UMC WOMEN STRUGGLE IN FINAL THREE QUARTERS AS BEMIDJI STATE PULLS AWAY FOR A VICTORY

The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles Women’s Basketball team had a good first quarter and led by two, but Bemidji State dominated the final three quarters as they cruised to a 70-48 victory in a Northern Sun Conference game played in Bemidji.

FIRST QUARTER –
UMC struck first, over two minutes into the first quarter with a three-pointer from Emma Carpenter (Jr. Eagan) with an assist on the kick-out from Bren Fox (Jr. Norwood-Young America).  Bemidji State responded with a three-pointer of their own and 30-seconds later they added a basket for a 5-3 lead.  UMC started the game 0-5 on two-point shots and they made their only three-point attempt in the first five minutes.  Just like the men’s team, UMC was ice-cold from the field making one of their first six shots for 17 percent.  UMC’s scoring drought ended when Alex Page (Fresh. Grand Forks, ND) took advantage of a BSU turnover and made a basket to tie the game at 5-5 halfway through the quarter.  Bemidji State wasn’t shooting very well either, under 20 percent to start the game, but made their second three-pointer of the quarter to take an 8-5 lead.  UMC’s Abi Fraaza (Fresh. Birnamwood, Wis) responded with two free throws with over two minutes left in the quarter.  Each team missed a three-pointer before UMC missed a shot, but Bemidji State committed a foul with less than two minutes to go. Eden Golliher (Soph. Iron River, Mich) made two free throws to give the Golden Eagles a 9-8 lead, thr first of the game since it was 3-0, with over one minute left in the quarter. UMC’s Golliher was fouled again and made one of two free throws to give her team a 10-8 lead.  UMC was 5 of 6 from the free-throw line in the quarter, which accounted for half of their points while shooting 2 of 12 from the field.  UMC took the 10-8 lead into the second quarter, despite shooting 17-percent from the field in the quarter.  BSU only shot 21-percent (3 of 14) but didn’t shoot a free throw. 

SECOND QUARTER-
UMC’s shooting woes from the field continued in the second quarter while Bemidji State shot better, although they scored the first points of the quarter with a three-pointer from Abigail Leach (Jr. Wyoming, MN) for a 13-8 lead. BSU responded with five straight points to tie the game at 13 before UMC’s Page made a jump shot four minutes into the quarter for a 15-13 lead.  The game was tied at 19 when Carpenter made two free throws with 3:27 remaining, but UMC went cold in the final minutes and were outscored 11-2 the rest of the quarter and trailed 30-21 going into halftime.
UMC only shot 25 percent (5 of 20 from the field), but made 9 of 10 from the free-throw line.  Bemidji State shot 39 percent (12 of 31) from the field, including five three-pointers and 1 of 3 from the free-throw line in the half.

THIRD QUARTER –
UMC scored the first points of the second half on a Fox basket 19-seconds into the half, but Bemidji State responded with a 9-0 run to take a 39-23 lead with six minutes left in the quarter.  UMC stopped the streak with a Lily Orazem (Fresh. Onamia) basket in the paint, but Bemidji State ended the quarter on a 10-4 run and led 49-29 going into the fourth quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER –
Bemidji State continued to dominate in the fourth quarter as they started the first five minutes on a 15-5 run while making five of seven shots over a three-minute span to take a 64-34 lead with 4:45 left in the game. UMC picked up the offense in the final minutes and outscored BSU 14-6, but it was too late and they ran out of time as Bemidji State held on for a 70-48 victory.

UMC drops to 0-8 in the Northern Sun Conference and 1-13 overall and will host winless Upper Iowa on Friday.  Bemidji State improves to 4-4 in NSIC play and 7-5 overall.