CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team outscored Bemidji State University 8-2 in overtime to pick up a 69-63 victory in their home opener at Lysaker Gymnasium.
The Golden Eagles improved to 4-4 (2-0 NSIC) with Friday night's victory. Minnesota Crookston opens conference play with a 2-0 mark for the first time since the 2008-09 season. The Golden Eagles are 4-1 in their last five games.
Riley Jenkins (R-So., G/F, Galesburg, Ill.) put together an outstanding performance, finishing with a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds. She also added five assists, four steals, and one block. Emma Miller (Jr., G, Albertville, Minn.) finished with 21 points on 10-of-26 from the field. She is ranked eighth all-time in scoring for the Golden Eagles. Miller needs 21 points to move past Brittani Wiese for seventh all-time.
Hope Dudycha (R-So., G, Austin, Minn.) added 11 points, and four rebounds. Willow Thiel (Fr., F, Perham, Minn.) finished with five points, and six rebounds. Nicole Hernandez (R-Sr., F/C, Oak Creek, Wis.) chipped in two points, six rebounds, and three blocked shots. Hernandez is in the top five nationally for blocked shots.
The Golden Eagles shot 28-of-79 for 35.4 percent from the field. They struggled from distance, hitting 4-of-29 for the night. Minnesota Crookston went 9-of-14 for 64.3 percent from the charity stripe. The Golden Eagles were edged on the glass, 48-33 but had 10 offensive boards. Minnesota Crookston had 27 points off turnovers. They finished with nine assists, to nine turnovers on the evening.
Bemidji State was led by 19 points off the bench from Janette Hanni. Erin Barrette had 11 points, and five rebounds, while Ashlynne Guenther notched 11 points, and seven boards.
The Beavers shot 23-of-61 from the field for 37.7 percent. Bemidji State went 2-of-13 for 15.4 percent from beyond the arc, and 15-of-22 for 68.2 percent from the stripe. The Beavers turned the ball over 20 times Friday.
Bemidji State opened the game on a 7-0 run, as Guenther put in the bucket with 6:58 left in the first quarter. The Beavers extended their lead to 12-2 after a pair of Barrette free throws. The Golden Eagles got the deficit down to 16-10 after a Miller basket with 1:46 left in the frame. A Sydney White free throw gave BSU the 17-10 advantage at the quarter break.
Minnesota Crookston opened the second quarter on a 4-0 run, as a Thiel bucket trimmed the deficit to 17-14. The Golden Eagles were able to continue their fortunes as they took a 21-18 lead on a Dudycha triple with 7:09 remaining in the second stanza. Bemidji State knotted the tilt 24-24 on a Guenther fast-break basket with 5:19 remaining in the quarter. Minnesota Crookston took the 27-25 lead on a Miller jumper. However, BSU fired right back with a 6-0 run as a White basket made it 31-27. A Hanni lay-in made it 33-29 going into the locker room.
Bemidji State commenced the third quarter on a 5-0 run, as the Golden Eagles didn't get on the scoreboard for the first 4:35 of the frame. The Beavers pushed out to a 40-31 advantage after a pair of Barrette free throws with 4:59 left in the quarter. They extended their lead to 11 points with 2:42 remaining in the stanza. Minnesota Crookston closed the third frame on a 4-0 run, as a Thiel bucket cut the deficit to seven points going into the quarter intermission.
The Beavers opened the fourth quarter with an old-fashioned three-point play from White to make it 47-37. Minnesota Crookston responded with a 5-0 run, using a Thiel free throw to make it 47-42. The Golden Eagles were able to get the deficit down to four points as Jenkins found Miller for the bucket with 5:36 left in regulation. The two teams traded baskets for the ensuing minutes until U of M Crookston was able to knot the game 57-57 on a Dudycha trey with 2:38 left in regulation. The Beavers took the lead back 59-57 on a pair of Brooke Theis free throws. The Golden Eagles countered with a 4-0 run, as a pair of Jenkins free throws made it 61-59 with 1:16 remaining. A Hanni lay-in knotted the game at 61-61, and the score would remain at that tally to force extra basketball.
The Golden Eagles quickly set the tone with the first three points in overtime in the first minute to make it 64-61. Hernandez had four rebounds, and two points in the final five minutes of play. The Golden Eagles were able to seal the win 69-63, with a final stamp made with a Jenkins trey with 17 seconds left in the game.
Minnesota Crookston remains at home to host St. Cloud State University Saturday, December 7 at 3:30 p.m.
