SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Marissa Cook and A.J. Whitehead combined to fuel an 18-8 run that started the second half and propelled No. 7 Bethel (Indiana) College to an 81-65 victory over St. Joseph’s College of Standish, Maine in the NAIA Division II national tournament on Thursday.

The Pilots led by 14 at the half and turned that advantage into a 24-point bulge after just more than five minutes of second-half action thanks to Whitehead and Cook.

Whitehead scored three layups during the run and finished with 12 points while Cook scored eight of her 14 during the run.

St. Joseph finished up its season 22-5 and dropped to 1-8 in eight appearances at the national tourney.

The Monks, who qualified for the tourney by winning the Maine Athletic Conference championship, led only once (at 5-2 after a 3-pointer by Carolyn Brown).

Sue Picard and Maine Athletic Conference Player of the Year Stacey Gelinas each scored 13 points and pulled down seven rebounds for the Monks.

Gelinas had to work for her points, however: The Pilots held her to a 3-for-16 shooting effort from the floor. Kendra Brown and Kate Burrell added 10 apiece for the Monks.

Bethel shot 12 for 26 (.462) on 3-pointers in the game while improving to 28-7 and advancing to the tourney’s second round. The Pilots ended up connecting on 45.8 percent of their field goal attempts.

The Monks started off cool, connecting on just 33 percent of its shots in the first half. St. Joseph’s shot better (.483) in the second half but was never able to make a sustained run.

Mayumi Stevens tallied 12 more for the Pilots while Joey Ketelven had 11.

Pilots 81, Monks 65

St. Joseph?s (22-5) Bethel (28-7)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG F AF TP

Marsh 1 3 2 4 4 Handshu 2 6 0 4

Picard 4 9 5 6 13 Cook 5 8 1 14

K. Brown 1 6 0 0 3 Whitehead 6 11 0 0 12

Gelinas 3 16 6 6 13 Schoon 4 5 0 8

C. Brown 1 6 0 0 3 Calhoun 0 1 0

Gill 0 0 2 2 2 Unzicker 2 3 4

Burrell 4 5 1 2 10 Stevens 4 9 0 12

Gagnon 0 0 0 0 0 Ketelson 3 7 11

Surprenant 0 0 0 0 0 Dingman 2 8 6

Rice 4 8 0 0 8 Diconstanzo 1 1 2

Alexander 0 0 0 0 0 Peden 0 1 0

Regan 0 0 0 0 0 Kaniewski 0 0 0

Turcotte 1 3 0 0 2 Hansen 0 3 0

Duncan 4 9 0 8

Totals 23 56 16 20 65 33 72 3 81

St. Joseph 26 65

Bethel 40 81

3-pt. goals: St. Joseph?s (3-12): Gelinas 1-7, C. Brown 1-3, Burrell 1-1, Picard 0-1; Bethel (12-26): Stevens 4-7, Cook 3-3, Ketelson 3-5, Dingman 2-4, Handshu 0-3, Whitehead 0-1, Calhoun 0-1, Unzicker 0-1, Hansen 0-1

Attendance: 401