The defending state champions are back in the semifinals.
In the first round of the Division B girls’ basketball state tournament Thursday at the Minot State Dome, No. 2 seed Benson County (23-2) won 65-46 over No. 7 seed Edgeley/Kulm/Montpelier (14-12).
The Wildcats were led by senior star Aubrey Kenner. She scored 14 of Benson County’s first 21 points in gaining a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter.
Kenner, Benson County’s all-time leading scorer, had a 32-point afternoon. She shot 11-for-14 from the field and made all four of her three-point attempts. She added 6-of-7 free throws.
E/K/M outscored Benson County by two in the second quarter to cut the lead to 36-27 at the half.
The Wildcats had a 29-19 advantage the rest of the way. They won handily, despite a 40-23 disadvantage on the boards.
Benson County was 24-for-41 from the field, while E/K/M was 17-for-56.
Kenner’s big game was supported by Addisyn Faul’s 11 points, Lacie Fautsch’s 10 and Kaitlyn Maddock’s nine. Ella Fossen scored on her lone field goal attempt of the game.
Benson County will have a rematch with No. 3 seed LaMoure-Litchville/Marion in Friday’s semifinals. One of the Wildcats’ two losses this season was to the Loboes — 55-40 on Jan. 31.
L-L/M, though, needed to squeak out a win over No. 6 seed Washburn on Thursday. Neither team scored more than 11 points in any of the first three quarters. The combined score between the second and third quarter was 15-14 L-L/M.
The Loboes finished the game on a 20-2 run to win 43-37.
Remarkably, 23 of L-L/M’s points came from the free throw line (out of 28 attempts).
So, the Wildcats and Loboes will meet Friday at 1 p.m.
Benson County beat L-L/M 54-30 in last year’s quarterfinals.
The winner of Friday’s contest will advance to the Division B state championship on Saturday at 8 p.m. The loser will play in Saturday’s third-place game at 6 p.m.
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