ST. CLOUD STATE EDGES UMC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 59-49

St. Cloud State’s defense held the University of Minnesota to 15 points in the first half to build up a 10 point lead and the Huskies finished the game on a 14-4 run to defeat the visiting Golden Eagles 59-49 in a Northern Sun Conference game in St. Cloud.

First Half
St. Cloud State got out to a 7-0 lead to start the game, but the Golden Eagles countered with baskets from Haylee Wheeler (Fresh-Lakeville, Mn) and Bren Fox (Jr-Norwood-Young America, Mn) and it was 7-4 with the Huskies in front. It appeared the basket had a lid on it in the first two quarters for UMC as they scored six in the first quarter and added nine more in the second quarter and were down 25-15 at half-time.

Second Half
The University of Minnesota Crookston started quick in the second half with back to back three’s from Emma Carpenter (Soph-Eagan, Mn) and Julia Peplinski (Jr-Hustisford, Wisconsin). The Golden Eagles would scratch their way back to tie the game at 29-29, 33-33 and UMC trailed 38-34 at the end of the third quarter. Two straight UMC baskets to start the fourth quarter tied things up at 38-38. Later Jes Mertens (Fresh-Devils Lake, N.D.) not only made a lay up, she was fouled and made the free throw for an old fashioned three point play to tie it again at 45-45 with three and a half minutes to go, but the Huskies were able to run out that time on a 14-4 run to win the game 59-49. Neither team shot particularly well and UMC was outrebounded in the game by 12.
UMC has lost three games in a row and are 3-10 on the season and 3-8 in the Northern Sun Conference and St. Cloud State is 8-3 overall and 5-2 in the conference. The two teams will complete the weekend series tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 PM at Halenbeck Hall in St. Cloud.