BISMARCK, N.D. – The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team would use a fourth quarter comeback to win a see-saw battle for sole possession of fifth place against University of Mary 80-71. The Golden Eagles would overcome an eight-point deficit with six minutes left in the fourth quarter to upend the Marauders. The two teams would go back-and-forth on the evening as they would each trade big leads. U-Mary would overcome a 42-29 half-time deficit to lead in the fourth quarter, but UMC would again charge back to pick up the win.

The Golden Eagles move to 5-12 (5-8 NSIC) with the win as they now sit in fifth place. Just one spot out of the top four in the North Division. The top four teams at the end of the season will host home playoff games. The Marauders fall to 9-12 (4-9 NSIC) with the loss.

Minnesota Crookston had great balance on the night as all nine players who saw the floor made key plays in the game. Alison Hughes (So., G, Janesville, Wis.) would lead the cause with 20 points on 7-of-13 from the field and 6-of-11 from beyond the arc. Micaela Noga (Jr., G, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) would chip in 16 points on 5-of-12 from the field and a very important 5-of-6 from the charity stripe.

Isieoma Odor (R-So., F/C, Bloomington, Minn.) would chip in 13 points and six boards. Caitlin Michaelis (So., G, Marshfield, Wis.) and Emily Gruber (Jr., F/C, Monticello, Minn.) would each add eight apiece.

Minnesota Crookston shot 27-of-57 from the field for 47.4 percent from the field. The Golden Eagles were 11-of-27 for 40.7 percent from beyond the arc.

U-Mary looked to four players in double-figure scoring. Hannah Larson led the way with a double-double of 19 points and 16 boards, including five offensive boards. Gabbie Bohl added 19 points, while Lauren Rotunda had 11 and Dani Williams chipped in 10.
The Marauders shot 29-of-70 from the field for 41.4 percent. They were just 4-of-24 for 16.7 percent from beyond the arc. They finished the game with 14 turnovers.

The Marauders would get out to a quick 9-0 lead after a Hannah Larson basket. UMC would stop the early 9-0 run following a Hughes triple from the right wing with 6:50 left in the first quarter.

U-Mary would extend the advantage to 11-3 before the Golden Eagles would get a layup from Odor and a triple from Paige Weakley (Fr., G/F, Kearney, Mo.) to pull within 11-8. Minnesota Crookston would be able to knot the game up at 13-13 following a Hughes three-pointer and an Odor layup off a great feed from Weakley.

The Marauders would take the lead back on a Bohl jumper and would push their advantage out to 17-13. The Golden Eagles would get an Odor jumper to pull within 17-15. UMC would have some opportunities late in the first to take the lead or knot it up, but would be unable to as U-Mary would lead 17-15 going into the second quarter.

U-Mary would move their lead to 20-15 after a Cassie Askvig old-fashioned three-point play to open the second period. Minnesota Crookston would be able to pull within 20-18 following a Noga jumper with seven minutes remaining in the second quarter. After a defensive stop, UMC would knot the game up at 20-20 on a Gruber basket in the post.

The Marauders would take the lead back 22-20 on a Rotunda basket. However, UMC would grab it from the Marauders on a clutch Hughes trey from the wing made it 23-22. Minnesota Crookston would extend their lead to 25-22 on a Weakley bucket in the post. Noga would seize the momentum for the Golden Eagles with a triple from the top of the key made it 28-22. A UMC steal would then lead to an Odor jumper, which would make it a 10-0 run to put the Golden Eagles up 30-22.

The Marauders would finally halt the Golden Eagle run with a Larson put-back and conversion of a three-point play cut the lead to 30-25. Minnesota Crookston would counter the Marauders with a pair of free throws from Michaelis to push the lead back out to 32-25 with 2:21 left in the second quarter. U-Mary would come right back with a Bohl jumper as she continued a strong first half to pull the Marauders within 32-27.

However, the Golden Eagles would charge right back on the other end with a Hughes triple to make it 35-27 Golden Eagles. Michaelis piled onto the lead with a trey of her own and Noga added to it with a pair of baskets to give UMC their biggest lead of the game at 42-29 going into the break.  

Minnesota Crookston shot 16-of-35 from the field for 45.1 percent. They had a big first half beyond the three-point line as they were 7-of-17 for 41.2 percent. U-Mary would shoot 12-of-29 for 41.4 percent. The Marauders were just 1-of-10 from beyond the arc for 10 percent.

UMC looked to 12 points from Hughes to lead the way on 4-of-9 from the field and 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. Noga added nine points on 4-of-8 from the field, while Odor chipped in eight points. Noga would also do a great job as the floor general with five first-half assists.

The Marauders looked to 10 points from Bohl, while Larson added nine. The U-Mary starting guards struggled in the first half as they were just 2-of-8 from the field.

U-Mary would open the third quarter off with a Larson put-back to cut the lead to 42-31 for the Golden Eagles. The Marauders would continue an 8-2 run to open the third quarter to cut the lead to 44-37.

Minnesota Crookston would combat the run with an opportune Michaelis three-pointer to push the lead back out to 47-37. Rotunda answered on the opposite end for the Marauders to cut the lead right back to seven (47-40). UMC would respond once again, this time with a pair of Odor free throws to make it 49-40.

The Marauders would chomp into the lead with a three-pointer from Weir to cut the lead to 49-43. After a defensive stop, an Isabel Schmelzer basket would pull them even closer (49-45) with 3:15 left in the third quarter.

U-Mary would continue their run with a pair of shots from the charity stripe from Bohl to cut the UMC lead to 49-47. The run for the Marauders would build to 9-0 on a Rotunda fast-break layup off of the assist from Askvig.

UMC would finally squash the run on a Gruber free throw to put them back on top 50-49 with 1:22 left in the third quarter. U-Mary would again knot it up as Larson hit 1-of-2 from the charity stripe to make it 50-50.

U-Mary would take the lead 52-50 on a Rotunda fast-break bucket. The Golden Eagles would cut into the lead as Noga went 1-of-2 from the charity stripe to make it 52-51 going into the quarter break.

The Marauders would open up the fourth quarter with an old-fashioned three-point play from Larson to push the lead out to 55-51. Odor would respond with a drive to the hoop for two to cut it to 55-53. Kelsey Stinson (Fr., G/F, Cottage Grove, Wis.) would then hit her first shot of the night with a crucial three to put the Golden Eagles on top 56-55.

Dani Williams would take the lead back for the Marauders with a floater to make it 57-56. Weir would get a big put-back for the Marauders to make it 58-56. However, Odor would find Hughes streaking to the basket to cut the lead to 58-57. Williams came right back for U-Mary with a triple to push their lead back out to 62-58. Larson would push the Marauder advantage to 66-58 with back-to-back buckets.

The Golden Eagles would be able to cut into the lead (66-60) with a Gruber basket in the post with 5:30 remaining. A Williams travel would quickly give UMC the ball back and they would take advantage with a McWilliams bucket to cut the lead to 66-62.

Another defensive stop for the Golden Eagles would turn into points as Hughes hit a clutch triple to pull UMC within 66-65 with 4:20 left in the contest. Rotunda would stop the UMC run to push the lead back out to 68-65. The Golden Eagles would answer with a Stinson trey to knot it up 68-68.

Williams would continue a big fourth quarter with a jumper to make it 70-68. Noga came right back though on the other end for the Golden Eagles to knot it up 70-70. A defensive stop on one end would help lead to a pair of free throws from McWilliams to push UMC into the lead 72-70.

Weir would have an opportunity with a three-pointer for the Marauders to put them ahead but she would miss and give it back to the Golden Eagles. Hughes would then come up with a clutch triple to make it 75-70 with just over one minute remaining.

U-Mary would pick up a free throw from Bohl to pull within 75-71 with 37.6 seconds remaining.  Noga and Odor would come up with clutch free throws as they helped UMC stave off the Marauders 80-71.

Minnesota Crookston will look to put a stamp on the weekend as they head to Minot State University Sat., Jan. 21 at 6 p.m.