BISMARCK, N.D. – Bismarck State women's basketball was back inside the BSC Armory on Thursday evening for a Frontier Conference matchup with new rival Dickinson State (N.D.), and the Mystics pulled away in the second half for the 78-68 victory.
Bismarck State set the tone early with an aggressive offensive start, shooting efficiently and knocking down four three-pointers in the opening quarter to build a 28-20 lead after one. The Mystics moved the ball well and found clean looks from the perimeter as they controlled the tempo in the opening 10 minutes.
Dickinson State answered in the second quarter, trimming the deficit with a balanced scoring effort. The Blue Hawks outscored BSC 19-17 in the period, but the Mystics maintained their composure and carried a 45-39 advantage into halftime.
The game swung decisively in the third quarter as Bismarck State found another gear offensively. The Mystics shot 46.7 percent from the field in the period and connected on six three-pointers, outscoring Dickinson State 25-17 to extend the lead to double digits heading into the final quarter.
Dickinson State made a push in the fourth, but BSC stayed steady on both ends of the floor to close out the win. The Mystics limited the Blue Hawks to under 40 percent shooting in the final period and controlled the glass down the stretch to secure the 10-point victory.
Kennedy Stormer led all scorers with 25 points, knocking down four three-pointers and going a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. Ashley Martodam followed with 18 points and notched her first double-double with a team-high 12 rebounds, while Natalie DeCoteau provided a spark off the bench with 11 points.
Bismarck State finished the night with 15 three-pointers and a 45-40 rebounding edge, improving its Frontier Conference record to 6-8 with the win. That gives the Mystics a now half-game edge over Montana Western for the seventh seed in the Conference.
The crucial loss drops Dickinson State to 4-10 in conference play and drops them a half-game out of the number nine spot in the standings. A victory would've tied them with BSC and increased their playoff push with just eight games remaining.
The Mystics will enjoy a weekend off before they're right back at the Armory the following weekend, Jan. 30 and 31, for games against Providence (Mont.) (11-9, 7-7) and (RV) MSU-Northern (13-6, 9-5). Tip-off on both nights is set for 5 p.m.
Check out the women's schedule for information on how to follow and watch the team during their upcoming games.
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.
FOLLOW THE MYSTICS
Facebook: @BSCMystics
Instagram: @gomystics
X: @BSCMystics
YouTube: @GoMystics
#GoMystics
