Beseman, Cobbers Contending For MIAC Championship
Cobbers senior guard Emily Beseman has helped Concordia rise to the top of the MIAC standings as they fight for their first conference title in almost a decade.
Feature reprinted courtesy of the Forum and reporter Eric Peterson
MOORHEAD — Concordia women's basketball coach Kim Wagers has watched multiple film clips where senior guard Emily Beseman is slammed to the floor going for a loose ball or gets knocked over during the course of a game.
Beseman is usually unfazed.
"She pops up with the biggest smile on her face like you would have thought nothing happened," Wagers said.
Beseman's grit and boundless energy have helped the Cobbers win 10 consecutive games with four games to play in the regular season. Concordia plays Gustavus at 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8, in St. Peter, Minn., with first place in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference at stake.
The Cobbers (18-3, 15-3 MIAC) can move into a first-place tie with the Gusties (19-2, 16-2) with a victory. Concordia earned a 64-63 victory against Gustavus in late November when the teams played at Memorial Auditorium.
The Cobbers have three home games remaining in the regular season after Wednesday's game at Gustavus.
"It's so surreal," said Beseman, from Swanville, Minn. "Fighting for that conference championship has always been a dream."
Concordia hasn't won a conference regular-season championship since the 2012-2013 season. The Cobbers are also off to their best start since the 1988-1989 season.
"This is what February is supposed to be like," Wagers said. "You're playing in huge games and with opportunities to maybe be at the top of the league at the end of the year and host some playoffs games. ... The atmosphere should feel like a playoff game and that makes things more fun."
The 5-foot-6 Beseman reached a career milestone in Saturday's dramatic 67-66 comeback victory at St. Catherine. She scored a game-high 26 points and eclipsed 1,000 points for her career. Besemean credited her teammates, coaches and family for helping her achieve that scoring mark.
"It's amazing and so cool," Beseman said. "It's something you really don't expect to get in college."
Beseman is averaging 14.8 points per game to lead the Cobbers, also grabbing 5.6 rebounds per contest. She leads the team with 51 steals in 21 games. Beseman's value to the team goes beyond the numbers.
"Her motor is pretty spectacular," Wagers said. "She doesn't seem to ever get tired. She plays at a very high pace. ... It's the consistency of her energy and leadership, I think that brings the biggest value."
Beseman was a three-sport athlete at Swanville High School, also playing volleyball and softball. She also played for travel teams during the summer. She was a five-year starter on the varsity basketball team.
Beseman said that's what helped her develop a penchant for playing with full effort.
"I think the energy really came from playing varsity from a young age in high school," Beseman said. "Not hustling up and down the court really wasn't an option."
Beseman said older sister Paige (Beseman) Deters was one of her most important influences during for her athletic career. Deters is a former Concordia softball player.
"She's always been someone that I really looked up to," said Beseman, who plans to return to play an extra year for the Cobbers next season, using a COVID-19 eligibility waiver.
Wagers said Beseman can score at multiple levels with her ability to shoot 3-pointers, score in the mid-range and also get to the basket. She also learned to play at different speeds — harnessing her boundless energy — and use her strength to get into the paint and pass to open teammates.
"She's super explosive to the rim. She's got a great first step," Wagers said. "She creates a lot because she draws a lot of help when she puts the ball on the floor. She's definitely someone who can score at three levels."