Houghton, Mich. – Minnesota Crookston took a 54-53 lead with six minutes remaining in the game, but No. 16 Michigan Tech finished the game on an 12-3 run to avoid the upset and stay undefeated in women's basketball play on Friday afternoon from Houghton.
Minnesota Crookston falls to 0-4 on the season, including losses to two teams that are ranked in the nation. Michigan Tech improves to 3-0 on the season.
Mary Burke (Sr., F, Virginia, Minn.) would get the Golden Eagles on the board with a three on the first possession of the game. It was the first of four makes from deep for the senior, a season-high.
The Huskies would score the next four, but Burke would answer with yet another three to tie things up at six.
MTU would lead 13-6, but fellow senior
Kylea Praska (Sr., G, Thief River Falls, Minn.) would bury a three to cut the lead to just four.
Kylie Post (Sr., G, Corcoran, Minn.) would finish off a layup on the fast break with two ticks remaining to cut the Huskies lead to 19-16 heading into the second quarter.
In the second quarter, MTU would eventually extend their lead to 13, but
Abigail Leach (Jr., F, Wyoming, Minn.) would bury a three from the top of the key to cut the lead to 10.
Clara Johnson would bury a shot for Michigan Tech with a minute and a half left in the half to help put the Huskies up 38-25 heading into the halftime locker room.
The third quarter has been really friendly for the Golden Eagles this season and that continued in Houghton on Friday. The Golden Eagles would trail by 15, but a 10-0 run fueled by Burke and Leach got the Golden Eagles within four at 42-38.
Alex Page (Fr., F, Grand Forks, N.D.) would make a three from straightaway and Post would make a tough layup on back-to-back possessions to tie the game at 45. It was the first tie since it was 6-6 early in the first quarter.
The Huskies would take a 50-45 lead early in the fourth quarter, but
Emma Carpenter (Jr., G, Eagan, Minn.) and Leach would make a pair of makes from deep to cut the Huskies lead to just one three minutes into the fourth quarter.
Bren Fox (R-Jr., C, Norwood Young America, Minn.) would score three the tough way after a layup and the harm to give the Golden Eagles their first lead since it was 3-0.
Ellie Mackay and Clara Johnson would make threes on two straight possessions for the Huskies to help put the Golden Eagles away in the final quarter.
MTU would make free throws down the stretch to win, 65-57.
Burke finished with a season-high 18 points on 7-15 shooting from the field, while Post was the other Golden Eagle scorer in double-figures with 10. Fox finished with seven, while Leach scored six. Fox and Burke finished with nine and eight rebounds, respectively.
Minnesota Crookston shot 32.3 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from deep and got 17 bench points, led by the six from Leach.
What's Next
The Golden Eagles will head to Hawaii on Sunday as they get set to play a pair of games on the island. The Golden Eagles will play Chaminade University on Wednesday at 4 P.M., and will finish their trip to Hawaii on Thanksgiving Day as they play the defending National Champions, Lubbock Christian University (Texas).
