BISMARCK, N.D. – Bismarck State women's basketball returned to the Armory on Saturday evening for their second Frontier Conference matchup of the weekend, hosting No. 14 Carroll (Mont.). The game marked the Mystics' second straight game against a nationally ranked opponent after their upset win over No. 17 Rocky Mountain (Mont.) the previous night.
The Mystics entered the game coming off Friday's hard-fought performance and showed no signs of backing down from the Fighting Saints, who arrived in Bismarck with a 3-2 record following their 26-point victory over Dickinson State (N.D.) the previous evening.
From the beginning, the game appeared to be an inverse of Friday's offensive showcase as it was BSC's defensive energy that helped them build a 16-13 advantage after the first quarter, holding Carroll to 1-of-5 from beyond the arc and forcing seven early fouls.
But Carroll found its offensive rhythm in the second. Behind sharp interior finishing and an 18-point quarter, the Saints surged ahead to take a 31-28 halftime lead. BSC struggled from deep during that stretch, hitting just one three-pointer in the frame while Carroll capitalized inside, eventually finishing with 34 points in the paint.
After the break, the Mystics found answers. Kennedy Stormer, who finished with a team-high 24 points and went 11-of-12 from the free-throw line, kept BSC within striking distance as Carroll pushed its advantage to as many as 11 near the end of the third. The Mystics responded with timely defense and physical downhill drives, trimming the deficit to 49-43 by the end of the period.
The fourth quarter featured the game's most intense back-and-forth stretch. Ashley Martodam and Piper Harris provided key scoring bursts as the Mystics clawed their way back to tie the game at 57 with just over four minutes remaining. From there, the two teams traded blows, with Carroll's Meagan Karstetter—who finished with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting—answering again and again at the rim. A layup by Willa Albrecht following a steal with 3:34 left gave the Saints a 59-58 edge they would never relinquish.
BSC continued to battle, highlighted by a clutch three from Harper Harris to cut the margin to 64-63 with 20 seconds left. But Avery Kraft knocked down two free throws for Carroll with 13 seconds remaining, and the Mystics' final three-point attempt at the buzzer rattled out, sealing a narrow 66-63 defeat.
Stormer's 24 points led the Mystics, followed by 13 from Martodam and nine from Piper Harris. BSC finished 4-of-26 from three, a stark contrast from Friday's game, but made up ground from the free-throw line, going 19-of-24. The Mystics also won the rebounding battle 35-34 and outscored Carroll in the fourth quarter 20-17.
With the loss, BSC moves to 1-4 on the season and 1-1 in Frontier Conference play, while Carroll improves to 3-2 and 2-1.
The Mystics are on the road after Thanksgiving as they make the short trip down I-94 on Friday, Nov. 28, to take on the Dickinson State Blue Hawks (2-4, 0-2). DSU lost both of their conference games against Rocky Mountain and Carroll by margins of over 20 points. That game is set for a 6 p.m. CT tip-off.
Check out the women's schedule for information on how to follow and attend the next home game.
Be sure to visit BSCMystics.com and download the MysticNation app to continue to stay up to date with everything going on in Mystic Athletics.
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