SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – A lop-sided first quarter in which Northern State University out-scored University of Minnesota Crookston 28-10 led the Wolves to an 83-60 win in the quarterfinals of the NSIC/Sanford Health quarterfinals. Minnesota Crookston would only be outscored 55-50 in the final three games but the slow start in the first quarter would be enough to foil UMC on Sat.., Feb. 25 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Saturday's trip was the third-consecutive visit for Minnesota Crookston to the NSIC/Sanford Health quarterfinals after an upset victory over Concordia University-St. Paul on Wednesday. Minnesota Crookston is slated to return all 11 players to their roster for the 2017-18 season as they look to continue to improve and possibly make it back for a fourth-consecutive season.

Minnesota Crookston ends the season with an 8-20 mark. They fall to 0-3 against Northern State this season. The Wolves move to 22-6 on the season and they will move on to face Winona State University in the semifinals of the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament.

Minnesota Crookston looked to 18 points from Micaela Noga (Jr., G, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) to lead the way. Noga was 4-of-8 from the field, 3-of-6 from  beyond the arc and 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. Noga had a strong NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament, averaging 19.5 points per game over the two games.

In addition to Noga, Isieoma Odor (R-So., F/C, Bloomington, Minn.) added 16 point and six boards on 7-of-11 from the field. Alison Hughes (So., G, Janesville, Wis.) would find her stride late after struggling early as she finished with 14 points. Caitlin Michaelis (So., G, Marshfield, Wis.) added seven points.

Minnesota Crookston shot 19-of-56 from the field for 33.9 percent. They were 9-of-30 from beyond the arc for 30 percent. UMC would go 13-of-18 from the charity stripe for 72.2 percent.
Northern State's big advantage over UMC was their strength in the post and they exploited that very much like the first two games the two teams played this season. Jill Conrad led the way with 17 points and nine boards on 7-of-11 from the field. Miranda Ristau added 12 points.

The Wolves also did a good job shooting the ball from beyond the arc. Northern State was aided by 11 points on 3-of-7 from beyond the arc by Gabby Laimer. Jessi Marti added 15 points on 6-of-6 from the field and 3-of-3 from beyond the arc.

Northern State was 33-of-69 from the field for 47.8 percent. They were 8-of-17 from beyond the arc for 47.1 percent and 9-of-17 from the charity stripe for 52.9 percent.

The Wolves controlled the boards by the tune of 43-31. They would also force 10 turnovers for Minnesota Crookston.

The Wolves would take an early 21-3 lead after Marti threaded the needle to Brianna Kusler. Northern State would be led in the first eight minutes by seven points from Conrad, while Kusler and Ristau each added five apiece.

Minnesota Crookston would snap the early run with a pair of free throws from Noga with 2:33 left in the first quarter as they cut the lead to 21-5. UMC would get their first field goal since early in the first half when Odor drove down the baseline for the layup to cut the lead to 23-8. The Wolves would go into the quarter break up 28-10 after an impressive first quarter. 

Northern State shot 62.3 percent compared to UMC's 25.0 percent in the first quarter.

Northern State would open up the second quarter with a pair of three-pointers from Laimer as they extended their lead to 34-12.

Minnesota Crookston would get the lead down to 38-18 off of a Hughes triple. Northern State would respond with a 4-0 run culminating with an Anika Frederick basket to extend the lead to 42-18. UMC would come down on the other end and snap the run with a Noga triple to cut the lead to 42-21.

Minnesota Crookston would be able to get the lead down to 48-29 as Noga hit a triple for her 16^th point of the first half. Northern State would respond with a Conrad bucket to get the lead back out to 50-29. The Wolves would go into the locker room up 50-31 on Minnesota Crookston.

Minnesota Crookston would hold their own in the second quarter, just being outscored 22-21 in the frame.

Noga would account for 16 of 31 points in the first half. She was 4-of-7 from the field, 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. Odor added six points, while Michaelis chipped in four points.

Minnesota Crookston shot 10-of-27 from the field, 5-of-16 from beyond the arc and 6-of-8 from the fou line.

Northern State looked to 11 points apiece from Conrad and Ristau. Laimer added nine points on 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. The Wolves would shoot 22-of-40 from the field for 55.0 percent. They were 5-of-10 from beyond the arc and 1-of-3 from the charity stripe.

Northern State controlled the glass by the tune of 23-13. The Wolves had nine offensive boards.

UMC would pull within 51-34 early in the third quarter on a Michealis trey from the wing. Northern State would be able to push their lead to 58-38 off of a Waytashek jumper. UMC would get the lead back down to 58-40 after a pair of Hughes free throws, but Northern State came right back with a Jessi Marti triple to take the lead back out to 61-40.

Northern State would go into the quarter break up 69-44 on the Golden Eagles. The Wolves would win the third quarter by the tune of 19-13.

Minnesota Crookston would open the fourth quarter on an 8-1 run as they cut the lead to 70-52 on an Odor long jumper. Marti would end the run with a basket to extend the lead to 72-52. UMC would respond with a Hughes triple to get the lead down to 72-55, however Marti responded once again to take the lead back out to 75-55 over Minnesota Crookston.

The Golden Eagles would be able to get the lead back down to 75-58 on a Hughes three-pointer. UMC would end out out-scoring the 16-14 Wolves in the fourth quarter but it would not be enough as Northern State would hang on for the 83-60 win.

Minnesota Crookston will return two juniors Noga and Emily Gruber (F/C, Monticello, Minn.), who are heading into their senior seasons. They will be joined by returning starters Isieoma Odor (R-So., F/C, Bloomington, Minn.), Caitlin Michaelis (So., G, Marshfield, Wis.) and Alison Hughes (So., G, Janesville, Wis.) as the Golden Eagles look to next year. Hughes was an All-NSIC Second Team performer this season and was fourth in the league in scoring and first in free throw percentage.