MOORHEAD, Minn. — The Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team remained in a tie for first place in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference's North Division with a 74-58 win over Bemidji State Friday night at Nemzek Fieldhouse in Moorhead, Minn.

MSUM improved to 19-5 overall and 16-5 in the NSIC with the win. The Dragons are tied with Northern State atop the north division with one game remaining. The Wolves beat Minnesota Crookston, 71-60 on Friday.  Bemidji State fell to 7-18 overall and 3-18 in the league.

Sophomore forward Drew Sannes had an excellent all-around game for MSUM, barely missing a triple double. She had 14 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high eight blocks. Sophomore guard Cassidy Thorson led the Dragons with 21 points, hitting 5-of-6 three-pointers. Senior forward Savanna Handevidt had 13 points while senior forward Heather Strese had 10 points and seven rebounds. Handevidt and Strese led with five assists each.

MSUM shot 44.6 percent (29-of-65) for the game while holding Bemidji State to 34.3 percent shooting (23-of-67). The Dragons had a 45-37 edge in rebounds.

The Dragons trailed for only a minute in the game and led by as many as 26. They held a 7-6 lead midway through the first quarter before ending the frame on a 8-1 run to take a 15-7 lead after 10 minutes.  Four different players — Strese, Sannes, Handevidt and Thorson — each had a basket during that run.

The Dragon defense was stellar, holding Bemidji State to just three made field goals on its first 23 attempts.  MSUM opened the second quarter with similar success, going on an 11-2 run to push the lead to 26-9 with 5:51 left in the half.  Sannes had five points, including a three, to lead that stretch.

MSUM led 31-17 at halftime. The Dragons held Bemidji State to 20 percent shooting (7-of-35) in the first half. Strese led the Dragons with nine first-half points.

In the second half, MSUM opened on a 16-9 run over the first 4:16 to make it 48-26, and the lead never dropped below 13 the rest of the night.

Junior Jessica Hart had five points, five rebounds and three assists off the bench for MSUM.

MSUM wraps up the regular season on Saturday against Minnesota Crookston. Game time is 4 p.m. in Moorhead, Minn.
 
Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: With tonight's win, Karla Nelson is now 100 games over the .500 mark with a career coaching record of 276-176.