CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Sioux Falls utilized a 25-10 run in the second quarter to upend the University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team 75-65 Saturday, January 4 in Lysaker Gymnasium.
The Golden Eagles dropped to 5-9 (3-5 NSIC) with Saturday's loss, while USF improved to 7-8 (3-5 NSIC) with the victory. USF has won two-straight games. Minnesota Crookston is in a three-way tie with Sioux Falls, and Minot State University for ninth place.
Minnesota Crookston was propelled by Emma Miller (Jr., G, Albertville, Minn.), who tallied 22 points on 8-of-23 from the field, and 4-of-12 from beyond the arc. Miller has 1,309 career points. She ranks sixth all-time in scoring, and needs 151 points to surpass Alexa Thielman for fifth all-time.
Hope Dudycha (R-So., G, Austin, Minn.) added 10 points on 4-of-10 from the field. Riley Jenkins (R-So., G/F, Galesburg, Ill.) finished with 13 points, eight boards, and four assists. Nicole Hernandez (R-Sr., F/C, Oak Creek, Wis.) tallied seven points, 14 rebounds, and two blocked shots. Hernandez is second in the nation in blocked shots. She is second all-time at Minnesota Crookston with 132 blocks, she needs 27 blocked shots to surpass Isieoma Odor for the school record. Hernandez has 430 career boards after her 14-rebound night, she needs 48 rebounds to break into the Top 10 in program history.
Minnesota Crookston shot 25-of-70 from the field for 35.7 percent. The Golden Eagles were 8-of-32 for 25.0 percent from beyond the arc, and 7-of-10 from the stripe. They outrebounded Sioux Falls 41-38, including 19 offensive boards. The Golden Eagles had 18 turnovers Saturday,
Sioux Falls was lifted by Kami Wadsworth with 22 points on 6-of-13 from the field. Aby Phipps chipped in 12 points, and nine boards. Anna Vaaler added 11 points, and nine rebounds, while Danielle Minsaas scored eight.
The Cougars shot at a 43.4 percent clip Saturday. They went 9-of-19 for 47.4 percent from distance, and 20-of-27 for 74.1 percent from the stripe.
The Golden Eagles took an early 7-3 lead after a Dudycha bucket. They led 11-6 following a Willow Thiel (Fr., F, Perham, Minn.) basket with 4:49 remaining in the first quarter. USF went on a 5-0 run to knot the game 11-11 on a Wadsworth trey. Minnesota Crookston countered with a 4-0 run to take the 15-11 lead. A Miller jumper gave U of M Crookston a 17-13 advantage going into the quarter break.
The Golden Eagles led by five points (23-18) after a Dudycha make with 7:42 remaining in the second stanza. Sioux Falls responded by going on a 16-0 run propelled by 11 points from Wadsworth. Minnesota Crookston snapped a six-minute scoring drought with a pair of Hernandez free throws with 1:14 remaining in the frame. USF went into the locker room with a 38-27 advantage.
An Alexis Rose trey extended Sioux Falls' lead to 43-27 early in the third quarter. Minnesota Crookston got the deficit down to 12 on a Thiel old-fashioned three-point play with 4:56 remaining in the quarter. The Golden Eagles continued to piece away at the lead, as they trimmed it to 52-45 with a Jenkins old-fashioned three-point play with 1:18 left in the frame. A Wadsworth free throw pushed the advantage to 56-45 late in the third, but Miller sank a trey in the final seconds of the third stanza to cut the deficit to 56-48.
Minnesota Crookston built on the momentum as they opened the fourth on a 4-0 run with a Rayna Klejeski (So., F, Barnum, Minn.) basket pulling the Golden Eagles within four points. Back-to-back three-pointers for USF widened the gap to 62-52. Minnesota Crookston got the lead down to six with a Dudycha trey with 4:19 remaining in the game. Miller was able to get the deficit down to four late with a triple, but a Minsaas trey on the opposite end took the advantage back to seven points. A Gracie Traphagen triple put the game out of reach 75-65, the final tally.
The Golden Eagles outscored the Cougars 55-50 in the other three quarters, the second stanza was the difference Saturday.
Minnesota Crookston hits the road for the next two weeks beginning at Winona State University Friday, January 10.
