UMC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL’S SEASON ENDS IN MANKATO

The University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC) Women’s basketball team couldn’t keep pace with a deep and aggressive Minnesota State-Mankato team in an 87-54 loss in an NSIC Tournament game played at the Taylor Center in Mankato.

1st Quarter –
Minnesota State opened the scoring with two straight baskets before Mary Burke (Fr., Virginia) made a three-pointer trimming Minnesota Crookston’s deficit down to 4-3. Kylie Post (Soph., Corcoran) split a pair of free-throws tying the game at 4-4. The Mavericks pulled ahead 10-4, but Bren Fox (Soph., Norwood Young America) answered with a lay-up bringing the Golden Eagles within 10-6. Mary Burke halted another Minnesota State run with a three-pointer trimming the visitors’ deficit down to 14-9. Trailing 18-9, Mattea Vetsch (Fr., Devils Lake, ND) connected on a triple bringing UMC within 18-12 with 1:25 to play in the opening quarter. Vetsch added a pair of bonus free-throws closing to within four points, but Minnesota State closed the quarter with the final basket taking a 20-14 lead after ten minutes.

2nd Quarter –
Mattea Vetsch opened the second quarter with her second three-pointer allowing Minnesota Crookston to close within 20-17. Vetsch continued her strong play scoring her tenth straight point for UMC with a lay-up maintaining the Golden Eagles’ three-point deficit. Bren Fox connected on a mid-range jump shot, trimming the deficit down to one point. With the two sides trading baskets with Bren Fox halting a quick MSU-Mankato 4-0 run bringing the Golden Eagles within 28-25 halfway through the second quarter. Trailing 31-25, Emma Carpenter (Fr., Eagan) connected on a three-pointer for her first basket pulling back within three, but the Mavericks answered with another lay-up, increasing the lead to 33-28. A steal led to another lay-up for Minnesota State pushing the lead to 35-28. Two free-throws added to the Mavericks’ lead as the host’s lead grew to 37-28. The Mavericks’ continued their run, scoring the half’s final eleven points taking a 42-28 lead into the locker room.

Third Quarter –
Minnesota State continued its scoring run to opened the second half much as it ended the first extending the run to 17-0, taking a 48-28 lead. Julia Peplinski (Soph., Hustisford, WI) halted the run with a free-throw bringing Minnesota Crookston within 48-29. Minnesota State continued to separate the rest of the quarter using an 11-0 run to take a 59-29 lead. Alyssa Peterson (Fr., Menhaga) scored Minnesota Crookston’s first field goal of the second half with 2:31 to play in the third quarter, cutting the host’s lead down to 59-31. Kylie Post added three straight points for the Golden Eagles to pull within 59-34. Minnesota State closed the quarter with a 6-1 run taking a 65-35 lead into the final quarter.

Fourth Quarter –
Mary Burke made a three-pointer to open the fourth quarter, but Minnesota State answered with a 7-0 run taking a 72-38 lead with eight minutes to play. Alyssa Peterson scored a three-pointer to snap a 6-0 Mavericks run, but Minnesota State was able to rest its rotation for the games final minutes clearing the bench before closing out an 87-54 win.

Minnesota Crookston ends its season with a 5-22 record. Minnesota State-Mankato improves to 17-10 and advances to the NSIC Tournament Quarterfinals on Sunday, where they’ll play the University of Mary.