ABERDEEN, S.D. – The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team was outscored 39-19 in the second half as they fell 83-52 to Northern State University. The Golden Eagles held their own in the first half as they were within striking distance on several occasions. However, UMC would come out flat out of the locker room as Northern State outscored the Golden Eagles 27-11 in the third quarter.

Minnesota Crookston falls to 6-17 (6-13 NSIC) with the loss. They will remain in sixth place in the NSIC North standings as they head into the final three regular-season games. Northern State improves to 17-6 (13-6 NSIC) with the victory as they sit in second place in the NSIC North.

The Golden Eagles shot just 16-of-54 from the field for 29.6 percent. They were 9-of-27 from beyond the arc for 33.3 percent. They were 11-of-14 from the charity stripe for 78.6 percent. UMC was just 4-of-25 from the field in the second half.

Minnesota Crookston was led by Alison Hughes (So., G, Janesville, Wis.), who tallied 13 points, but she was just 3-of-10 from the field and 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Hughes was 4-of-4 from the charity stripe. Isieoma Odor (R-So., F/C, Bloomington, Minn.) netted 11 points and five boards, while Caitlin Michaelis (So., G, Marshfield, Wis.) tallied nine points, including 6-of-6 from the charity stripe.

Northern State had a big night in the post as their 1-2 punch of Jill Conrad and Miranda Ristau combined for 44 points. Ristau had 26 points and seven boards on 12-of-17 from the field. Paige Waytashek added 10 points.

The Wolves were 38-of-70 from the field for 54.3 percent. Northern State shot 3-of-9 from beyond the arc for 33.3 percent and 4-of-8 for 50 percent from the charity stripe. They controlled the glass on the night by the dominant tune of 47-27. This included 14 offensive boards.

The Wolves would get out to the early 12-2 lead after a Ristau bucket in the paint. UMC would squash the early run with a trey from Odor from the top of the key to cut the lead to 12-5. The Wolves would push their lead out to 16-8 on a Ristau jumper. However, UMC would come right back on the next possession with a Micaela Noga (Jr., G, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) triple to cut the lead to 16-11. The Wolves would come right back and be able to push their lead out to 24-14 following a Ristau jumper.

UMC would close out the first quarter strong with an Odor jumper and a pair of Hughes free throws to pull within 24-18 with 25 seconds left. Northern State would find Conrad in the paint in the final seconds of the quarter to go up 26-18 going into the second frame.

The Wolves would use a Jessi Marti three-pointer to go up 29-18 to open the second quarter. A Waytashek jumper for Northern State would extend the lead to 31-18. UMC would pull back within 10 at 31-21 as Hughes nailed a triple from the wing. After a defensive stop, Noga would take the ball all the way to the hoop where she got two to cut it to 31-23. Northern State would be able to push the lead back out to 37-25 as they continued to feed the post where Ristau tallied her 16^th point of the game.

Noga would hit a transition jumper on the other end to pull the Golden Eagles within 37-27. A Brynn Flakus basket would push it back out to 39-27 in favor of the Wolves. A pair of Waytashek free throws would push the lead to 41-27 with 3:05 left in the second quarter.

The Golden Eagles would get back on the board as Michaelis connected on a triple to cut the lead to 41-30. Ristau would be able to get another first-half bucket to push it out to 43-30. Minnesota Crookston would respond with a trey from Odor to pull back within 43-33. Northern State would extend their lead to 45-33 going into the locker room.

Minnesota Crookston would shoot 12-of-29 for 41.4 percent from the field. UMC was 7-of-14 for 50 percent from beyond the arc. The Golden Eagles looked to Hughes with 11 points on 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and 2-of-2 from the charity stripe. Odor also had a strong first half as she was 4-of-7 from the field and 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. Noga added seven for the Golden Eagles.

Northern State had a strong offensive first half as they were 20-of-34 from the field for 58.8 percent. The Wolves fed the post as Ristau had 18 points on 8-of-12 from the field and Conrad had 12 points on 6-of-8 from the field. The Wolves also controlled the boards by the tune of 21-10.

The Wolves used a quick 10-0 run out of the gate to go up 55-33 early in the third quarter.  Minnesota Crookston would be able to stop the run as Odor connected on 1-of-2 from the charity stripe to cut the lead to 55-34. Northern State would respond with another 4-0 run following a Waytashek jumper to make it 59-34. UMC would get their first field goal of the second half on a jumper from Gruber with just over five minutes left in the third quarter.

Northern State would extend their lead to 63-36 following a Ristau bucket. The Wolves would outscore Minnesota Crookston 27-11 in the third quarter to lead 72-44 going into the fourth quarter.

The Golden Eagles would get on the board in the fourth quarter with a triple from Lindsey Weber (So., G, Delafield, Wis.) to cut the lead to 74-47. They would be able to get five more points in the fourth quarter as they fell 83-52 to Northern State.

The Golden Eagles will look to come back from the defeat but it will not be an easy task as they take on No. 16 Minnesota State University Moorhead Sat., Feb. 11 in Moorhead, Minn.