MOORHEAD, Minn. – Junior Heather Strese recorded  a double-double to help the Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team earn a 67-52 win over Bemidji State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Friday night in Bemidji, Minn.

MSUM improved to 15-10 overall and 14-7 in the NSIC with its fourth straight win, while Bemidji State fell to 6-20 overall and 3-18 in the league. The Dragons, who officially clinched the No. 2 seed in the NSIC North Division, remain one game behind Northern State (15-6 NSIC North) in the north division race.

Strese finished with 20 points and a career-high 16 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season.  The 16 rebounds are the most recorded by a Dragon player this season.

MSUM shot 33.8 percent (22-of-65) for the game while Bemidji State shot 34.5 percent (19-of-55). The Dragons owned a commanding 54-28 edge in rebounds, including 23-7 on the offensive glass.

MSUM opened the game on a dominating 28-2 run over the first 9:17. Strese led the way with 14 points during that run while Handevidt had seven and freshman Shannon Galegher had four.

Strese had a double-double by halftime with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Junior Savanna Handevidt had eight points in the opening half for MSUM. The Dragons had the double-digit lead despite only shooting 34 percent (12-of-35) in the first half. MSUM held the Beavers to 28 percent shooting (8-of-29) in the first half, including 2-of-12 from three-point range.

After opening the game on an 11-0 run (which was part of the 28-2 spurt) MSUM never let the lead drop below double digits the rest of the way. The Dragons' biggest lead of the second half came at 54-28 with 12:34 left after a Strese basket.

MSUM wraps up the regular season on Saturday at Minnesota Crookston. Game time is 4 p.m. in Crookston, Minn.

Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: The Dragons have had six different players lead the team in outright rebounding in a game this season:
--Drew Sannes (6 times – at St. Cloud St., at Minn. Duluth, at USF, at Wayne St., at Augustana, vs. St. Cloud St.)
--Heather Strese (6 times – vs. UW Parkside, at SF St., vs. Minot St., vs. Upper Iowa, vs. Minn. Duluth, at Bemidji St.)
--Savanna Handevidt (3 times – vs. Mary, at Minot St., vs. Minn. Crookston)
--Morgan Banasik (3 times – vs. Winona St., at SW Minn. St., vs. Bemidji St.)
--Cassidy Thorson (1 time - vs. Northern St.)
--Jessica Hart (1 time – vs. N. Michigan)