WAYNE, Neb. - The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team forced 26 turnovers and held Wayne State College under 60 points in a 68-59 victory Wednesday, January 21 at Rice Auditorium in Wayne, Neb. The Golden Eagles won their second-consecutive game after defeating Augustana University Saturday.

The game was moved two times from Friday to Sunday and then to Wednesday, and relocated from Crookston to Wayne due to storms in the Red River Valley. Minnesota Crookston improved to 5-13 (4-8 NSIC) with Wednesday's win. Wayne State dropped to 9-9 (4-8 NSIC) with the loss. The Golden Eagles are 5-1 against the Wildcats in their last six games. Minnesota Crookston has won the last three tilts in Wayne. The Golden Eagles are tied for sixth in the NSIC North with Bemidji State University, and only one game behind Northern State University and Minot State University in a tie for fourth. 

Emma Miller (Sr., G, Albertville, Minn.) led the Golden Eagles with 20 points on 6-of-17 from the field, and 2-of-6 from beyond the arc. She was 6-of-6 from the line, and added six steals. Miller moved to second all-time in scoring in the NSIC with 1,505 conference points. She now trails only Minnesota Duluth's Brooke Olson, who scored 1,615 points in conference play. She needs 111 points to surpass Olson. She needs to average 11.1 points per game in the final 10 conference games of 2025-26.

Riley Jenkins (R-Jr., G/F, Galesburg, Ill.) chipped in 17 points and six boards on 5-of-9 from the field, and 2-of-3 from three-point range. Anna Westby (Fr., F, Eveleth, Minn.) added 16 points and five blocks. Rayna Klejeski (Jr., F, Barnum, Minn.) finished with eight points and seven rebounds. Halle Winjum (So., G, Crookston, Minn.) chipped in four steals.

The Golden Eagles shot 22-of-61 for 36.1 percent. They went 7-of-22 for 31.8 percent from beyond the arc, and 17-of-20 for 85.0 percent from the stripe. They notched 14 assists to 13 turnovers. The Golden Eagles were outrebounded 49-33.

Wayne State was led by 18 points from Kylah vanDonkersgoed on 7-of-15 from the field. Rachel Dahlen finished with a double-double of 11 points and 11 boards. Tenleigh Smith added nine points, while Kelsey Willems had nine rebounds. The Wildcats had 12 assists to 26 turnovers. They notched 16 offensive boards.

Wayne State held an early 5-3 lead following a Willems trey. The Golden Eagles posted a 6-0 rally to lead 9-5 on a Jenkins old-fashioned three-point play. Wayne State countered with a 6-0 run of their own, as a vanDonkersgoed basket made it 11-9. Another 6-0 rally from Minnesota Crookston put them ahead 15-11 on a fastbreak basket from Hope Dudycha (R-Jr., G, Austin, Minn.). Wayne State kept the trend alive, ending the quarter on a 6-0 run with a Meg Rietz hoop giving the Wildcats a 17-15 advantage going into the quarter break.

Miller drained a trey to commence the second stanza to put Minnesota Crookston ahead 18-17. A pair of Dahlen free throws put Wayne State back on top 19-18. However, a 5-0 run for the Golden Eagles put them back ahead 23-19. Wayne State knotted the game 23-23 on a Dahlen bucket with 6:36 remaining in the second. Minnesota Crookston used a 7-1 run and a pair of Klejeski free throws to go ahead 30-24 with 2:48 remaining in the stanza. The Wildcats made a 5-0 charge to pull within 30-29 on a pair of Dahlen free throws. The Golden Eagles and Wildcats continued to play even basketball the rest of the way as they were knotted 36-36 at the break.

A Jenkins basket to open the third frame made it 38-36. Wayne State responded with a 4-0 run and a pair of Smith free throws to tilt the scales 40-38 with 8:38 left in the quarter. A 4-0 rally and a Miller bucket gave the Golden Eagles a 42-40 advantage. The teams traded baskets as Wayne State held a 45-44 advantage on an Addy Johnson basket. Minnesota Crookston utilized a 5-0 run with a pair of Miller free throws to make it 49-45 with 5:52 left in the portion. A vanDonkersgoed free throw pulled Wayne State within 49-48 with 4:38 remaining in the quarter. Minnesota Crookston made the most substantial move of the stanza with a 7-0 rally as a Miller trey put them ahead 56-48. The Wildcats closed the frame on a 5-0 run to pull within 56-53 as Smith found Dahlen on the jumper going into the quarter intermission.

The Golden Eagles had a momentum swing early in the fourth frame as a 5-0 run culminating with a Miller bucket made it 61-53 with 7:38 remaining in the tilt. A Smith basket pulled the Wildcats within 61-55. Miller and vanDonkersgoed traded buckets as the score sat 63-57 with 4:54 left in the game. Neither team was able to score for the next three minutes until a Miller basket extended the Golden Eagle lead to 65-57. Minnesota Crookston was able to fend off the Wildcats late to pick up the 68-59 victory.

The Golden Eagles continue their three-game road trip this week at the University of Sioux Falls in Sioux Falls, S.D., Friday January 23 at 5:30 p.m.