CROOKSTON, Minn. – The 21^st-ranked Michigan Tech University Huskies used a 12-5 run to end the game to topple the University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team in their home opener Fri., Nov. 17. The Golden Eagles held close in a physical battle against a team that upended national-ranked Minnesota State University Moorhead the night before. Minnesota Crookston closed the game within nine with five minutes remaining. However, Michigan Tech won the final five minutes in order to clinch the game.

Michigan Tech improved to an unblemished 4-0 after Friday's win. The Golden Eagles open the 2017-18 season with a 0-1 mark.

Minnesota Crookston looked to the post where Isieoma Odor (R-Jr., F/C, Bloomington, Minn.) tallied a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds. Odor has been impressive in the post in the one regular-season game and two exhibitions the Golden Eagles have played. Odor was 5-of-13 from the field and 3-of-4 from the charity stripe.

Micaela Noga (Sr., G, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) notched a near double-double with nine points and eight boards as she crashed the glass well to help Minnesota Crookston win the rebounding battle against a physically tough team in the post by the tune of 38-33.

Caitlin Michaelis (Jr., G, Marshfield, Wis.) added eight points, while Emily Gruber (Sr., F, Monticello, Minn.) had five points and five boards. Stephanie McWilliams (So., G, Grand Forks, N.D.) chipped in five points off of the bench.

The Golden Eagles were 17-of-48 for 35.4 percent from the field. Michigan Tech's defense limited Minnesota Crookston beyond the arc as they were forced to take the ball to the rim. The Golden Eagles were just 2-of-7 for 28.6 percent from behind the three-point line. Minnesota Crookston was 16-of-22 for 72.7 percent from the charity stripe.

Michigan Tech looked to their talented senior backcourt as Lindsay Winter had 18 points, six rebounds and three assists. Kelli Guy added 16 points. Michelle LaFave came off of the bench for 10 points. Elizabeth Kelliher chipped in eight points and seven boards, while Brenna Heise had six points.

The Huskies shot 28-of-65 for 43.1 percent. They were 6-of-15 from beyond the arc for 40.0 percent. Michigan Tech was 6-of-8 for 75.0 percent from the free throw line.

The Huskies raced out to a 9-2 lead in the first quarter. Michigan Tech moved their lead to 15-6 with 5:17 left in the first quarter as LaFave hit a jumper. The Golden Eagles closed out the first quarter on a 4-0 run with baskets from Odor and Michaelis to cut the deficit to 19-13 at the quarter break.

The Huskies opened the second quarter on a 5-0 run as Guy hit a trey and Heise made a basket to make it 24-13 with 9:22 remaining in the half. Minnesota Crookston cut the lead to 24-17 with four-straight points from Noga. Winter and LaFave helped the Huskies stave off the charging Golden Eagles and move the lead back out to 28-17. Michigan Tech extended their lead to 33-22 on a Guy three-pointer with 3:55 left in the game. The Huskies would go into the break with the 40-26 advantage.

Minnesota Crookston shot 8-of-22 from the field for 36.4 percent in the first half. They attempted just two three-pointers and missed both shots. The Golden Eagles stayed in the first half with their free throw shooting as they hit 10-of-12 for 83.3 percent. Odor led the team with nine points and eight boards in the first half. Noga added five points.

Michigan Tech was 18-of-35 from the field for 51.4 percent in the first half. The Huskies were 4-of-11 from beyond the arc for 36.4 percent and just 0-of-1 from the charity stripe. The Huskies looked to Guy with 11 points, while LaFave came off the bench for eight points. Winter notched seven points.

The Golden Eagles won the battle on the glass 17-15. 

Minnesota Crookston opened the second half on a 6-2 run guided by four points from Odor as they cut the deficit to 42-32. Michigan Tech countered with a 6-0 run as they took a 48-32 lead after a LaFave jumper. Minnesota Crookston did not give in as a 6-0 run using a triple from Gruber and an old-fashioned three-point play from Amber Schoenicke (So., F/C, Marshall, Wis.) cut the Michigan Tech lead to 48-38 with 1:29 left in the third quarter. The Huskies ended the third quarter with a three-pointer from Guy to push the lead back out to 51-38.

Minnesota Crookston cut the lead to 51-41 early in the fourth quarter as Noga nailed a three-pointer. Winter responded on the other end with a trey of her own to make it 54-41. Free throws from Winter would push the Michigan Tech advantage out to 56-41. The Golden Eagles countered with a 5-0 run as they cut the deficit to 56-46 using an Abby Guidinger (Fr., G/F, Waukesha, Wis.) basket and an old fashioned three-point play from McWilliams. A free throw from Noga would pull the Golden Eagles within nine points with 5:11 remaining. However, Michigan Tech closed the game on a 12-5 run as they won the game 68-52.

The Golden Eagles will return to action Sat., Nov. 18 against Northern Michigan University at 1:30 p.m.