CROOKSTON, Minn. - Another day, another win thanks to the three-ball for the University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles. The Golden Eagles remain tied with Northern State University for the NSIC North division lead, but separated themselves from Minnesota State Moorhead today with a 71-60 victory over the Dragons. The game Friday was played in front of a school-record 1,006 fans, which bested 961 fans from UMC's home playoff game against Concordia University, St. Paul last season.
 
With 13 three-pointers in the game, from six different players, UMC again approached their single-game three-point record. Micaela Noga (So., G, Parkers Prairie, Minn./Health Management) was the unlikely leading scorer for the Golden Eagles scoring 16 points on four threes. Emily Gruber (So., F/C, Monticello, Minn./ carried the team on the boards with nine rebounds, two offensive.
 
UMC is now 13-4 (10-3 NSIC), while MSU Moorhead drops down to second in the NSIC North with a 12-4 (9-4 NSIC) record.
 
UMC finished the game with four players scoring in double-figures led by Noga's 16. Alexa Thielman (Sr., G, Buffalo, Minn./Health Science) added 15 points and six boards. Katrina Nordick (Sr., F, Perham, Minn./Applied Studies) finished with 13 points, while Alison Hughes (Fr., G, Janesville, Wis./Early Childhood Education) added 10 points, including going going 7-of-8 from the charity stripe.
 
The Golden Eagles went 21-of-57 for 36.8 percent from the field, including going 13-of-29 from beyond the arc for 44.8 percent and 16-of-20 for 80 percent from the charity stripe.
 
Heather Strese had a double-double for MSU Moorhead with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Jacky Volkert made a huge contribution off the bench for the Dragons by dropping in 15 points on six of nine shooting.
 
At the end of the first quarter UMC led 17-13. An incredible seven players scored in the first frame for the Golden Eagles.
 
MSU Moorhead scored six unanswered points to close out the first half and pull within two for the last time of the day, 32-30.
 
UMC held that two point lead despite shooting only 33 percent from the field in the first half. They were helped by seven second chance points and six threes.
 
In the third and fourth quarters the Golden Eagles pulled away due to the hot shooting of Noga. At the last media timeout the Golden Eagles had their largest lead of the game, 64-47 and ultimately finished the game 71-60.
 
The Golden Eagles will take on the Northern State University Wolves for sole-possession of the NSIC North Division lead. The game will start at 4 p.m. Sat., Jan. 23 at Lysaker Gymnasium. This game will the conclude the "It's a slam dunk, don't drive drunk" weekend.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

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The University of Minnesota Crookston is a NCAA Division II university located in the Red River Valley of Northwest Minnesota. UMC sponsors 11 intercollegiate athletic teams with membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate conference (NSIC) and the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). The NSIC is a 16-team conference with schools situated in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.