KEARNEY, Neb. – Northwest Missouri State's Kendey Eaton sank two free throws with five seconds remaining to upend the University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team 66-64 at the Health and Sports Center in Kearney, Neb.

Minnesota Crookston made a 7-0 run late in the game using a bucket from Ashley Freund (Jr., G/F, Jordan, Minn.), and five points from Julia Peplinski (So., F/C, Hustisford, Wis.) as they knotted the game up 64-64 with 23 seconds remaining. However, Eaton's free throws sank the Golden Eagles. Minnesota Crookston had a last second shot from Kylie Post (So., G, Corcoran, Minn.) that was missed, as they fell in a heartbreaker to the Bearcats.

Northwest Missouri State outscored Minnesota Crookston 20-14 in the final quarter to overcome a 50-46 lead for the Golden Eagles to open the fourth quarter.

The Bearcats move to 1-1, while Minnesota Crookston falls to 0-2 to open the season.

The Golden Eagles had outstanding play from their bench as they accounted for 40 points on the night. Freund had perhaps her best game with Minnesota Crookston, going a perfect 4-of-4 from the field for 13 points, including going 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. Peplinski added a double-double of 13 points and 10 boards. Bren Fox (So., F/C, Norwood Young America, Minn.) fell just short of a double-double with 11 points and nine boards. Abby Guidinger (Jr., G/F, Waukesha, Wis.), and Paige Cornale (So., G, Oak Creek, Wis.) each chipped in six points.

Minnesota Crookston shot 21-of-54 from the field for 38.9 percent. They were 3-of-15 from beyond the arc for 20 percent, and 19-of-25 for 76 percent from the foul line.

The Golden Eagles controlled the glass on the night by the tune of 42-25.

Northwest Missouri State finished 24-of-55 from the field for 43.6 percent. They were strong from distance, going 11-of-27 for 40.7 percent. The Bearcats hit 7-of-8 shots from the charity stripe for 87.5 percent.
Eaton led the way for the Bearcats with 30 points on 12-of-17 from the field. Minnesota-native Erika Schlosser added 11 points, while Jaeyln Haggard chipped in 10 points.

The Golden Eagles jetted out to an early 12-4 advantage lifted by three points from Peplinski and a triple from Freund. The Bearcats closed the lead to 12-8 on a pair of Kylie Coleman free throws. A jumper by Fox extended the lead for Minnesota Crookston to 16-9 going into the quarter break.

Northwest Missouri State sliced the lead to 16-11 with an Eaton jumper to open the second stanza. Minnesota Crookston countered with an 11-2 run to extend the lead to 27-13 propelled by another Freund trey and four points from Post.

Northwest Missouri State closed the gap to 31-23 with an Eaton triple with 3:29 left in the second quarter. They would build off the three and slice the lead down to 32-28 on a pair of Eaton free throws.

Fox hit four free throws down the stretch of the second quarter to help send Minnesota Crookston to the locker room with a 36-31 lead.

The Golden Eagles obtained the first four points of the second half to push the lead back out to 40-31. Northwest Missouri State had an answer with an 8-0 run lifted by a pair of Schlosser threes as they sliced the deficit to 40-39.

A Freund three-pointer helped keep the lead in the hands of the Golden Eagles as they moved the advantage to 44-39 with 3:56 remaining in the third quarter. Northwest Missouri State again responded though as they tied the game up 46-46 with an Eaton jumper with 1:43 left in the third frame.

The Golden Eagles concluded the third quarter on a 4-0 run as they went into the quarter break up 50-46.

Northwest Missouri State opened the fourth quarter on an 11-2 run as an Eaton basket put their lead at 57-52. A Guidinger basket helped the Golden Eagles pull to within 57-55 with 3:24 left in the game.
The Bearcats used a response of a pair of jumpers from Eaton to extend their advantage out to 61-55. Down seven points with 2:02 remaining, Minnesota Crookston made a late charge.

The Golden Eagles went on a 7-0 run to tie the game up 64-64 on a Peplinski hoop with 23 seconds left. Northwest Missouri State responded as Eaton sank two free throws with five seconds remaining. Minnesota Crookston had one last effort from Post that didn't fall, as the Bearcats won 66-64.

The Golden Eagles take on Hawai'I Pacific University Fri., Nov. 15 at 11 p.m. C.T., at the Shark Tank in Honolulu, Hawai'i.