ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Concordia-St. Paul women's basketball team ended the weekend with a sweep after the squad defeated the Minot State Beavers (3-9, 0-8 NSIC) on Saturday afternoon at the Gangelhoff Center. With a final score of 84-74, the Golden Bear's record improves to 8-6 overall and 5-3 in the conference.
 
The first bucket of the game came from Ayla Lemke who went on to lead the team in the first half with 14 points. The junior forward found her momentum early in the first quarter when she finished a fast break layup after Minot committed their third turnover in a row. Lemke shot 77.8% (7-9) from the field to contribute to 41.5% shooing by the Golden Bears in the first half of the game.
 
Lemke ended the night with 21 points for a career-best performance, grabbing four offensive boards, four defensive boards, and putting up two blocks. Teammate Sidney Wentland also scored 21 points in the game while picking up seven rebounds and four blocks along with three assists. Adding to the scoring mania was junior Danielle Schaub with 16 points on the day after dropping four three pointers (66.7% 3PT) and shooting 54% from the field (6-11). The trio had a combined 58 points.
 
There was a lid on the basket in the first quarter, the score sitting at 8-3 for three minutes and causing a slow start for both teams until Minot's guard, Mariah Payne, finished a pull up jumper with four minutes left to pick up the pace.
 
At the half, the score sat at 41-27 and the Golden Bears were up by 14 points. The Beavers were stunned by Concordia's defense and gave up the ball 15 times due to turnovers, giving up eight points to the Bears.
 
Much like the first half, the Beavers were frazzled by the Bears defense and gave up two consecutive turnovers on their first possessions of the half. The gears quickly shifted when Minot formed a solid defense and found their way to the hoop on offense, outscoring the Bears 29-24 in the third quarter.
 
Within the last three minutes of the quarter, Payne surged for the Beavers as she drained a set of threes to bring the score within seven. The Bears responded with a three from Wentland and Payne put up a quick pull up jumper, followed by an elbow shot from Riley Wheatcraft and then another three-point shot from Payne. Scoring 23 of her points in the second half, the senior guard from Minot State ended the night with 35 points and four rebounds to be the top scorer of the game.
 
The fourth quarter started at 65-56 and although CSP never lost the lead, Minot brought the game within two after Anna Counts, a sophomore for the Beavers, fought her way to the rim for a slick two-pointer.
 
After that it was free throws and fast break points that brought it back for the Bears. Lemke was fouled going up on a put back and made two to bring the game within four, and Wheatcraft put back two on the foul straight after to give CSP a six-point lead. Wheatcraft continued with another fast break put-back and a set of free throws to score six of her 13 points in the final minutes of the game. The junior also had eight rebounds, four assists, four steals, and a block.
 
Concordia won the turnover battle, committing only eight errors while forcing 19 from the Beavers. Each team collected 15 offensive boards while Minot out-rebounded CSP 42-37 overall.
 
As a team the Bears shot 42% (29-69) from the field and held the Beavers to 37.7% (23-61). Minot was more efficient from the arc, shooting 63.6% (7-11) and holding Concordia to 33.3% (8-24).
 
The game put the Golden Bears and the Beavers at a 7-2 all time series record, CSP winning three of the last five matchups.
 
The team will be on the road next week for a matchup against Southwest Minnesota State (6-7, 1-7 NSIC) on January 10^th before traveling to Sioux Falls (13-2, 6-2 NSIC) on January 11^th. The games will be streamed live at www.cspbears.com/watch.