Box Score Post-Game Interview with Mike Roysland

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Turnovers and a run at the start of the second half catapulted the University of Sioux Falls past the University of Minnesota Crookston 84-74 Friday night at the Stewart Center in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Golden Eagles continue their winless streak on the road this season as they drop to 0-8 in games played away from the friendly confines of Lysaker Gymnasium this season. UMC drops to 7-12 (4-11 NSIC) with Friday's loss. Sioux aflls improves to 11-8 (7-8 NSIC).

The Golden Eagles were paced by 18 points from Alexa Thielman (So., G, Buffalo, Minn./Health Science). Thielman was 7-of-13 from the field and 2-of-4 from long distance. Despite her strong showing shooting the ball, Thielman, a point  guard, struggled to control the ball as she had no assists and seven turnovers Friday. Ashley Martell (So., G, Somerset, Wis./Health Science) added 10 points for the Golden Eagles. Katrina Moenkedick (So., F, Perham, Minn./Early Childhood Education) had nine points, but was held scoreless in the second half. Erika McRoberts (So., F, Byron, Minn./Health Science) added nine points and five rebounds, while Selina Barnes (Fr., G, Colorado Springs, Colo./Health Science) had nine points.

Minnesota Crookston was 27-of-60 from the field for 45 percent and 6-of-14 for 42.9 percent from three-point range. The Golden Eagles had six assists for the game and committed to 21 turnovers.

The Cougars were led on the game by the sharp shooting of Laura Johnson, who was 8-of-15 from the field and 6-of-10 from three-point range. Alicia Boe added 14 points off the bench. Sioux Falls was 31-of-64 for 48.4 percent on the game. They shot 9-of-19 for 47.4 percent from trey.

USF narrowly out-rebounded UMC 35-33 led by nine rebounds from Johnson while UMC was led by Thielman's seven boards.
 
Sioux Falls started the game on a quick 5-0 run led by a Johnson trey. The Golden Eagles quickly got into the fray with a McRoberts three to knot things up 5-5 at the 18 minute mark. A Teagan Molden three and a host of turnovers for the Golden Eagles to help get the Cougars to a 12-0 run and give them a 17-5 advantage with just under 13 minutes remaining in the first half.

The Golden Eagles would finally stop the run at the 11:55 mark as Moenkedick connected on a bucket to cut the deficit to 17-7. Buckets from Jaicee Ulmer and Bailey Bouman would get the Sioux Falls lead out even further to 21-7 with just over 10 minutes remaining. UMC would struggle to hang on to the ball early on as they had eight turnovers in the first 10 minutes of the game.

A pair of Thielman threes would finally spark the Golden Eagles to cut the lead to 21-13 by the second media timeout at the 9:19 mark. A pair of Thielman free throws at the 8:43 mark to get Minnesota Crookston even closer as they cut it to 21-15 and extend the UMC run to 8-0.

Sioux Falls finally squashed the 8-0 UMC run with a Boe jumper to make it 23-15. A pair of Ebony Livingston (Jr., G/F, Minneapolis, Minn./Sports and Rec Management) free throws and a Barnes lay-in would get the Golden Eagles to within four points at the 7:30 mark in the first half.

The Cougars would stave off the Golden Eagles as Boe hit a jumper and two free throws to extend the Sioux Falls lead to 27-19. However, UMC would not go away as Moenkedick hit a basket and then connected on a three-point play to give her five quick points to get the Golden Eagles to within three points (27-24) with 5:35 remaining.

After Sioux Falls got the lead back out to five on two free throws, McRoberts drove the lane on got a lay-in and Moenkedick got a fastbreak bucket off a steal to get UMC within one point (29-28) with 4:32 left in the half. Minnesota Crookston would knot things up as Christine Thorn (So., G, St. Michael, Minn./Elementary Education) got to the line and connected on a 1-of-2 attempts to make it 29-29 with 4:18 left in the half. Sioux Falls would promptly strike back led by a Boe three to make it 34-29 with just under four minutes left in the first frame.

The Golden Eagles would get back to within one point as Walker hit a lay-up with three minutes left in the first. Sioux Falls would find themselves a seven-point advantage at the break following a Johnson three.

Minnesota Crookston was led in the first half by Thielman's 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting, including going 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. Moenkedick added nine on 4-of-10 shooting while Barnes came off the bench for four. The Golden Eagles were 13-of-28 from the field for 46.4 percent and 3-of-6 for 50 percent from beyond the arc. McRoberts had seven points for Minnesota Crookston.

Sioux Falls was paced by 12 points off the bench from Boe on 4-of-5 shooting. Johnson added 11 points and six rebounds on 4-of-8 shooting, including three made treys. The Cougars were 16-of-34 from the field for 47.1 percent and 5-of-10 from three-point range.

Minnesota Crookston had 12 turnovers in the first half compared to nine for the Cougars.

The Golden Eagles would not score for the first three minutes of the second half as Sioux Falls got their lead out to 48-36 at the 17:30 mark. UMC would finally get a basket from Thielman to end the scoreless streak at the 17:00 minute mark. The Cougars would extend their advantage to 57-40 at the 14:48 mark following a Ulmer fastbreak lay-in.

The Golden Eagles would finally get going after the first media timeout as Megan Taylor (R-Fr., C, Estelline, S.D./Animal Science) hit a shot and Martell converted a three-point play to give UMC a quick 5-0 run to cut the deficit to 59-45 at the 13:13 mark of the second half.

A Johnson three on the other end for USF would quickly squash the UMC. That along with a pair of Amber Paden free throws would get the Cougars back up by the tune of 64-45 at the 12:40 mark.

A pair of Martell treys would again get UMC back into the fray as they cut it to 64-51 at the 10:52 mark. Minnesota Crookston would get the deficit down to 11 as Thielman hit a long jumper at the 9:30 mark. A Jaya Perkins (So., G, Lakeville, Minn./Criminal Justice) three would get UMC within 10 at the 8:30 mark.

However, Sioux Falls would look to Johnson again and get their lead back out to 15 with seven minutes remaining in the game. The Cougars would close out the game from there and come away with an 84-74 win over the Golden Eagles.

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The University of Minnesota Crookston is an NCAA Division II Institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Golden Eagle Equestrian team is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).