Crookston, Minn. – Minnesota Crookston took the lead late in the second half and was able to hold off a late Marauders charge, to pick up the 71-67 victory over the University of Marauders.
 
With the win, the two teams split this season series and the Golden Eagles pick up a huge win in the NSIC. Minnesota Crookston improves to 8-14 (5-11 NSIC), while the Marauders fall to 7-14 (6-10 NSIC).
 
The Marauders jumped out to a quick 7-3 lead on five Gertautus Urbonavicius points. Uzo Dibiamaka (R-So., G, Adelaide, Australia) buried a jumper to cut the lead to 7-5.
 
The Golden Eagles would eventually take a 13-11 lead on a left wing three from Brian Sitzmann (R-Sr., G, Savage, Minn.).
 
The Marauders would get their largest lead of the game at 29-24, but Nathaniel Powell (R-So., C, Nottingham, England) would make a layup and Sitzmann and Ethan Channel (R-Jr., G, Beaverton, Ore.) would each bury three's to give the Golden Eagles a one point lead at 32-31.
 
The Golden Eagles would stretch their lead to 36-31, but would head into halftime with a 36-33 lead.
 
Minnesota Crookston would extend their lead to 44-37 early on in the second, highlighted by a pair of layups from Jerome Mabry (R-So., G, Milwaukee, Wis.) and Marcus Thompson (Jr., F, Brooklyn, NY).
 
For every call UMary had, the Golden Eagles were there to answer the call. UMary would knot things up at 49, but Zach Westphal (R-Sr., G, West Fargo, N.D.) would answer with a deuce of his own.
 
The two teams would be tied three more times after that point, but Dibiamaka would bury a three and the lead that the maroon and gold would never relinquish.
 
The Golden Eagles would lead 61-56 and the two teams wouldn't score for over four minutes, until a Westphal bucket gave the Golden Eagles lead back at seven.
 
Channel and Dibiamaka would make huge three-point plays down the stretch to make it a 68-60 lead for the Golden Eagles with under a minute to go.
 
The Marauders would try to chip away, but the Golden Eagles would make free throws down the stretch to solidify the four point Golden Eagle victory.
 
Once again, balance was the story offensively for the Golden Eagles. Dibiamaka would lead the way with 19 points on 6-9 from the field and 4-6 from deep. Channel was excellent as well, finishing with 17 points on 7-12 from the field. Thompson was awesome again, finishing with 10 points and five rebounds. Mabry finished with seven, while Powell, Sitzmann and Westphal each had six on the night.
 
As a team, the Golden Eagles shot 51 percent from the field and outrebounded the Marauders by eight, winning the rebounding battle for the second straight home Friday.
 
Another big one on tap for the Golden Eagles tomorrow, as they host Minot State at 5:30 from Crookston.