Women's Basketball | 2/4/2025 9:14:00 PM

BEMIDJI, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston completed the season sweep with a 70-59 win over Bemidji State University. The Golden Eagles used strong performances in the second and fourth quarters to pick up the victory at the BSU Gymnasium in Bemidji, Minn.

Minnesota Crookston improved to 8-15 (6-11 NSIC) with Tuesday's win. The Golden Eagles have matched their conference win total from the 2023-24 season, and they are just one win shy of matching their overall wins from last season. Bemidji State dropped to 5-16 (3-14 NSIC). The Golden Eagles have won five of the last six games in the series. Minnesota Crookston sits in 11th place as they fight for the last couple of spots in the NSIC Tournament. 

Minnesota Crookston was lifted by a season-high 23 points from Riley Jenkins (R-So., G/F, Galesburg, Ill.) on 7-of-13 from the field, and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Emma Miller (Jr., G, Albertville, Minn.) finished with 17 points, eight boards, and four assists. Miller has 1,516 career points, needing just 10 points to surpass Isieoma Odor for fourth all-time in scoring.

Willow Thiel (Fr., F, Perham, Minn.) had her best scoring performance since January 18 with a double-double of 14 points and 10 boards Tuesday against the Beavers. The game marked just the second double-double of her young career. Nicole Hernandez (R-Sr., F/C, Oak Creek, Wis.) added eight points, 14 boards, and two blocks. Hernandez set the single-season record for blocks in a season with 65 blocks, surpassing Jessica Forsline. Hernandez needs just eight blocks to set the career mark, currently held by Isieoma Odor. In addition, with 14 rebounds, she surpassed Forsline to break into the Top 10 all-time with 499 career boards. She needs just 12 boards to move past Jamie Zelinsky for ninth all-time.

The U of M Crookston went 24-of-57 from the field for 42.1 percent. The Golden Eagles went 6-of-14 for 42.9 percent from distance, and 16-of-21 for 76.2 percent from the stripe. Minnesota Crookston edged Bemidji State on the glass, 42-41. The Golden Eagles notched seven assists, and 13 turnovers. 

The Beavers were guided by Tieryn Plasch with 16 points, on 6-of-16 from the field. Ella Giorgi came off the bench for 12 points, and five boards. Alayna Suprenand chipped in eight points, and seven boards. Bemidji State went 24-of-72 for 33.3 percent from the field. BSU was 7-of-34 for 20.6 percent from distance, and 4-of-8 for 50.0 percent from the line. 

Minnesota Crookston took an 8-3 lead when Miller found Thiel in the post for a pair with 6:52 left in the first frame. Bemidji State responded with a 5-0 run, as a Giorgi basket knotted the game 8-8. The Golden Eagles countered with their own 6-0 run, using a Miller lay-in to take a 14-8 advantage with 5:12 left in the opening quarter. A pair of Giorgi free throws cut the BSU deficit to four, but Minnesota Crookston came back with a 5-0 run utilizing a Jenkins basket to make it 19-10. Bemidji State closed the stanza on a 10-2 run, as an Alayna Suprenand trey cut the deficit to 21-20 going into the quarter intermission.

The Beavers opened the second stanza with a 5-0 run, as a Rachel Koenig basket made it 25-21. The U of M Crookston responded with four-straight points from Thiel to tie the game 25-25. Bemidji State rallied four four-consecutive points, using an Aubrey Heyer jumper to put them ahead 29-25. The Golden Eagles responded with a 3-0 run to cut the deficit to 29-28. A Tieryn Plasch jumper gave the Beavers a 33-28 advantage with 3:01 remaining in the second quarter. The U of M Crookston closed the quarter on a 12-0 run, propelled by treys from Miller (two), and Jenkins (one), to take a 40-33 lead going into the half.

Minnesota Crookston took a 45-35 lead early in the third quarter following a Miller triple. Bemidji State came back with a 5-0 run, as a Plasch trey cut the deficit to 45-40 with 7:33 left in the third stanza. The Beavers extended the rally to 7-0 as Giorgi found Heyer for a pair to pull BSU within 45-42. The Golden Eagles snapped a four-minute scoring drought with a Rayna Klejeski (So., F, Barnum, Minn.) putback to take a 47-42 lead. They pushed their run to 7-0 as Miller found Jenkins off a steal to take a 52-42 advantage with 3:08 left in the third quarter. The Beavers responded with an 8-0 run using a Beth Bolte lay-in to pull within 52-50. A Miller basket put Minnesota Crookston ahead 54-50 heading into the quarter gap. 

A Koenig bucket cut the deficit to 54-52 early in the fourth stanza. Minnesota Crookston responded with a 4-0 rally, as a Hope Dudycha (R-So., G, Austin, Minn.) free throw gave the U of M Crookston a 58-52 advantage. A Plasch triple pulled BSU within 58-55 with 4:56 left in the game. The Golden Eagles countered with a Jenkins bucket to go ahead 60-55. Minnesota Crookston went on a 4-0 rally out of the final media timeout, taking a 64-55 advantage on a Jenkins bucket. 

Minnesota Crookston returns home to face Northern State University at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, February 6.