UMC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS AT HOME TO SIOUX FALLS, 56-48

The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Women’s Basketball team fell at home as the University of Sioux Falls Cougars connected on nine threes to end up with a 56-48 win in an NSIC matchup at Lysaker Gym.

FIRST QUARTER –
The game opened up with the Cougars knocking down a three right away to give them an early 3-0 lead. UMC bounced back with a lay-in from Janie Tormanen (Fr. Menahga, MN) and Riley Jenkins (R-Fr. Galesburg, IL) to make it 4-3 with UMC in the lead. Later in the period, Nicole Hernandez (R-Jr. Oak Creek, WI) knocked down a three with four minutes left in the first to make it 7-5. That proved to be the quarter’s final point for either side, as the defenses stepped up in the last four minutes of the quarter. UMC led after one, 7-5. 

SECOND QUARTER –
In the second, UMC started with a lay-up from Tormanen to put the Golden Eagles up 9-5. Sioux Falls responded with a 10-0 run to put the Cougars up 15-9. Tormanen knocked down a free throw to cut it to 15-10, then Emma Miller (So. Albertville, MN)  hit a pair of free throws to make it 16-12. Sioux Falls buried a three, to which Tormanen responded by making another short shot to make it 19-14. The Cougars hit another three, and Hernandez responded with a lay-up to make it 22-16. Natalie Mikrot (So. Willow River, MN) hit a three with about a minute to go to make it 24-19, but Sioux Falls extended their lead with a three to answer. Tormanen hit a late free throw, which made it 27-20, Sioux Falls with the halftime lead. 

THIRD QUARTER –
In the third quarter, Tormanen continued to score from the inside, getting another lay-up to make it 27-22, but the Cougars countered with two more triples and two lay-ups to go up 37-22. Tormanen once again had the answer in the paint with a lay-up, but Sioux Falls responded with a lay-up and two free throws to go ahead by 16 points. Tormanen added a lay-up, which Hernandez sunk a free throw to make it 41-27. After Sioux Falls made it 43-27, UMC responded with three free throws from Tormanen and a jumper by Olivia Walsh to make it 43-32 with the Cougars still leading. Sioux Falls hit a late jumper, which Tormanen responded with a lay-up right before the quarter ended to make it 45-34 with Sioux Falls in the lead. 

FOURTH QUARTER –
Tormanen continued to find the bottom of the basket with two jumpers to make it 48-38 early in the fourth. Hernandez later hit a three, which cut the Cougars lead down to 50-41. Tormanen went to work in the post again and scored to trip Sioux Falls’ lead down to seven. The Cougars got a bucket down low, which Tormanen countered with two made free throws to make it 52-45. Miller, with half a minute left, was able to connect on her first field goal of the entire game, which was a deep three to make it 52-48. UMC had to foul, but the Cougars buried both free throws to go up 54-48, forcing UMC to call their final timeout. UMC couldn’t hit on another three, and Sioux Falls hit two late free throws to take it 56-48.

UMC drops to 9-8 on the season and 6-5 in conference play. The Golden Eagles will host Southwest Minnesota State tomorrow afternoon. USF improves to 7-9 overall and 5-7 in NSIC play and will take on Northern State next Friday. 

CLICK HERE for Coach Moynihan’s post-game interview.