BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team led by as many as 11 in the second half but Bemidji State rallied for a 69-68 win over the Dragons in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Friday night in Bemidji, Minn.
 
MSUM fell to 2-6 overall and 1-3 in the NSIC with the loss while Bemidji State improved to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in the league.
 
Freshman guard Natalie Jens scored a career-high 16 points in the win. She also led with five assists.
 
Junior forward Peyton Boom added 14 points while junior guard Natalie Steichen added 12 points and a team-best six rebounds to go with four assists.  Freshman forward Paige Thompson added eight points and three steals.
 
The Dragons led 53-42 at one point in the third quarter before Bemidji State rallied. The game was tied at 61-61 when Jens scored four straight points for MSUM to put the Dragons up 65-61 with 1:16 left in the game.
 
Bemidji State scored the next eight points, however, to take a 69-65 lead. Jens hit a three-pointer in the final seconds to cut the lead to 69-68 at the buzzer.
 
MSUM led 38-30 at halftime with Boom scoring 12 points in the opening 20 minutes. Steichen hit a pair of free throws with 2:07 left in the third to give the Dragons their largest lead at 53-42. The Beavers cut the lead to four heading into the final quarter.
 
MSUM led almost the whole game, opening on a 19-9 run.
 
The Dragons are at Minnesota Crookston for a 5:30 p.m. game on Saturday.