BISMARCK, N.D. – Bismarck State women's basketball welcomed Valley City State (N.D.) to the BSC Armory Saturday evening in a critical matchup with both teams eyeing a spot in the Frontier Conference tournament entering the final three games of the season. It would be the Mystics prevailing to beat the Vikings, 85-79, and punching their ticket to the postseason in the final game at the Armory.

The Vikings showed early that they weren't going to let go of their playoff hopes without a fight. They shot 50% from the field to hold a one-point advantage at the end of the first period. The Mystics returned the favor in the second quarter when they shot 6-of-13 from beyond the arc, highlighted by Kennedy Stormer going a perfect 3-for-3, to take a 45-40 lead into halftime.

VCSU fought tooth and nail out of the break, capturing the lead midway through the third and trading blows, only for BSC to recapture their five-point lead heading into their final home quarter of basketball with a 64-59 advantage.

The Mystics entered that final quarter energized, jumping out to their biggest lead of the night at 10 points with 8:31 remaining in the game. The Vikings, again, wouldn't be sent home easily as they shot 8-of-15 from the field in the final quarter to keep the game within reach. But, they wouldn't get another possession down by just one score as BSC converted their free throws in the closing stages of the game to win 85-79 and send the Armory crowd into a frenzy one final time.

Kennedy Stormer gave it her all in her final collegiate home game, as she finished with 32 points to lead the Mystics, accounting for all but two of the team's 17 made free throws. Ashley Martodam and Natalie DeCoteau each put together season-best scoring performances as they had 23 and 22 points, respectively, with DeCoteau also pulling down nine boards. Those three accounted for 77 of the team's 85 points (90.5%).

The Mystics improve to 8-12 in Frontier Conference play and, with Bellevue's loss, cannot be overtaken for the conference's final playoff spot with two games remaining. BSC has secured at least the eighth seed in the Frontier Conference tournament, which will take place Feb. 27-March 2 in Butte, Mont.

Bismarck State will gear up to play their final two games of the regular season as they head to Bellevue and No. 6 Dakota State on Feb. 20 and 21. Both games of the road trip will tip off at 5 p.m.

Check out the women's schedule for information on how to follow and watch the team.
 

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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