While the result wasn't as grandiose as the first time the teams met in early December, it didn't look like much had changed for the Dickinson State women's basketball team since it last played Minot State.
The Beavers controlled the tempo early and Kendra Meyer sparked a 14-1 run at the outset of the second half - one of a series of Minot State outbursts throughout the game - to gain the upper hand as they cruised to a 64-45 Dakota Athletic Conference victory Thursday night at Scott Gymnasium.
"We knew we had to come out in the second half and get a good gap," Meyer said.
Meyer led the Beavers with 17 points, scoring seven of them during the second half run that helped Minot State put the game in cruise control, giving the Beavers their first DAC road victory. The game was the regular-season finale for both teams.
"We're going to be on the road for playoffs so you might as well start getting those wins now," Meyer said.
ADVERTISEMENT
The victory puts Minot State as the sixth seed heading into the DAC Tournament. The Beavers will travel to third-seeded Valley City State next Wednesday for their quarterfinals game.
DSU was already locked into the eighth and final seed in the tournament and now must travel to Madison, S.D., to play top-seeded Dakota State.
"Our season's not over yet," DSU coach Guy Fridley said. "There's been crazier things that have happened."
The Beavers had beaten the Blue Hawks 86-50 at the MSU Dome on Dec. 7. DSU never had much of a chance Thursday after Minot State got going early in the first half.
Minot State got out to a 15-6 lead early in the first half and maintained it until halftime, even though DSU junior forward Brittany Mesa didn't make it easy.
Mesa came off the bench and scored five points in 30 seconds to cut Minot State's lead to 22-15, but the Blue Hawks couldn't maintain the shooting touch.
DSU shot 33 percent from the field in the game and was just 7 of 26 in the first half.
"We got looks to win the game, we got shots," Fridley said. "We just couldn't knock 'em down."
ADVERTISEMENT
Mesa was the only DSU player who scored in double figures. She finished with 17 points.
Minot State sophomore Brittni Walker keyed a 12-0 run late in the second half with an easy layup and a wide-open 3-pointer with 5:26 remaining. It built a 62-37 lead for the Beavers.
Minot State coach Sheila Green-Gerding was impressed with her team's defense during its runs.
"Our defense was steady most of the night," Green-Gerding said.
