MINOT, N.D. – The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team picked their first sweep of the 2016-17 season with a 69-57 win over Minot State University. The Golden Eagles looked to a big first half from Micaela Noga (Jr., G, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) with 20 points and a big second-half from Alison Hughes (So., G, Janesville, Wis.) with 16 points to pace the victory.

The Golden Eagles improve to 6-12 (6-8 NSIC) with the weekend sweep of Minot State and University of Mary. Minnesota Crookston moved into a tie for fourth place with St. Cloud State University after the Huskies lost Minnesota State University Moorhead Saturday. UMC split with St. Cloud State this season. The Beavers fall to 3-17 (1-13 NSIC) with Saturday's loss.

Minnesota Crookston got great weekends out of Noga and Hughes. Noga finished with 23 points on 6-of-11 from the field and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. She was 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. She averaged 19.5 points on the weekend. Hughes chipped in 18 points on 7-of-14 from the field and 3-of-7 from beyond the arc. UMC's leading scorer averaged 19 points on the weekend.

Emily Gruber (Jr., F/C, Monticello, Minn.) added 15 points and seven boards, including going 5-of-5 from the charity stripe.

Minnesota Crookston shot 23-of-58 from the field for 39.7 percent. They were 7-of-19 for 36.8 percent from beyond the arc. They continued their great free throw shooting on the season as they were 16-of-18 for 88.9 percent.

Minot State looked to 19 points from Madison Wald to lead the way. Wald was 8-of-19 from the field. Kari Clements added 10 points and six rebounds.

The Beavers shot 24-of-63 from the field for 38.1 percent. They were 7-of-20 from beyond the arc for 35.0 percent. Minot State shot just three free throws and were 2-of-3 on the night.
Minot State would take the early 6-4 lead after a jumper from Wilkinson. Clements would follow it up with another Beaver basket to extend the advantage to 8-4.

Noga would respond out of the first media timeout with a clutch three-pointer to pull the Golden Eagles within 8-7 with 4:30 remaining in the first quarter. Minot State would utilize baskets from Wilkinson and Wald to push their lead out to 12-7 with under four minutes left in the first quarter.

Minnesota Crookston would pull back within three points (15-12) as Noga nailed a trey with a minute remaining in the quarter. After a defensive stop, UMC would get a pair of clutch free throws from Isieoma Odor (R-So., F/C, Bloomington, Minn.) to cut the lead to 15-14 with 38.8 seconds left in the frame. Gruber would get a clutch layup in the final seconds of the quarter to put the Golden Eagles up 16-15.

 Wald would be able to knot up the game at 18-18 early in the second quarter for the Beavers. UMC hit their stride from there as they would go on a 12-2 led by 10 points from Noga to put the Golden Eagles up 30-20 with 6:06 left in the quarter.

Minot State would be able to get the lead down to 32-26 on a Clements triple with 4:23 left in the frame. UMC would respond with a bucket to get it out to 34-26. The score would stay at that point until Wilkinson would hit a three-pointer in the final seconds of the second quarter to pull UMC within 34-29.

UMC would look to play of Noga, who had a phenomenal first half. Noga tallied 20 points on 5-of-9 from the field and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. She added 6-of-6 from the charity stripe. Gruber and Odor both chipped in six points apiece.

Minnesota Crookston shot 10-of-30 from the field for 33.3 percent. They were 4-of-11 for 36.4 percent from beyond the arc and an unblemished 10-of-10 from the charity stripe.

Minot State looked to nine points from Wald. Wilkinson added seven points and four rebounds for the Beavers. Minot State shot 12-of-35 from the field for 34.3 percent and were 4-of-11 for 36.4 percent from behind the three-point line.  

Minnesota Crookston would open the third quarter in fine form as they would extend the lead to 44-31 with seven minutes left in the quarter. UMC looked to six points from Hughes to lead the way early on.

Minot State would be able to get the lead down to 50-40 on a Wald basket. However, UMC would respond and push the advantage back out to 13 on a Hughes triple with one minute left in the quarter. The Beavers would pull within 11 (56-45) on a Wald jumper going into the quarter break.

Minnesota Crookston would extend their advantage to 60-45 early in the fourth quarter on a Hughes bucket. The Golden Eagles would be able to push their advantage out to 17 (62-45) on a Hughes drive to the hoop. Wilkinson would cut the deficit back down to 15 for the Beavers. The basket would be the first one of the fourth quarter for Minot State as UMC outscored the Beavers 8-0 to open the frame.

Minot State would be able to cut the lead down to 13 on a Wald bucket, but Hughes would respond on the other for the Golden Eagles to push the lead back out to 65-49 with three minutes remaining in the game.

Minot State would use five points from Haley Hildenbrand to get the UMC lead down to 11 (65-54) with 1:59 left in the game. Caitlin Michaelis (So., G, Marshfield, Wis.) would come up with a big bucket with 1:30 remaining in the game to help UMC stave off the comeback attempt for Minot State.

Minnesota Crookston would ice the win as Noga fed Gruber in the post to make it 69-54 with a minute left. Kori Eurich would get an old-fashioned three-point play for the Beavers but it would be too late for Minot State. The Golden Eagles would come away with the 69-57 win.

The Golden Eagles will look to take the positive momentum from the sweep and run with it as they head back to Lysaker Gymnasium next weekend to host Minnesota State University-Mankato and Concordia University-St. Paul.