MANKATO, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris women's basketball team held Bethany Lutheran College to just a pair of first-half field goals on Friday night. That defensive effort allowed the Cougars to open up a 16-point lead at the break and eventually come away with a 62-51 win to improve to 4-11 (3-3 UMAC) on the season.

Jay Kwateh began the game with the first two baskets of the night. Those would be the opening four points of what turned into a career-high 23 points for the senior. After Bethany Lutheran was able to cut the Cougar lead to 4-3, the Minnesota Morris defense held the Vikings scoreless for more than six minutes. During that spell, the Cougars scored 12 unanswered to go up, 16-3. BLC finally ended its drought and made another shot with a minute left in the first quarter, but that would be the final made field goal of the first half for the Vikings. Two free throws for the home side in the final minute of the quarter left it at 16-7 after one.

Bethany Lutheran managed eight points in the second quarter, but all eight came at the charity stripe. Kwateh opened the quarter with a three-point play and the lead dipped into single digits on only one occasion. Late buckets from Lexus Redthunder and Malory Anderson gave the Cougars a 31-15 cushion at halftime.

Like in the first half, Kwateh began the third quarter with two baskets to give Minnesota Morris a 35-15 lead. Tariq Brownotter twice gave the Cougars a 25-point advantage. The second time came on a three-pointer to make it 47-22 with 3:45 left in the frame. In the final minute of the quarter, Bethany Lutheran's Ashley Schindele connected on three three-pointers to give the Vikings life and make it 50-35 heading into the fourth.

A poorly-timed offensive dry spell for Minnesota Morris made the final 10 minutes uncomfortably close at times. Anderson made a pair of free throws on the first Cougar possession of the quarter, but it was more than seven minutes until they scored again. During that time, Bethany Lutheran hit three more triples as part of an 11-0 run to pull within six, 52-46. As the clock ticked under three minutes, Ella Van Kempen made a much-needed bucket for Minnesota Morris, converting a three-point play to push the lead to nine. After an empty trip for the Vikings, Kwateh made a pair of free throws to get the Cougar lead back into double digits. From there, Minnesota Morris closed it out from the charity stripe as Bethany Lutheran had to foul to extend the game.

In addition to her 23 points, Kwateh added four rebounds and four steals. Anderson had 13 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Brownotter provided a spark off the bench with eight points.

Minnesota Morris will look to extend its three-game winning streak tomorrow with a 2:45 p.m. game in New Ulm against Martin Luther College.