(MINOT, N.D) -- The Minot State women's basketball team fell in a tight contest against the nationally-ranked Minnesota State Moorhead Dragons on Friday afternoon. 

In the first quarter, the Beavers did not get off to a great start, trailing 6-0 early on. The Beavers were able to get the offense going after that, scoring a pair of buckets in the paint. Going into the media timeout at 3:55, the Dragons led 11-6. Despite the improved offense to end the period, the Beavers would trail 24-13 after one. 

The second period started evenly with each time scoring four points. At that point, MSU Moorhead had a 28-17 lead. The Beavers continued to play well offensively but were not able to come up with stops defensively. Minot State was able to cut the deficit to seven before the Dragon would expand it to 12, their biggest lead of the game at 38-26. At the half, the Beaver would trail 44-34. 

The Beavers started to cut into the deficit early in the second half. A Mariah Payne three-point per would cut the MSU Moorhead lead to seven. The Beavers would continue to fight back. The two teams would go back and forth over the next several minutes with the Beavers showing grit. With 1:47 to go in the third quarter, the Beavers trailed 54-46.

Neither team was able to get much going offensively to begin the fourth quarter with the defenses tightening up. MSU Moorhead would then catch fire, going on a 13-4 run to expand their lead to 68-50 with just over four minutes to go. The Beavers would answer with ten points unanswered to cut it to 68-60 with just over a minute to play. Mariah Payne would hit a two-pointer, reducing the deficit to 69-62 with 50 seconds to go. The Beavers would then have to play the foul game. MSU Moorhead would make three of four virtually sealing the game. The Beavers would not foul on the final possession, falling 72-62. 

The Beavers were led by Mariah Payne, scoring 24. Payne led the team in assists as well with six. Anna Counts, Bethany Theodore, and Calli Delsman also were in double figures, scoring 13, 10, and 10. Counts had one of the best games of her career, getting a double-double, adding ten rebounds and also four blocks. 

Media: For more information, contact the Coordinator of Sports Information Josh Van Valkenburg-Gernert.