FAYETTE, Iowa – The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team ended 2016 on a great note as they came away with a 72-68 win over Upper Iowa University on the road at Dorman Gymnasium. The Golden Eagles would hold off a late charge from the Peacocks as they picked up their second win of the season. UMC would come up with big shots down the stretch as they would hold off a big fourth quarter by the Peacocks. Upper Iowa would out-score the Golden Eagles 24-20 but it wouldn't be enough to squash big second and third quarters for UMC as they bested the Peacocks 37-28 in those frames.

The Golden Eagles move to 2-9 (2-5 NSIC) with Saturday's win. Upper Iowa falls to 1-11 (1-7 NSIC) in their first year under Head Coach Micha Thompson.

Minnesota Crookston was led by the performance of Alison Hughes (So., G, Janesville, Wis.), who was 5-of-11 from the field, 5-of-9 from beyond the arc and a perfect 8-of-8 from the charity stripe. Hughes tallied 23 points on the night. Emily Gruber (Jr., F, Monticello, Minn.) was crucial down the stretch for the Golden Eagles as she played a majority of the second half with four fouls and with fellow post-mate Isieoma Odor (R-So., F/C, Bloomington, Minn.) fouled out. Gruber would finish with 13 points, three rebounds and three steals.

 Caitlin Michaelis (So., G, Marshfield, Wis.) came up with crucial plays for the Golden Eagles as she finished with 11 points. Paige Weakley (Fr., G/F, Kearney, Mo.) would add nine points and five boards.

Minnesota Crookston was 23-of-57 from the field for 40.4 percent. They shot 8-of-24 from behind the three-point line for 33.3 percent. UMC was strong on the charity stripe as they finished 18-of-23 for 78.3 percent.

Upper Iowa had three players in double-figures on the evening. Blair Klostermann led the way with 19 points and eight boards. Carly Pagel would chip in 18 points and five rebounds, while Sam Ofstad had 15 points. The Peacocks would have 16 turnovers on the game.

Upper Iowa shot 26-of-58 for 44.8 percent on the evening. They struggled from beyond the arc as they were just 3-of-15 for 30 percent. Upper Iowa was 13-of-20 for 65 percent from the free throw line.

The Golden Eagles would open up the game with a three from the wing from Hughes to quickly take a 3-0 lead. The Peacocks quickly took the lead and would get it out to 9-3 following a steal and fast-break bucket from Klostermann.

Minnesota Crookston would get within two points after a pair of shots from the charity stripe by Hughes to cut the Upper Iowa lead to 9-7. Upper Iowa would extend their lead to 13-9 before UMC would be able to come back and tie it up 13-13 after a Weakley three-pointer from the wing. Upper Iowa would quickly take the lead back on a Pagel basket to make it 15-13, but Gruber would counter with a bucket of her own to again even it up at 15-15. The Peacocks would take the lead 16-15 as Ofstad went 1-of-2 from the charity stripe.

The Golden Eagles would come up with a nice post touch and basket in the paint from Odor to take the 17-16 advantage to open the second quarter. The Peacocks would take the lead back and would push their lead out to 20-17 as Ofstad would thread the needle to find Pagel for the basket.

The Peacocks would be able to move their lead out to 24-19 after Blake Bergren hit 2-of-3 free throws after being fouled beyond the arc.

A Hughes three-pointer would pull the Golden Eagles back within two at 24-22 with just over five minutes left in the second quarter. Upper Iowa would push the lead out to 26-22 before Hughes would connect on another trey to pull UMC within one point at 26-25. An Ofstad old-fashioned three-point play for the Peacocks would quickly push the lead back out to 29-25. The Golden Eagles would knot it up 29-29 as Hughes would come up big again, this time with her fourth 3-pointer of the first half.  Minnesota Crookston would be able to take the lead 34-31 on a clutch three from Weakley with 1:20 left in the second quarter.  An over the back foul for the Peacocks would send Michaelis to the charity stripe where she would extend the UMC lead to 36-31 with 56 seconds remaining in the quarter.

Klostermann would connect on 1-of-2 to pull Upper Iowa within four at 36-32. A Bergren bucket for the Peacocks would bring them within two (36-34) going into the half.

UMC would look to a big first half from Hughes, who was 4-of-6 from the field and 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Weakley added six points on 2-of-3 from the field. The Golden Eagles shot 11-of-27 for 40.7 percent from the field in the opening half. UMC was 6-of-14 for 42.9 percent from beyond the arc.

Upper Iowa was led by 10 points from Pagel on 4-of-5 from the field. Klostermann added nine points, while Ofstad had seven.

The Peacocks were 10-of-26 for 38.5 percent from the field and just 1-of-6 for 16.7 percent from behind the three-point line.

The Golden Eagles would open up the third quarter in fine fashion as Hughes nailed her fifth 3-pointer of the game to move the lead to 39-34. The Peacocks would be able to cut the lead to 41-40 on a Klostermann jumper.

UMC would respond as Kelsey Stinson (Fr., G/F, Cottage Grove, Wis.) found Gruber in the post to move the lead to 43-40. Hughes would extend the lead with a pair of free throws to make it 45-40 with 6:51 remaining in the third quarter.

The Golden Eagles would push their advantage out to 50-44 on a Michaelis drive to the lane. Odor would get a put-back of a Weakley three to put UMC up 52-44 at the quarter break.
Weakley would convert an old-fashioned three-point play to open up the fourth quarter to continue the momentum for the Golden Eagles and make it 55-44.

The Peacocks would use a 10-0 run culminating in an Ofstad bucket to cut the UMC lead to 55-54.

The Golden Eagles would squash the run as they found Gruber in the post for a basket to make it 57-54. Klostermann would answer on the other end for Upper Iowa to put Upper Iowa within one point once again. Upper Iowa would hang with the Golden Eagles but Hughes would come up with a pair of free throws to move the lead to four with 3:23 remaining in the game.
Klostermann would pull Upper Iowa back within two with a bucket with just under three minutes left. However, Michaelis would come up in the clutch with a crucial three-pointer to make it 67-62.

Pagel would make a nice move in the post and convert for the Peacocks to get within three points at 67-64. Kitri Zezza (Fr., G, Albertville, Minn.) would hit 1-of-2 to move the UMC lead to 68-64, but an Ofstad basket would get the Peacocks back within 68-66. Noga would respond with a quick lay-up to hold the lead for UMC 70-66.

A Pagel basket in the post would again get the Peacocks within 70-68. Ashley Ray would then come up with a big steal for Upper Iowa with 17.1 seconds as they gave the Peacocks a chance to tie or win the game. Ofstad would miss a mid-range jumper and Michaelis would come up with the board for UMC. A quick foul would send Michaelis to the line where she would hit both to put the game out of reach 72-68.

Minnesota Crookston will open 2017 at home at Lysaker Gymnasium Jan. 6 at 6 p.m. against University of Minnesota Duluth.