MINOT, N.D. – The Concordia-St. Paul women's basketball team (10-13, 6-11 NSIC) saw a double digit second half lead disappear in 71-66 loss at Minot State (9-14, 6-11 NSIC) on Friday night.
 
The Golden Bears led by as many as 12, including holding a 48-38 lead with 3:18 to go in the third quarter, but they couldn't withstand a late Minot State surge in the loss. Concordia held the Beavers to just 30.3% from the floor in the opening half, but couldn't maintain it as Minot finished the game at 41.9% (26-62). Concordia connected on 40.3% (27-67) in the game.
 
Rebounding and bench scoring went in favor of Minot State as the Beavers held a 45-37 lead (16-13 in offensive boards) as well as a 22-13 lead in bench scoring. Concordia, however, held a 28-18 advantage on points in the paint.
 
The offense was spread out for Concordia at six different players scored between eight and 14 points on the night while four of their five starters scored in double figures.
 
Lauren Shifflett led the way with 14 points as she hit four threes on the night. Kyrah Fredenburg added 11 points along with seven rebounds as well.
 
Caitlyn Russell was solid on both ends as she put up a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds on an efficient 5-7 from the floor. Anna Schmitt also chipped in 10 points and five assists to round out the double digit scoring.
 
Sarah Lester paced the Beavers with 20 points while Savana Kingsbury fell a rebound short of a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds.
 
Things were even in the early going as the two teams traded buckets for the first several minutes. It was the Golden Bears that made the first run of the game as they strung together a 7-0 run to turn a 7-5 deficit into a 12-7 lead. The Beavers answered back with six in a row before CSP knocked down a free throw late in the period to send the game into the second quarter with a tie score of 13-13.
 
Concordia regained the lead in the second as they scored the first four points and seven of the first nine to go up 20-15 by the 7:49 mark. After Minot State cut it back to two, CSP rattled off ten straight to extend their lead all the way to 12 at 32-20 heading into the final minute of the half. The Golden Bears maintained their double digit lead at 34-23 heading into the locker room.
 
The third quarter featured a series of runs as the momentum shifted back and forth. The Beavers quickly cut it back to six before CSP answered back to push it back to 11. Minot State cut it all the way down to five at 41-36, but the Golden Bears responded again to push it back to double figures a few minutes later at 48-38 with 3:18 to go in the third. The next nine points went in favor of Minot before CSP slowed the momentum to take a 51-49 advantage into the fourth.
 
That lead would be short-lived as Minot State took the lead for the first since the opening quarter at 54-53. Concordia scored the next basket to regain the lead, but they wouldn't lead again as an 8-0 put the Beavers out front 62-55. The Golden Bears cut it to three at 64-61 and again at 66-62 before pulling to within two at 68-66 in the final minute, but they couldn't get over the hump in a 71-66 loss.
 
The Golden Bears will look to get back into the win column tomorrow afternoon as they travel to U-Mary.