BEMIDJI, Minn. – Senior Tyler Rudolph scored 23 points, but Minot State was unable to overcome an early deficit as Bemidji State defeated the Beavers 80-73 in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference game on Friday in the Bemidji State Gymnasium.
 
Minot State, which dropped to 16-3 overall and 10-3 in the NSIC, fell behind by 13 points in the first half and were never able to regain the lead.
 
Rudolph finished the game 11-of-15 from the floor to finish with his team-high 23 points. He also added five rebounds, three assists and a steal.
 
Junior David Akibo added 14 points and a team-leading seven rebounds for Minot State, while Luis Ricci Maia added 12 points and Nathaniel Moore finished with 10 points.
 
Bemidji State, which improved to 8-10 overall and 5-8 in conference play, shot 56.1 percent from the floor and placed five players in double figures in scoring.
 
Sharif Black led Bemidji State with a game-high 24 points, while Logan Bader scored 18 points. Derek Thompson finished with 13 points and Jai'Vionne Green added 12 points and Christian Pekarek added 10 points.
 
After Minot State took a 6-4 lead on a layup by Brandon Green at the 17:09 mark of the first half, Bemidji State answered with a 13-0 run to take a 17-6 lead with 12:57 to play before intermission.
 
Bemidji State took its largest lead of the first half at 27-14 on a three-pointer by Bader with 8:57 to play before halftime.
 
Trailing 31-21 with 6:08 remaining in the first half, the Beavers would rally back into the game.
 
A free throw by Russ Davis and a three-point play by Akibo brought Minot State to within 31-25 with 5:05 to play in the first.
 
Minot State got to within 35-31 on a jumper by Rudolph, but Bemidji State closed the half on a 3-0 run to take a 38-31 lead into halftime.
 
A three-point play by Black gave Bemidji State a 50-40 lead with 16:13 to play, but the Beavers rallied once again.
 
A three-pointer by Davis and back-to-back layups by Akibo and Moore got Minot State to within 50-47 with 14:24 to play in the game.
 
Minot State missed a game-tying three-pointer and Bemidji State hit back-to-back baskets to push the lead to 54-47 with 12:12 to play.
 
On three occasions Minot State climbed to within four points, but on every occasions Bemidji State answered with a basket on its next possession.
 
Minot State whittled the lead to 71-68 when Davis drilled a three-pointer with 2:28 remaining in the game, but turned the ball over on its next trip with a chance to tie the game.
 
Pekarek then hit a huge three-pointer for Bemidji State on its next trip to push the lead to 74-68 with 1:33 remaining in the second half.
 
Bemidji State then made 4-of-5 free throws down the stretch to close out the game.
 
Minot State returns to action on Saturday (Jan. 20) when it visits Minnesota Crookston in a NSIC game beginning at 6 p.m.