Box Score SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Minot State University women's basketball has had a habit of starting slow in games down the stretch.

Most of the time, however, the Beavers have been able to rally.

That wasn't the case Sunday as the Beavers fell behind by as many as 12 in the first half and fell 73-52 to Concordia University, St. Paul in the quarterfinals of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference / Sanford Health Women's Basketball Tournament at the Sanford Pentagon.

"They did a good job of clogging this up on the inside on us and we never really got into any offensive rhythm," said MISU head coach Sheila Green Gerding. "They kept us from getting good looks on the inside so we tried to use some penetration and drives, but didn't really get that going either."

The Beavers (19-9 overall) trailed by as many as 18 in the second half, but cut it to just 10 on a rare five-point possession – all by Katie Hardy (Jr., F, Fairview, N.D.) as she completed a three-point play along with two free throws after a technical called on CU with 13:25 to play in the second half.

While MISU had opportunities to cut further into the lead, the Beavers couldn't get it under 10 and CU pulled away from there.

Minot State couldn't match the Golden Bears' balance. CU finished with nine players scoring and five with at least eight points. Minot State, meanwhile, finished with just three with more than six in the game.

"We got some open looks, but didn't knock them down. If you look at the shots chart, we got two baskets from the outside and you need to hit some of those to take the pressure off the inside," Green Gerding said. "And we didn't rebound at times, we got caught standing around. When you're not shooting it well, you need to go to the glass and we didn't do that consistently."

The lack of scoring depth was most evident at half, as Carly Boag (Sr., F, Tamworth, Australia) and Hardy were a combined 10 of 19 from the floor, while the rest of the Beavers were just 2 of 12.

Boag, Hardy and Alicia Jones (Sr., G, Killeen, Texas) combined to score 43 of the Beavers 52
points.

The Golden Bears (23-8) also used the long ball to their advantage, outscoring the Beavers 18-0 on 3-pointers as Minot State finished 0-for-6 on 3s. Overall, CU hit 42.4 percent from the floor compared to just 33.9 for MISU and outscored the Beavers 17-14 from the free throw line.

The loss most likely ended the Minot State's season and brought an anticlimactic finish to Boag outstanding four years in a Beavers' uniform. She finished with a team-high 16 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and added two steals and a block in her final game. She finishes her career as the single-season record holder in points and rebounds in the Northern Sun, Minot State's single game record holder for points in a game and set the all-time career rebounding and scoring marks.

Anika Whiting led CU with 19 points and nine rebounds. She was joined in double figures scoring by Ameshia Kearney with 15, while Rachel Hansen chipped in with 11.

Jones ended her stellar two-year career with 14 points, two rebounds and an assist. Hardy scored 13 points and added six rebounds and three assists in the loss for the Beavers.

Minot State, which came into the tournament as the No. 9 ranked team in the NCAA Central Region, will wait to see its fate in the final regional poll March 9.