CROOKSTON, Minn.- A late third and fourth quarter comeback led Winona State University to a close 74-73 win over the University of Minnesota Crookston on Sat., Dec. 30 in Lysaker Gymnasium. Minnesota Crookston stayed up throughout the whole first half and led by as many as 16 in the third quarter but couldn't hold on as the Warriors came out on top, despite a 23-23 game in the fourth.

The Golden Eagles gave up eight offensive rebounds in the second half as the Warriors took advantage of second-chance opportunities. Winona State took the 19-9 rebounding edge in the second half after opening the first half with a 24-16 advantage.

Minnesota Crookston falls to 1-9 (1-5 NSIC) with the loss Saturday, while Winona State moves 10-1 (6-1 NSIC).

Caitlin Michaelis (Jr., G, Marshfield, Wis.) led the Golden Eagles with a career-high 19 points. She added five rebounds on the game. Micaela Noga added 16, including four 3-pointers, and six assists. Defensively the Golden Eagles looked to Odor who had eight rebounds, three blocks, and also chipped in 13 points.

Paige Weakley (So., G/F, Kearney, Mo.) came off the bench for nine points on 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Emily Gruber (Sr., F, Monticello, Minn.) added eight points and five boards, while Stephanie McWilliams (So., G, Grand Forks, N.D.) notched six assists on the night.

Minnesota Crookston had their best game of the season from beyond the arc as they were 15-of-34 from beyond the arc for 44.1 percent. The 15 three-pointers ties the school record which was previously set Nov. 20, 2013 against Finlandia University. It is only the second game this season in which the Golden Eagles have shot over 30.0 percent from behind the three-point line.

Minnesota Crookston went 27-of-59 in field goals for 45.8 percent. They were 4-of-6 from the charity stripe for 66.7 percent. The Golden Eagles had great ball management as they had 21 assists to just eight turnovers on the afternoon.

Winona State shot 28-of-62 for 45.2 percent from field goal range. They were 6-of-17 for 35.3 percent in three-pointers, and 12-of-15 for 80 percent from the foul line.

The Warriors looked to a trio of starters led by Hannah McGlone with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds. Kayla Schaefer added 20 points on 8-of-11 from the field, while Liz Evanocheck notched 17 points. Winona State was without two key players due to injuries to Allie Pickrain and Gabie Doud.

Rachel Novotny notched eight boards, while Alyssa Jurges added eight points off of the bench.

The Warriors put the first points on the board with a jumper from Evenocheck, but was quickly followed up by two layups from Odor and McWilliams to take the 4-2 lead in the first three minutes. After multiple missed three-point shots and jumpers from both teams, WSU started a rally between both teams to end the first quarter with Minnesota Crookston in the lead 11-8

Minnesota Crookston came alive in the second quarter when they started out scoring 10 unanswered points ignited by a three from Gruber. Michaelis followed that up with a layup from followed by a three from Noga and an Odor basket to end the 10-0 run giving the Golden Eagles a game-high 16-point lead. Winona State closed the second quarter on a 13-5 run to cut the deficit to 34-26 at the break.

The Golden Eagles opened the second half on a 6-2 run led by three-pointers from Noga and McWilliams to put Minnesota Crookston up 40-28 with 8:29 left in the third quarter. Winona State countered with a 10-0 run guided by a three from Evenocheck and an old-fashioned three-point play from Schaefer as they cut the lead to 40-38 with 4:44 remaining in the third. The Golden Eagles stopped the run with a Michaelis three-pointer to put Minnesota Crookston back up 43-38. An Odor basket moved the lead back out to 45-38. Winona State got the lead back down to two points at 45-43 following a Jurges trey. Minnesota Crookston responded with an Odor jumper to go back up 47-43. An Evenocheck three cut the lead back to 47-46, but Weakley countered with a triple of her own to move the lead back out to 50-46. The Warriors closed the quarter on a 5-0 run to take the 51-50 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Minnesota Crookston started the fourth quarter on a strong note with treys from Weakley and Noga to push the Golden Eagles back into the lead 56-52. Five-straight points from McGlone put the Warriors back up 57-56. Michaelis would hit 1-of-2 from the line to knot it up 57-57 with 6:12 remaining. Winona State continued to stay consistent though draining the next three layups giving them the 63-57 lead. Minnesota Crookston pulled back within 65-62 on a Noga trey with 3:08 left in the game. The Warriors pushed the lead out to five with an Evenocheck basket. Minnesota Crookston pulled to within two points with 31 seconds left following a pair of free throws from Odor and a basket from Michaelis. A jumper from Schaefer extended the lead back out to 69-65 with 30 second left for Winona State. Minnesota Crookston pulled back to within one point with a Gruber trey with 28 seconds remaining. The Warriors hit 3-of-4 from the foul line to move the lead to 74-70 with six seconds left. Michaelis would drain a three as time expired but the Golden Eagles would fall one point short in the loss.

The Golden Eagles will finish the weekend bout in Lysaker Gymnasium against Upper Iowa tomorrow Sat., Dec. 31 at 1:30 p.m. to end the 2017 calendar year.