BEMIDJI, Minn. - Olivia Walsh (Fr., G/F, Austin, Minn.) scored an old-fashioned three-point play in the final second of the game to deliver a 73-70 victory for the University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team over Bemidji State University. The Golden Eagles scored nine points in the final three minutes to secure Saturday's victory at BSU Gymnasium.
Minnesota Crookston improved to 5-4 (2-1 NSIC) with the victory over the Beavers. The Golden Eagles continue their best start since the 2018-19 season. Natalie Moynihan continues her best start as a first-year full-time head coach since Janna Hjelseth in the 1989-90 season. Bemidji State dropped to 2-3 (0-2 NSIC) with the loss. The Golden Eagles have won the last three games in the series.
Janie Tormanen (So., F/C, Menahga, Minn.) paced the Golden Eagles with 18 points on 9-of-16 from the field. Walsh added 13 points on 5-of-7 from the field. Riley Jenkins (R-Fr., G/F, Galesburg, Ill.) had her best game as a Golden Eagles. The University of Illinois-Springfield transfer notched 12 points on 4-of-7 from the field. Bemidji State limited Minnesota Crookston leading scorer Emma Miller (So., G, Albertville, Minn.) to eight points, but she finished with seven rebounds, and four assists. Tormanen added eight rebounds. Taryn Frazer (So., G, Cass Lake, Minn.) came off the bench for eight points.
Minnesota Crookston shot 31-of-64 from the field for 48.4 percent. They were 4-of-13 for 30.8 percent from deep. The Golden Eagles hit 7-of-15 for 46.7 percent from the stripe. Both teams had 40 rebounds Saturday. Minnesota Crookston had 11 assists to 14 turnovers. The Golden Eagles were dominant in the paint outsourcing Bemidji State 50-40.
The Beavers were lifted by Sydney White, who came off the bench for 20 points. Alayna Suprenand added 13 points, while Hill had 13 points and seven boards.
BSU had 14 assists to 13 turnovers. They went 26-of-64 from the field for 40.6 percent. The Beavers were 4-of-14 for 28.6 percent from beyond the arc, and 14-of-28 from the stripe.
Minnesota Crookston improved to 5-0 when they limit their foes to 70 or fewer points.
The Beavers started the game on a 6-2 run as an Suprenand basket gave Bemidji State the advantage with 6:37 remaining in the first quarter. The Golden Eagles responded with a 4-0 run as a Miller basket knotted the game 6-6. The Beavers went back ahead 12-8 after a pair of White free throws. Minnesota Crookston countered with a 4-0 run as a Jenkins basket coupled the score 12-12 with 3:09 remaining in the stanza. Bemidji State came right back with a 6-0 run culminating with a pair of Rachel Koenig free throws to give the Beavers a 18-12 lead. A Tormanen basket cut the deficit to 18-14 going into the quarter break.
Minnesota Crookston took the momentum early in the second quarter as they opened the frame on a 6-0 run paced by four points from Tormanen to make it 20-18. A Suprenand basket, and a White free throw put Bemidji State back ahead 21-20 with 6:02 left in the quarter. The Beavers led 23-22 after an Amme Sheforgen bucket. The Golden Eagles took over from there, using a 19-6 run to go into the locker room with a 41-29 lead. Minnesota Crookston was guided by seven points from Jenkins.
BSU opened the third quarter on a 10-4 run, using an Erin Barrette basket to pull within 45-39 with 6:01 remaining in the frame. Bemidji State continued their strong stanza, as they trimmed the deficit to 47-45 on a Hill basket. Minnesota Crookston pushed the lead to 50-47 on an Olivia Walsh free throw. However, the Beavers countered with a 5-0 run as a Sheforgen trey put BSU up 52-50. The Beavers went into the final quarter with a 52-51 advantage.
Bemidji State opened the fourth quarter with a Suprenand trey to widen the gap to 55-51. Minnesota Crookston came back with a 5-0 run utilizing Nicole Hernandez (R-Jr., F/C, Oak Creek, Wis.) bucket and a Jenkins three-pointer to take the 56-55 lead. Minnesota Crookston extended their run to 7-0 with a Tormanen basket, off a Miller assist to push their advantage to 58-55. Bemidji State countered with a 4-0 run, using a Barrett bucket to overtake the Golden Eagles 59-58 with 5:33 remaining in the tilt. Hernandez came through in a big moment with a triple with 5:02 remaining to give Minnesota Crookston the lead 61-59. Bemidji State knotted the contest 61-61 after a pair of White free throws. Bemidji State took the lead 63-61 on a Hill jumper. The U of M Crookston came right back with a triple from Hope Dudycha (R-Fr., G, Austin, Minn.) to take over the advantage 64-63 with 3:46 remaining. Bemidji State countered with a White old-fashioned three-point play to make it 66-64 with 3:12 left in the tilt. The Golden Eagles countered with a 6-0 run propelled by four points from Tormanen to give Minnesota Crookston a 70-66 lead. The Beavers cut the deficit to 70-67 on a Koenig free throw with 1:24 left in the tilt. Bemidji State knotted the game 70-70 on a Suprenand triple with 24 seconds left in the game. Minnesota Crookston came through in the final moments with an old-fashioned three-point play to seal a 73-70 victory.
Minnesota Crookston remains on the road to face the University of Mary Thursday, December 7 at 7:30 p.m., in Bismarck, N.D.
