UMC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SLOW SECOND HALF START COSTLY IN LOSS AT MOORHEAD

The University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC) Golden Eagles Women’s Basketball team struggled early in the third quarter and the Minnesota State Moorhead Dragons went on a 14-5 run and held on the rest of the way for a 77-67 victory in a game played at Nemzek Hall in Moorhead.

FIRST QUARTER
UMC had a great start to the game and took a 10-6 lead behind three-pointers from Jes Mertens (Fresh. Devils Lake, ND) and Emma Carpenter (Soph. Eagan).  MSUM battled back to tie the game at 10 and the teams were tied at 13 and again at 16 at the end of the first quarter. 

SECOND QUARTER
The even play continued in the second quarter with two lead changes and two ties and neither team having a lead of more than three points and MSUM took a 32-31 lead into halftime.

THIRD QUARTER
MSUM started the third quarter on a 14-5 run in the first three minutes and took a 46-36 lead.  UMC wasn’t able to chip away at the deficit and the Dragons took a 61-52 lead into the fourth quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER
UMC’s Carpenter gave her team a spark when she hit a three-pointer to start the quarter, but MSUM’s Peyton Boom (Barnesville) answered with a basket in the paint, which sparked a 7-1 run for a 68-58 lead.  MSUM continued to keep the lead around 10 in the final seven minutes of the game and held on to win 77-67.

MSUM had 46 points in the paint compared to UMC’s 28.  UMC had 22 turnovers that led to 20 Dragon points.

UMC drops to 0-3 on the year and 0-1 in the NSIC North.  MSUM improves to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the NSIC North.  The teams will play Saturday at 2:00 p.m.