. –The Minot State University (MSU) women’s basketball team went into halftime beating St. Cloud State 32-29, but could not hang on in the second half and fell 64-53 to the Huskies on the road Wednesday, February 26, in round one of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play.

The Beavers (10-20) had two players score in double figures, led by Emma Mogen, who had 16 points and two blocks. Sydney Gustavsson tacked on 14 points and three steals and Katie Aberle added six points.

MSU forced 18 Saint Cloud State turnovers while committing 12 themselves in Wednesday’s game. The Beavers turned those takeaways into nine points on the other end of the floor. Gustavsson’s three steals led the way for Minot State.

MSU entered the second quarter tied at 17-17 after a tightly contested first period.

MSU turned the first quarter tie into a 22-19 lead before going on a 5-0 run, highlighted by a three from Aberle, to increase its lead to 27-19. The Huskies cut into that lead, but the Beavers still enjoyed a 32-29 advantage heading into halftime. Minot State was strong from deep in the period, knocking down three three-point shots to account for nine of its 15 points.

MSU then lost its advantage in the third quarter and trailed the Huskies 45-42 entering the fourth.

St. Cloud State kept widening its lead in the fourth, constructing a 57-45 advantage before Minot State went on a 5-0 run, finished off by Jessica Mogen’s layup, to shrink the deficit to 57-50 with 1:36 to go in the contest.

Saint Cloud State responded and outscored the Beavers the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 64-53. Minot State fired away from deep in the quarter, knocking down two shots to account for six of its 11 points.