CROOKSTON, Minn. - St. Cloud State University outscored the University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team 12-6 in the final quarter to upend the Golden Eagles 69-67. The Huskies were lifted by 30 offensive rebounds, and 22 second-chance points in Saturday's win at Gary Senske Court at Lysaker Gymnasium.
The Golden Eagles dropped to 5-17 (4-12 NSIC) with the loss to the Huskies. St. Cloud State has won the last 10 games in the series dating back to a victory February 22, 2020 in Crookston. The Huskies improved to 9-12 (6-10 NSIC) with the win. The Golden Eagles are currently seventh in the NSIC North Standings, and 15th overall. They are a game back of Wayne State and Bemidji State in a tie for 13th, and two games behind St. Cloud State, Augustana, and Minot State in a tie for 10th. The top 12 teams go to the NSIC Tournament.
Minnesota Crookston shot 25-of-55 for 45.5 percent from the field. They went 6-of-19 for 31.6 percent from distance, and 11-of-12 for 91.7 percent from the line. St. Cloud State outrebounded the Golden Eagles 50-33 led by 30 offensive boards. Minnesota Crookston tallied 10 assists to 16 turnovers.
Rayna Klejeski (Jr., F, Barnum, Minn.) paced the squad with a double-double of 15 points and 10 boards. She notched her second double-double of the season. Emma Miller (Sr., G, Albertville, Minn.) finished with 21 points on 7-of-18 from the field, and 3-of-8 from beyond the arc. Miller needs 43 points in the final six games of the regular season to surpass Minnesota Duluth's Brooke Olson for the conference scoring record.
Anna Westby (Fr., F, Eveleth, Minn.) added 14 points, seven boards, and two blocked shots.
St. Cloud State was held by the Golden Eagle defense to 25-of-75 for 33.3 percent from the field. They shot 5-of-20 for 25.0 percent from beyond the arc, and 14-of-18 for 77.8 percent from the line. The Huskies had 10 assists to 14 turnovers.
St. Cloud State was paced by 21 points from Alana Zarneke on 7-of-17 from the field. Ashley Sawicki had five offensive boards, finishing with 12 points and seven rebounds. Abigail O'Reilly paced the Huskies with six offensive rebounds, notching 10 points and eight boards.
The Golden Eagles raced out to a 9-2 advantage after a fastbreak basket from Westby with 6:22 left in the first frame. An old-fashioned three-point play from O'Reilly pulled the Huskies within 9-5. St. Cloud State trimmed the deficit to 19-18 on a Rachel Kottke basket late in the first quarter.
Minnesota Crookston had a strong start to the second stanza, using an 8-0 run to make it 27-18 on a pair of Miller free throws. An O'Reilly free throw with 3:37 remaining in the second, brought the Huskies within 32-28 with 3:37 left in the quarter. Minnesota Crookston extended their lead to 36-30 on a Halle Winjum (So., G, Crookston, Minn.) bucket with 2:47 remaining in the stanza. The Huskies pulled within one late in the quarter led by a Zarneke jumper. Minnesota Crookston closed the half with a Jenkins trey to go into the locker room leading 42-38.
The Golden Eagles began another quarter with a great rally, this time 7-0, paced by five points from Miller to extend the lead to 49-38. Minnesota Crookston pushed their advantage to 13 on a Westby trey. The Huskies trimmed the deficit to six (54-48) on a pair of Kristi Kottke free throws. The Golden Eagles led by four at the intermission following a pair of Paige Lambe free throws.
St. Cloud State began the fourth frame with a 4-0 rally, tying the game on a Zarneke putback. A 4-0 run for Minnesota Crookston gave the Golden Eagles a 65-61 lead with 6:30 remaining in the game. The Huskies countered with a 6-0 run, as a Lambe bucket put the squad ahead 67-65. Klejeski tied the game 67-67 on a pair of free throws with 3:04 remaining in the tilt. A Sawicki bucket gave the Huskies a 69-67 advantage. Minnesota Crookston was unable to overcome the St. Cloud State lead in the final 1:31, as they fell 69-67.
Minnesota Crookston hits the road to face Northern State University Thursday, February 5 at 5:30 p.m., in Aberdeen, S.D.
