SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team would succumb to Augustana University Fri., Feb. 3 after a big second half by the Vikings. Augustana outscored Minnesota Crookston 51-39 in the second half to pick up the win. UMC would lead 40-36 over the Vikings going into the locker room.

Minnesota Crookston falls to 6-15 (6-11 NSIC) with the loss. Augustana moves to 17-7 (12-5 NSIC) with Friday's win at Sioux Falls Arena in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The Golden Eagles had another strong offensive game as they shot 28-of-64 from the field for 43.8 percent. They were on fire from beyond the arc as they went 12-of-24 for 50 percent. The Golden Eagles had an uncharacteristic off-night from the charity stripe as they were just 11-of-17 for 64.7 percent.

Minnesota Crookston looked to a career-high 29 points from Micaela Noga (Jr., G, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) on 11-of-16 from the field and 7-of-9 from beyond the arc. Isieoma Odor (R-So., F/C, Bloomington, Minn.) put up a strong night in the post as she finished with a double-double of 22 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. Alison Hughes (Jr., G, Janesville, Wis.) added 14 points.

UMC would struggle again offensively as they allowed the Vikings to score 87 points on 34-of-79 from the field for 43.0 percent. They were 20-of-37 from the field for 54.1 percent in the second half. Augie finished the night 8-of-28 for 28.6 percent from beyond the arc.

Augustana had five players tally double figures. Sydney Rome led the way with 18 points on 7-of-13 from the field. Selland tallied 16 points and nine boards. Naomi Rust added 14 points, while Logan O'Farrell had 10 points and Presley O'Farrell had 11 points.

Augustana would take the 11-8 lead in the first quarter over UMC on a Lynsey Prosser three-pointer. The Golden Eagles would respond with a Noga trey to knot it up 11-11 with 4:11 left in the opening quarter. The two teams would trade baskets over the next few minutes until Abby Hora hit a pair of free throws for the Vikings to make it 17-15 going into the second quarter.

Augustana would open up the second half with a Logan O'Farrell trey to extend their lead out to 20-15. UMC would get the lead back down to one point as Hughes nailed a three-pointer to cut it to 21-20. Minnesota Crookston would continue their run as they would take the lead and push their advantage to 24-21 on a Hughes bucket.

Augie would strike back again as they would again knot it up 24-24 on a Prosser three-pointer. The Vikings would be able to take their lead out to 29-26 on a Presley O'Farrell three-pointer with 3:49 left in the third quarter.

UMC responded with a 6-0 run led by three-pointers from Odor and Emily Gruber (Jr., F/C, Monticello, Minn.) to make it 32-29. Minnesota Crookston would be able to extend their lead to 37-31 late in the second quarter on a Noga three-pointer. The Vikings would cut the lead down to 37-36 with 52 seconds left in the second quarter on a Selland layup. UMC responded with a Hughes trey with 27 seconds left in the second quarter to make it 40-36 going into the locker room.

The Vikings would come out of the locker room and get key buckets from Rust and Rome to knot it up 40-40. The Golden Eagles stopped the quick run with a Caitlin Michaelis (So., G, Marshfield, Wis.) triple to push it out to 43-40. 

Augustana would come right back over the next few minutes and would knot it up 45-45 on a Rome three-pointer.

UMC would take the lead back on an Odor basket to make it 47-45. However, Augie countered with a 6-0 run ending with a Selland layup to make it 51-47. Noga used a run-stopping three-pointer to pull UMC within 51-50 with 6:08 left in the third quarter.

Augustana would use a 5-0 run to extend their lead to 56-50. UMC would be able to cut it down to 58-54 on a pair of Odor free throws. A Noga three-pointer would pull the Golden Eagles within 58-57 with 2:48 left in the third quarter.

Augustana would push their lead back out to 60-57, but UMC would come back and knot it up 60-60 on an Odor free throw with 1:30 left in the third quarter.

The Vikings would get their lead out to five after a Presley O'Farrell jumper with 17 seconds left in the third quarter. UMC would come right back with a clutch Noga three-pointer to pull back within 65-63 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Golden Eagles would start the fourth quarter out strong as they knotted the game up 65-65 on a pair of free throws from Gruber. The Vikings would get their lead out to 68-65 on a Logan O'Farrell old-fashioned three-point play. 

Minnesota Crookston would cut the lead down to 68-67 after an Odor layup.
From that point, Augustana would begin taking control as they went on a 8-0 run to put the lead at 75-67 with 7:55 left in the game. UMC stopped the run with a Hughes layup to cut the advantage to 75-69.

Back-to-back buckets from Rome would push the Augie lead out to 79-69. They would extend their lead to 83-72 on a Selland jumper. UMC would be able to cut the lead down to 83-75 on a Noga trey. However, the Vikings would hold the Golden Eagles off as they would hang on for the 87-79 win.

Minnesota Crookston will look to snap a three-game skid as they head to Wayne State College (Neb.) Sat., Feb. 4 at 4 p.m.