MANKATO, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team fell 64-54 to Minnesota State University-Mankato Fri., Jan. 26 at the Taylor Center in Mankato, Minn. The Mavericks used a big second quarter to upend the Golden Eagles as they out-scored the Golden Eagles 23-6 in the frame.
 
Minnesota State also used 19 offensive rebounds on the day as they were able to control the glass. They also forced 15 turnovers for Minnesota Crookston.

The Golden Eagles fall to 5-14 (5-10 NSIC) with Friday's loss to Minnesota State. The Mavericks moved their mark to 7-14 (5-10 NSIC) with the victory. Minnesota State moves to 15-7 over Minnesota Crookston all-time. The Golden Eagles were unable to find the same magic that they did the last time they played in Mankato. Minnesota Crookston won that game 91-90 on Jan. 16, 2016 as Isieoma Odor (R-Jr., F/C, Bloomington, Minn.) put in a game-winner in the final seconds.

The Golden Eagles looked to a double-double from Odor with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Caitlin Michaelis (Jr., G, Marshfield, Wis.) chipped in 13 points on 3-of-9 from the field and 6-of-8 from the charity stripe. Abby Guidinger (Fr., G/F, Waukesha, Wis.) notched 10 points in her first career start. Guidinger was 6-of-6 from the charity stripe. Emily Gruber (Sr., F/C, Monticello, Minn.) added six rebounds, while Stephanie McWilliams (So., G, Grand Forks, N.D.) came off the bench for six.

Minnesota Crookston went 18-of-52 from the field for 34.6 percent. The Golden Eagles struggled from beyond the arc as they were just 1-of-14 or 7.1 percent. Minnesota Crookston shot 17-of-20 from the foul line for 85.0 percent.

Minnesota State had four players tally double-figure scoring. The Mavericks looked to 13 points off the bench from Taylor Drost. Claire Ziegler chipped in a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds. Monica Muth added 10 points, as did Taylor Klug.

The Mavericks were 25-of-70 from the field for 35.7 percent. They were 6-of-20 from beyond the arc for 30.0 percent and 8-of-12 from the charity stripe for 66.7 percent.

The Golden Eagle defense was able to force 17 turnovers for the Mavericks. Minnesota State controlled the glass 48-32, including their 19 offensive boards.

Minnesota State raced out to a 6-0 lead in the early going ignited by four points from Claire Jordan. The Golden Eagles would stop the early run as McWilliams connected on a pair of free throws. Minnesota Crookston built on a 6-0 run of their own as they knotted the game up 6-6 on a McWilliams on a jumper. The Golden Eagles extended their run to 8-0 as they took an 8-6 advantage following a pair of Gruber free throws. The Mavericks stopped the run as Klug nailed a three-pointer from the wing to put the game at 9-8. Minnesota State saw their lead grow to 11-8, but Minnesota Crookston quickly halted their short run their as Micaela Noga (Sr., G, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) found Gruber in the post for a lay-up to pull the Golden Eagles back within 11-10. The Mavericks went into the quarter break with a 16-12 lead after Ziegler hit 1-of-2 from the charity stripe in the final seconds of the first quarter.

The Mavericks opened up the second quarter on a 6-0 run and they did not look back as they out-scored the Golden Eagles 23-6 in the frame. Minnesota Crookston struggled to get anything going in the second quarter as they shot just 16.7 percent from the field. Minnesota State went into the locker room with a 39-18 advantage.

Minnesota Crookston struggled from the field as they were just 6-of-26 from the field for 23.1 percent. The Golden Eagles were unsuccessful from beyond the arc as they came up empty 0-of-9. Minnesota Crookston was 6-of-8 from the charity stripe for 75.0 percent.

The Golden Eagles looked to six points from McWilliams. Gruber chipped in four points. Odor led the team on the boards with eight rebounds.

Minnesota State was 14-of-38 from the field for 36.8 percent. The Mavericks shot 5-of-11 from beyond the arc and 6-of-10 from the foul line.

The Mavericks were guided by 10 points from Muth on 4-of-8 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Ziegler chipped in seven points, while Drost came off the bench for seven points. Ziegler led Minnesota State on the boards with seven rebounds.

The Mavericks opened up the half with the first bucket as Ziegler put one in to extend the lead to 41-18. The Golden Eagles scored the next seven points propelled by five points from Michaelis as they cut the lead to 41-25. Minnesota State stopped the 7-0 run with a Logan Anderson bucket to put the Mavericks back up 43-25.

Minnesota Crookston cut the deficit to 45-29 on a pair of Michaelis free throws. A Drost jumper for the Mavericks would extend the lead back out to 18 at 47-29. The Golden Eagles responded as they came back with a 6-0 run as they cut the deficit to 12 at 47-35 after a Noga basket with 3:12 remaining in the third quarter. 

Minnesota State halted the run right there as they responded with a 6-0 rally to go ahead 53-35 after a Klug jumper. Minnesota Crookston ended the third quarter on a 4-0 run as they cut the lead to 53-39 after a pair of Guidinger free throws. The Mavericks went into the quarter break with the 53-39 advantage.

The Golden Eagles cut the lead to 53-41 early in the fourth quarter following a Guidinger basket. A Klug jumper would put Minnesota State back up 55-41. The Mavericks would be able to extend their lead to 61-43 following an Anderson basket with 5:44 remaining. Minnesota Crookston would be able to use an 11-0 run as they made a late effort to cut into the lead. They would get the deficit down to nine at 61-52 as Kasey Harper (Fr., G, Mesa, Ariz.) found Amber Schoenicke (So., F/C, Marshall, Wis.) in the post to get the deficit down to 61-52 with 1:39 left in the game. Klug stopped the run for the Golden Eagles as she hit a three-pointer to move the lead to 64-51. Paige Weakley quickly made a basket for Minnesota Crookston to get the deficit down to 64-54. Minnesota State would hang on to win by that tally.

Minnesota Crookston will return to action Sat., Jan. 27 at 4 p.m. as they take on Concordia University-St. Paul in St. Paul, Minn.