Women's Basketball | 11/25/2025 7:35:00 PM
Box Score MOORHEAD, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team fell into scoring droughts as they fell to Minnesota State University Moorhead 73-55 to open NSIC play Tuesday, November 25 at Nemzek Fieldhouse. The Dragons outscored the Golden Eagles a combined 42-27 in the second and fourth quarters to pick up the win.
Minnesota Crookston dropped to 1-3 (0-1 NSIC) with Tuesday's loss in Moorhead. The Dragons improved to 3-1 (1-0 NSIC). The Golden Eagles are 2-2 in their last four games with the Dragons.
Minnesota Crookston was led by Anna Westby (Fr., F, Eveleth, Minn.) with a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds. Westby added five blocked shots. Emma Miller (Sr., G, Albertville, Minn.) added 19 points on 7-of-22 from the field. Miller moved up the NSIC scoring charts and now sits ninth in conference points surpassing former Golden Eagle Jamie Zelinsky. Miller has 1,294 points in the NSIC and needs 13 points to move past Augustana's Lauren Sees. Rayna Klejeski (Jr., F, Barnum, Minn.) finished with 11 points and eight boards. Riley Jenkins (R-Jr., G/F, Galesburg, Ill.) came off the bench for eight points, while Natalie Mikrot (Sr., G, Willow River, Minn.) chipped in six.
The Golden Eagles shot 21-of-54 from the field for 38.9 percent. They were 8-of-19 for 42.1 percent from deep, and 8-of-10 from the stripe. The Golden Eagles notched 10 assists to 18 turnovers.
MSU Moorhead looked to 18 points and seven boards from Terryn Johnson. Abby John added a double-double of 17 points and 10 boards. Karlee Fisher finished with 11. The Dragons hit 26-of-64 for 40.6 percent. They were just 3-of-13 from deep, but took 29 free throws compared to 10 for the Golden Eagles. MSU Moorhead went 19-of-29 for 65.5 percent.
The Dragons jetted out to a 6-0 start with a pair of Johnson lay-ins at the hoop, and a drive by John. Minnesota Crookston broke the run with a Klejeski basket. MSU Moorhead made it 10-4 on a pair of John free throws with five minutes left in the first frame. A three and a jumper from Westby pulled the Golden Eagles within one (10-9) with under two minutes remaining in the quarter. The Dragons fought off the charge with an Adie Wagner triple. However, Westby came right back with a triple of her own to cut it to 13-12. A Klejeski triple going into the break put Minnesota Crookston up 15-13.
A Miller jumper extended the lead to 19-15. A Caylin Kelly basket brought the Dragons within 21-20 with 6:55 remaining in the second stanza. MSU Moorhead took the lead 23-21 on a Kelly triple. Miller came back for a lean-in jumper to knot the tilt 23-23. The Dragons countered with a 7-0 run as a Grace Massaquoi bucket pushed the Dragon lead to 30-23. Free throws from Miller and Westby trimmed the deficit to 30-26.
The Dragons opened the third on a 6-0 run as a Fisher basket extended the advantage to 36-26. Four-straight points from Fisher widened the gap to 38-26. Minnesota Crookston snapped a nearly four-minute scoreless streak with a Jenkins jumper to pull within 38-28. A pair of John free throws widened the gap to 44-30. Minnesota Crookston trimmed the deficit to 45-37 on a Westby triple. A Mikrot triple pulled the Golden Eagles within 47-42. However, a Fisher basket as the quarter ended extended the Dragon lead to 49-42.
A John putback early in the fourth pushed the MSU Moorhead lead to 51-42. Minnesota Crookston pulled within 52-45 on a Jenkins trey. Westby drained a triple to bring the Dragon lead to five points (53-48) with under eight minutes left in the contest. A jumper from Kelly extended the lead to 57-50. Jenkins sank a trey from the wing to pull within 57-53. A pair of John free throws gave MSU Moorhead a 61-53 lead with 4:44 left in the tilt. Tayden Hanks found Miller for the hoop to get the Golden Eagles within eight. However, MSU Moorhead struck back for back-to-back baskets to widen the gap to 67-55 with three minutes remaining.
Minnesota Crookston returns home to host Northern Michigan University in a pair weekend doubleheader Saturday, November 29 and Sunday, November 30 at 12 p.m.
