Crookston, Minn. – Wayne State scored a bucket with a little more than 30 seconds left in the game and saw a Golden Eagles three fall off the rim in a thrilling 78-76 win over Minnesota Crookston on Friday night in Crookston.
 
Minnesota Crookston falls to 3-16 (2-11 NSIC).
 
Wayne State would start out blazing fast, taking a 9-2 lead, but Reid Grant (Sr., G, Johnston, Iowa) would start out his career night with five straight, cutting the lead to 11-7.
 
Landon Dimler (Fr., G, Mankato, Minn.) would bury a three and Grant would give the maroon and gold a 12-11 lead.
 
The game would continue to be back-and-forth, but Caiden Swenby (Fr., G, Fertile, Minn.) would bury a right corner three, giving the Golden Eagles a 24-20 lead.
 
Late in the half, Andrew Stokes (Jr., F, Westchester, Ill.) would finish in the paint, giving the Golden Eagles a brief two point lead.
 
The game would be tied at 38 at the half.
 
The second half would be a thriller.
 
The Golden Eagles would go on a 7-0 run, capped off by a Grant jumper, giving the Golden Eagles a 54-46 lead, midway through the game.
 
Aguek Deng (R-Sr., F, Des Moines, Iowa) would give the maroon and gold their largest lead of the night at 60-50, following a layup in the paint.
 
WSC would come all the way back and take a two point lead at 62-60.
 
Grant would once again give the home five a 67-66 lead and again a 69-68 lead with a pair of jumpers.
 
Grant would bury a pair of free throws, tying the game at 73, but the Wildcats would score two of their 20 second chance points, giving the Wildcats a two point lead with 34 seconds left.
 
The Golden Eagles wouldn't score on their next possession and the Wildcats would bury a pair of free throws, giving WSC a four point lead, but Grant would bury an NBA range three, making it a one point game with six seconds left.
 
Cody McCullough would split the pair of free throws, giving the Golden Eagles a chance to win it, but Grant's three at the buzzer fell just short, as did the Golden Eagles, falling 78-76.
 
Grant was outstanding, finishing with a career-high 35 points, while also pulling down seven boards and dishing out two assists. Stokes finished with 16 points, while Micah Garrett (Jr., G, Portland, Ore.) finished with 10 points. Swenby added seven points off the bench.
 
Wayne State shot 19 more free throws than the Golden Eagles, going 27-36 at the line, while the Golden Eagles were a season best 94 percent at the charity stripe on 16-17 shooting.
 
What's Next
The Golden Eagles will look for the split tomorrow afternoon as they host Augustana for a 3:30 P.M., tip.