Fourth-quarter surge lifts Mystics past BU, 76–65

Box Score
Frontier Standings

BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Bismarck State College used a decisive 10–0 fourth-quarter run and a strong effort on the offensive glass to pull away for a 76–65 Frontier Conference women's basketball win over Bellevue University on Friday evening inside the BU Fieldhouse.

With the loss, the Bruins fell to 9–17 overall and 5–16 in Frontier Conference play. The Mystics improved to 9–17 on the season and 9–12 in league games, completing a season sweep of BU.

Bismarck State finished at 40.3 percent from the field and made 11 3-pointers while going 11-for-12 at the free-throw line. The Mystics converted 19 points off 19 BU turnovers and held a 13–2 edge in second-chance points behind a 10–11 advantage in offensive rebounds. Bellevue shot 39.3 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent (10-for-30) from beyond the arc, but the Bruins' 19 turnovers and BSC's 21–19 edge in bench scoring helped swing the outcome.

Kennedy Stormer led all scorers with 25 points, adding 13 rebounds, six assists and five steals for Bismarck State. Alionna Lawrence provided 16 points and six rebounds off the bench, and Aleah McPherson added eight points, including a key 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. Ashley Martodam chipped in nine points and six made free throws, and Piper Harris finished with seven points, three rebounds, and four assists.

Emma Russell paced BU with 18 points on 6-for-12 shooting from 3-point range to go with five rebounds. Zakiyyah Muhammad totaled 16 points and eight rebounds while going 7-for-12 from the field. Drasoni Kyles added 13 points, including three 3-pointers, and Joy Beran contributed six points and eight boards. Karoline Ellison finished with six points, seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals, while Dru Zoucha added five points and four assists.

How It Happened

Bellevue started quickly behind Muhammad, who scored the Bruins' first five points, including an and-one to open the game. Russell and Kyles later connected from deep as BU closed the first quarter on a late surge. With the score tied 13–13, Russell hit back-to-back 3-pointers to push the Bruins in front, and Kyles added another triple before Muhammad scored in transition in the final seconds to give BU a 23–20 lead after 10 minutes.

The teams continued to trade baskets in the second quarter. Lawrence provided an early spark for BSC with a driving layup, but Russell answered with another 3-pointer to restore a two-possession lead. Stormer kept the Mystics close, converting at the rim and at the foul line, and Bismarck State gradually erased the deficit behind points off turnovers. Muhammad's layup with 2:51 left in the half tied the game at 33–33, and after both teams came up empty on several late possessions, the score was knotted 36–36 at the break.

Kyles opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer to put BU ahead 39–36, and the period featured multiple ties and lead changes as both teams traded perimeter shots. Russell and Kyles combined for three 3s in the frame, while Lawrence continued to score inside for the Mystics. Bismarck State closed the quarter with free throws from Stormer in the final minute to take a 57–55 lead into the fourth.

Beran tied the game early in the fourth quarter with two free throws and a mid-range jumper, pulling the Bruins even at 59–59 with 7:45 to play. From there, Bismarck State put together the decisive stretch. Martodam knocked down four free throws on consecutive trips to make it 61–59 and then 63–59, and Lawrence buried a right-wing 3-pointer off a Stormer assist to extend the margin to 64–59 with 6:16 remaining.

After several empty possessions on both sides, McPherson scored on a putback and followed with a 3-pointer from the left side to cap a 10–0 Mystics run and push the lead to 69–59 at the 4:09 mark. Russell briefly cut the deficit to seven with her sixth 3-pointer of the night, but Stormer answered with a deep triple to restore a double-digit advantage at 72–62 with just over two minutes left.

Muhammad added a free throw to make it 72–63, but Decoteau's driving layup and two Stormer free throws in the final minute stretched the Bismarck State lead to 76–63. Ellison knocked down a jumper with 38 seconds remaining for the final 76–65 margin. The game featured 11 ties and 11 lead changes before the Mystics' late fourth-quarter push created separation.

Top Performers

Bellevue University

• Emma Russell — 18 points, 6-for-12 3FG, 5 rebounds, 1 steal

• Zakiyyah Muhammad — 16 points, 8 rebounds, 7-for-12 FG, 2 blocks

• Drasoni Kyles — 13 points, 3-for-6 3FG, 2 assists

• Karoline Ellison — 6 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals

• Joy Beran — 6 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists

Bismarck State College

• Kennedy Stormer — 25 points, 8-for-16 FG, 4-for-8 3FG, 5-for-6 FT, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals

• Alionna Lawrence — 16 points, 7-for-10 FG, 2-for-4 3FG, 6 rebounds

• Aleah McPherson — 8 points, 3-for-8 FG, 2-for-7 3FG, 1 block, 1 steal

• Ashley Martodam — 9 points, 6-for-6 FT, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal

• Piper Harris — 7 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds

Inside the Numbers

• Bismarck State held a 19–7 advantage in points off turnovers and a 13–2 edge in second-chance points.

• The Mystics made 11 3-pointers (11-for-40), while BU finished 10-for-30 from beyond the arc.

• BSC shot 91.7 percent at the line (11-for-12); the Bruins went 7-for-10 (70.0 percent).

• Bellevue outrebounded Bismarck State 40–38 overall, but the Mystics owned a 10–8 edge in offensive boards.

• BU's largest lead was five points in the first quarter; BSC's largest lead was 13 late in the fourth period.

Up Next

The Bruins host Dickinson State University tomorrow (Feb. 21) at 5 p.m. inside the BU Fieldhouse. Bellevue's lone senior, Emma Russell, will be honored following the contest.