BISMARCK, N.D. – The University of Mary outscored the University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team 38-23 in the second and third quarters to pick up a 76-60 win Friday, February 3 at McDowell Activity Center.

UMary improved to 12-8 (11-6 NSIC) with the win. Minnesota Crookston dropped to 10-13 (9-8 NSIC) with the loss. The Golden Eagles fall to two games behind the Marauders in the standings. UMary is in third place in the NSIC North, while Minnesota Crookston is in fourth place. The Golden Eagles are a game ahead of Northern State University and two games ahead of Minnesota State University Moorhead in sixth place. Minnesota Crookston can guarantee a spot in the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament with a win over Minot State University Saturday.

Minnesota Crookston had three players scored in double-figures Friday. Emma Miller (Fr., G, Albertville, Minn.) finished with 12 points and four assists. Alex Page (So., F, Grand Forks, N.D.) added 12 points and six boards. Janie Tormanen (Fr., F/C, Menahga, Minn.) came off the bench for 12 points. Bren Fox (R-Sr., F/C, Norwood Young America, Minn.) led the Golden Eagles with 12 boards. Fox is 62 rebounds away from breaking Isieoma Odor's school record for rebounds. She has to average 12.4 rebounds in the final five games, or 10.3 boards per game if the Golden Eagles get at least one playoff game.

Minnesota Crookston shot 25-of-63 from the field for 39.7 percent. The Golden Eagles struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 4-of-22 for 18.2 percent. They were an unblemished 6-of-6 from the stripe on Friday. The Golden Eagles edged the Marauders 39-38 on the boards. Minnesota Crookston committed 17 turnovers Friday.

UMary looked to 17 points from Ryleigh Wacha. Addison Rozell added 17 points and eight boards. Megan Zander finished with 14 points and eight rebounds. The Marauders went 31-of-66 from the field for 47.0 percent. They were 4-of-13 for 30.8 percent. UMary was 10-of-16 from the foul line for 62.5 percent.

The Marauders took a 5-4 lead after a Wacha basket with 8:08 left in the first quarter. Minnesota Crookston responded with a 6-0 run as a Fox bucket made it 10-5 with 6:07 remaining in the frame. The Golden Eagles went ahead 13-7 on a Miller triple with 5:45 left in the stanza. UMary rallied with a 6-0 run as a Moriku Hakim basket knotted the game at 13-13. The Golden Eagles responded with a 4-0 run as a Page bucket made it 17-13. UMary took the lead 24-21 on a Rozell bucket, but the Golden Eagles were able to pull within 24-23 as Miller scored in the final seconds of the first quarter.

The two squads were close early in the second quarter as Minnesota Crookston trailed by just 36-34 after a Natalie Mikrot (Fr., G, Willow River, Minn.) three-pointer. UMary responded with a 9-2 run as they went into the locker room with a 45-36 advantage.

The Golden Eagles got the deficit down to eight (50-42) after a Taryn Frazer (Fr., G, Cass Lake, Minn.) bucket with 4:24 left in the third stanza. UMary closed the quarter on an 8-2 run as a Carly Kottsick old-fashioned three-point play made it 62-46 going into the quarter break.

Neither team scored for the first 2:11 of the fourth quarter before the Marauders notched six-straight points to make it 68-46 with 6:41 remaining. The Golden Eagles finally ended a 3:55 scoring drought with a Miller three-pointer with 6:05 left in the game. UMN Crookston was able to get the deficit down to 14 on a Frazer three-pointer with 40 seconds remaining. UMary's Cassie Erickson scored with eight seconds remaining to give the Marauders a 76-60 win.

Minnesota Crookston returns to action at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, February 4 against Minot State University.