CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team was victorious over Minot State University 78-76 at Lysaker Gymnasium. Mary Burke hit a free throw line jumpshot to put the Golden Eagles up by one with 1:55 minutes left in the game along with a clutch three-point shot from the corner seconds later to help spur Minnesota Crookston to the win. 

A great hustle play from Julia Peplinski to come up with a steal with 1:10 left in the game to hold the Golden Eagles lead at three. The Golden Eagles then obtained two big offensive rebounds from Emma Carpenter with less than a minute to go in the fourth quarter, that allowed Abby Guidinger to make a free throw to put the Golden Eagles up by four with 17.0 seconds left. A late foul from Emma Carpenter on Mariah Payne's three-point attempt, sent Payne to the free throw line and made all three free throws which trimmed the Golden Eagles lead to one. Peplinski went 1-of-2 at the free throw line with eight seconds left in the game giving the Golden Eagles  a two-point lead. Minot State had a chance to win or tie but Bethany Theodore shot at the buzzer came up short as the Golden Eagles picked up the victory.

Minnesota Crookston improves to 3-15 (2-12 NSIC) with Saturday's win. Minot State falls to 4-14 (1-13 NSIC) with the loss. The Golden Eagles snap a two-game skid against the Beavers, as they have now won six of the last nine games in the series.

Burke led the Golden Eagles in scoring with 20 points along with six rebounds. Burke was 7-of-15 from the field, and 4-of-6 from behind the three-point line. Mattea Vetsch tallied 18 points on 6-of-7 from the field, and 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Abby Guidinger had 13 points and six rebounds. Emma Carpenter had 11 points throughout the game, and Julia Peplinski led the team with eight rebounds.

Payne was the leading scorer of the game with 31 points and had seven rebounds for the Beavers. Bethany Theodore scored 15 points and had six rebounds. Calli Delsman had 11 points along with nine rebounds. Anna Counts led the game with 10 rebounds, while Haley Hildenbrand also hauled in six rebounds.

Vetsch got the first point of the game after going 1-of-2 from the stripe to put Minnesota Crookston ahead 1-0.  Mollie Wilson answered back for Minot State by hitting two, making the score 2-1. 

Minnesota Crookston responded as Peplinski got the steal and a pair on the other end to push the lead out to 3-2. Carpenter continued the rally by draining a three-pointer to extend the advatange to 6-2.  Minnesota Crookston moved their run to 9-0 and the score to 10-2 following a pair of Vetsch free throws and two more from Guidinger.

Theodore made a layup helping Minot State cut the lead to 10-4 with Minnesota Crookston still leading. The Beavers would remain down by six at 12-6 following a pair of free throws from Payne.

Julia Peplinski responded with a layup, making the score 14-6. Mary Burke widened the gap with a three-pointer, giving comfort points to Minnesota Crookston for a score of 17-6. 

The Beavers would cut the deficit to 17-10 off a bucket from Wilson. Minnesota Crookston responded with a pair of free throws from Ashley Freund after drawing the foul, as the Golden Eagles pushed their lead out to 19-10.

Minot State responded on the other end as Payne hit four consecutive free throws to trim the lead to 19-14. After a defensive stop, Payne made it six-straight points to cut the lead to 19-16 going into the quarter break. 

Mattea Vetsch started off the second quarter with a big momentum boost by making a three pointer to widen the gap to 22-16. Paige Cornale and Peplinski added to Minnesota Crookston's effort with lay-ups to push the run to 9-0 and give Minnesota Crookston a 28-16 lead with 8:16 left in the second quarter.

The Beavers responded on the other end with a 9-0 run of their own propelled by four points from Theodore and a three-pointer from Danielle Rizzari. Abby Guidinger responded for Minnesota Crookston, making a two-pointer to halt the run and push the lead back out to 30-25.

Anna Counts came through with big moments for the Beavers in their next two possessions, as she got a pair off a Calli Delsman assist, and then had a helper of her own to Payne to trim the lead to 30-29.

Mary Burke came up in a big spot with a three-pointer to make the score 33-29. Rizzari answered back with a three-pointer on the other end for Minot State to trim the lead to 33-32.

The Golden Eagles held off the Beavers as Kylie Post converted an old-fashioned three-point play to push the advantage to 36-32. Guidinger  added to Minnesota Crookston's efforts with a jump shot to extend the lead to 38-34. Minot State had the final answer in the second quarter as Counts ended the half with a bucket as the Beavers went into the locker room trailing 38-36.

Minot State opened up the half on a 6-2 run with four points from Theodore as they overtook the lead 42-40.  Burke answered back putting Minnesota Crookston in the lead 43-42 with a three-pointer. 

Mattea Vetsch widened the gap with a three pointer, along with a layup to push the lead to 48-42. Back-to-back baskets from Delsman brought Minot State back into it 48-46 with 4:47 left in the third frame. 

Carpenter fought off the Beaver charge with a crucial trey to extend the lead to 51-46. Payne and Rizzari teamed up with back-to-back baskets as they made it a one point game at 51-50. After a defensive stop, Payne put the Beavers into the lead 52-51. Freund picked up two offensive rebounds to give the Golden Eagles second and third chances late in the third quarter with Burke putting in the bucket to give Minnesota Crookston a 53-52 lead going into the fourth quarter. 

Vetsch continued the 5-0 run with a crucial three-pointer to put the Golden Eagles ahead 56-52. Minot State answered back with a Payne three-pointer to cut the lead to 56-55. Payne then put the Beavers into a 57-56 lead as she scored a pair.

Guidinger helped the Golden Eagles out at the foul line as she put Minnesota Crookston back up 58-57. However, Theodore came through with a three-pointer to give Minot State the 60-58 lead.

 Guidinger then had a clutch layup tying the game up 60-60.Vetsch came through with another three-pointer for her 17th point to give Minnesota Crookston a 63-60 lead. Minot State took the lead back 65-64 with an old-fashioned three-pointer play from Delsman with 5:02 left in the game.

Guidenger answered back with a floater to give the Golden Eagles a 66-65 lead. Minot State then went on a 7-3 run as a Payne three gave the Beavers a 72-69 advantage with 2:52 left in the game.

The Golden Eagles came back with two free throws from Burke and a crucial mid-range jumper as Minnesota Crookston fought back for a 73-72 advantage. Counts then hit 1-of-2 from the line to knot the game up 73-73 with 1:41 remaining in the game.

Burke came up with the crucial play again, as she nailed a three-pointer on the move to put Minnesota Crookston ahead 76-73. Guidinger hit 1-of-2 from the line to push the lead to 77-73.

After being fouled on a three, Payne hit all three from the stripe to trim the lead to one at 77-76. 

Peplinski looked to ice the game hitting 1-of-2 from the line to extend the lead to 78-76. Theodore had one last chance for Minot State, but the shot didn't fall as Minnesota Crookston won 78-76.

Minnesota Crookston will remain at Lysaker Gymnasium to continue a four-game stand as they host Southwest Minnesota State University at 5:30 p.m. Fri., Jan. 31.