MINOT, N.D. – It was as toss up to which run was more important, Minot State University's run to start the game or to start the second half.

It was easy to see which was more impressive.

The Beavers pulled away from No. 9 Black Hills State in the first half with a blistering shooting performance and stingy defense, setting up 70-49 win in Dakota Athletic Conference women's basketball Friday at the MSU Dome.

“We pretty much threw out every rotation we had on defense and just were flying around and getting in the passing lanes,” said MSU head coach Sheila Green Gerding.

The Beavers run in the second half was more workmen like, but was probably equally important. MSU allowed a small run by the Yellow Jackets to get within 12, but blasted out to a 25 point lead.

“We told them at halftime that we better lace up the shoes a little tighter and better tighten up the jersey because Black Hills is as great team, they are really well coached and they won't go away,” added Green Gerding. “And they didn't. They came out clawing and dug in, but we gave it right back.”

Minot State (8-5 DAC, 20-7 overall) took a 35-18 lead to the halftime locker room behind the solid defense that held the Yellow Jackets to just 22.2 percent shooting and great shooting of their own. MSU hit 15 of 27 for 55.6 percent in the first half and knocked down four 3-pointers – three by senior Whitney Loftesnes (G, Velva, N.D.).

“Whitney looked very good early,” Green Gerding said. “She was a big lift for us early hitting those shots.”

The Yellow Jackets (10-3, 20-6) cut the lead to 12 with 13:42 to play in the second half on an offensive rebounds and basket by Bailey Chevron to make it 43-31.

But MSU responded in a huge way, going on a 21-8 run of its own, stretching the lead to 64-39 on a jumper by Lauren Safranski (So., G, Burnsville, Minn.) with 4:50 to play in the contest. During the run Christina Boag (Fr., F, Tamworth, Australia) scored eight of her 11 points and Kelly Pankratz (Sr., G, Malta, Mont.) nailed two 3-pointers and assisted on two fast break buckets by Boag. Pankratz hit for 16 points, had six assists and finished with six rebounds.

“She picked a great time to have one of her best games,” said Green Gerding of Pankratz. “She is very good at seeing the floor and can find the open player. Tonight, her confidence was going and she was stroking it. Her overall game was great.”

MSU ran its home winning streak to 13 games and is 6-0 in conference games at the MSU Dome. MSU has outscored its DAC opponents at home 445-333. The Beavers also hit the 20-win plateau for the fourth time in five seasons and is one win shy of tying the MSU single-season record of 21 wins.

BHSU was led by Katelynn Lamb's 16 points, but she was the only Yellow Jackets player to reach double figures. Kristi Ryan and Keely Krolikowski had nine apiece.

Along with Pankratz and Boag, Loftesness scored in double figures with 11 and Caroline Folven (Sr., C, Bryon, Ill.) scoring nine points and four rebounds – reaching exactly 500 career rebounds for the Beavers.

MSU completes its conference regular season schedule with a battle with South Dakota Mines Saturday at 4 p.m. The Beavers are tied with Jamestown College for third place in the conference, a game behind Valley City State and a game ahead of Mines with one game to play.

“We talked about it in the locker room after this one, we said, 'hey, you did a great job, congratulations, but now you have to turn around and have another great effort,'” Green Gerding said. “(Mines) is going to come in here and battle.”