Crookston, Minn. – Northern State jumped out to a 15 point halftime lead and was able to pull away in the second half to defeat Minnesota Crookston 64-47 in NSIC Women's Basketball action on Friday night in Crookston.
 
With the loss, the Golden Eagles fall to 1-9 (0-4 NSIC), while the Wolves improve to 6-3 (3-1 NSIC) on the season.
 
Kailee Oliverson would score the first two of her game-high 23 on the night to give the Wolves an early lead.
 
Trailing 4-0, Jes Mertens (So., G, Devils Lake, N.D.) would bury a left corner three to get the Golden Eagles within one at 4-3.
 
Bren Fox (R-Jr., C, Norwood Young America, Minn.) would make a fade away in the paint to knot the game up at five apiece.
 
From that point on, the Wolves would hold the Golden Eagles scoreless for the next six minutes, stretching their lead to 14-5.
 
The Wolves would lead 14-6 after the first quarter.
 
Abi Fraaza (Fr., F, Birnamwood, Wis.) would score three the old-fashioned way to cut the Golden Eagle deficit to just five at 14-9.
 
Mertens would bury her second three of the game to get the Golden Eagles back within four at 18-14.
 
NSU would finish the half on a 13-2 run to take a 31-16 lead into the halftime break.
 
Mary Burke (Sr., F, Virginia, Minn.) and Emma Carpenter (Jr., G, Eagan, Minn.) would make back-to-back three point makes to give the Golden Eagles some life, cutting the lead to 33-22.
 
Carpenter would make a layup on the fastbreak to get the Golden Eagles back within single digits at nine, 33-24.
 
From that point, NSU would outscore the Golden Eagle 18-9, to head into the final quarter with a 16 point lead.
 
In the fourth quarter, the maroon and gold would get within 15, but the Wolves would finish off the Golden Eagles for the 17 point victory.
 
Fraaza led the Golden Eagles with 11 points, the second time in three games that Fraaza has scored in double-figures. Alex Page (Fr., F, Grand Forks, N.D.) would finish with a career-high nine points. Mertens and Carpenter each finished with seven.
 
Minnesota Crookston will be back in action tomorrow night as NSIC North foe Minnesota State University Moorhead comes to town. Tip-off is set for 5:30 from Gary Senske Court.