ST. PAUL, Minn. - Concordia-St. Paul (8-3, 4-2 NSIC) used strong team defense to limit visiting Minnesota State (5-5, 2-4 NSIC) to 28.8 percent (21-73) shooting in a 65-54 win on Sunday afternoon at Gangelhoff Center.

Concordia improves to 4-2 in league play, winning its fourth straight NSIC contest. Three Golden Bears reached double-figures in rebounds with senior Lindsay Dorr producing a 14 point, 12 rebound double-double on 7-of-10 shooting with three blocked shots. Sophomore Sidney Wentland had a team-high 12 rebounds, adding five assists, two blocks and two steals while senior Kyrah Fredenburg had 10 rebounds, adding seven points and a block.

Senior guard Anna Schmitt led all scorers in the game with 17 points, hitting 9-of-12 at the free throw line in a game that featured the two teams combining to shoot 25-of-49 from the line. She also had three assists and a pair of blocks as CSP's starters produced all eight of the team's blocked shots. Senior Lexi Lee added 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting to join Schmitt in the backcourt.

The Golden Bear defense was stout from the start, forcing MSU to miss its first 14 shots for the first seven and a half minutes of play.

But the first half was largely stingy on both sides as Concordia was only able to mount a 7-2 lead despite the long MSU field goal drought. The Mavericks responded by making four of their next five shots as part of an 8-0 run to claim a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter (MSU led 8-7 at the first quarter break).

With MSU extended its lead to four, 13-9 with just under seven minutes left in the half, Concordia made its move, going on an extended 20-4 surge to head into the break leading 29-17.

Concordia's shooting came around during the run, making six of their last seven shots of the second quarter to end the half with a 41.7 percent (10-24) half of shooting. The defense held MSU to 21.2 percent (7-33) field goal shooting, and although MSU had nine first half offensive rebounds, Concordia stayed aggressive inside and held MSU to just four second chance points.

In the third quarter, the game's twists and turns continued. Dorr's layup 32 seconds into the half gave Concordia its largest lead of the game, a 31-17 advantage. But MSU would storm back with a 16-0 run to reclaim the lead 33-31 just past the halfway mark of the third quarter in a span of four minutes and nine seconds.

Dorr finished in the lane on CSP's next possession to quickly tie the score back up, and a minute later a three-pointer by senior Hanna Vidlund put Concordia back in the lead.

MSU wouldn't lead again the rest of the evening, and CSP would lead by at least two possessions for the final 7:46 of play on its way to the home win.

Minnesota State was led by Rachel Shumski's 14 points and seven rebounds (five offensive) and Monica Muth led the team with 10 rebounds as the Mavericks reached 50 total rebounds in the game.

Concordia would make one more field goal (22 to 21) than MSU in 21 fewer shot attempts (52 to 73). Concordia also had a distinct advantage at the foul line, hitting of 16-of-26 (61.5%) to MSU's 9-of-23 (39.1%).

The Golden Bears hit the road for their first games of 2019 on their longest road trip of the league calendar at UMary and Minot State next Friday and Saturday, January 4 and 5.