UMC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GET CONFERENCE ROAD WIN OVER WAYNE STATE 63-57

The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Women’s Basketball team won their third game in a row with a 63-57 win over the Wayne State Wildcats. 

FIRST QUARTER –
The Golden Eagles would get off to a good start as Janie Tormanen (Soph Menagha, MN) would get the game’s first bucket while Nicole Hernandez (R-Jr. Oak Creek, WI) added two free throws to give UMC an early 4-0 lead. Wayne State would respond with an 11-4 run to take the lead at 11-8. UMC closed the first quarter with a 7-2 run as Tormanen would get a lay-up, and Hope Dudycha (R-Fresh Austin, MN) drained a three and two free throws to give UMC a 15-13 lead after the first.

SECOND QUARTER –
The two sides would trade baskets to open up the second quarter as Rayna Klejeski (Fresh Barnum, MN) and Dudycha each got a lay-up to make it 19-17, UMC. UMC’s next five points would come from the free throw stripe as Dudycha, Klejeski, and Emma Miller (Soph Albertville, MN) gave UMC a 24-21 lead. The Wildcats would tie the game with a three, but Miller would respond with a short jumper right before the end of the half to give UMC a halftime lead of 26-24. 

THIRD QUARTER –
Wayne State would tie the game up at 26 early in the quarter before Tormanen and Riley Jenkins (R-Fresh Galesburg, IL) each got baskets to give the Golden Eagles a 30-26 lead. Klejeski and Miller would get two more baskets later in the quarter to give UMC a 38-34 lead. Wayne State answered with a free throw and a three to tie the game at 38 apiece. Natalie Mikrot (Soph Willow River, MN) and Miller hit threes to give UMC a 44-40 lead late in the third. Wayne State would knock down a three to make it a one-point game. Dudycha added a late free throw with 25 seconds left in the quarter to give UMC a 45-43 lead after the third.

FOURTH QUARTER –
In the fourth, Hernandez started by drawing contact on her lay-up and hit the free throw to complete the three-point play. Wayne State hit a lay-up before Hernandez knocked down a three to give UMC a 51-45 lead. The Wildcats would get a three of their own, but Miller would counter with another three to give UMC a 54-48 lead with eight minutes left. Dudycha would get a lay-up, and Wayne State would get a jumper to fall to make it 56-54 with just under six minutes left. The two sides wouldn’t score until under a minute to go when the Wildcats hit a free throw to cut the UMC lead to one. Miller would hit her second three of the quarter to give UMC a 59-55 lead with 35 seconds left. Wayne State would get a lay-up with 15 seconds left to make it 59-57, with UMC still in the lead. The Wildcats fouled Hernandez, and she hit both free throws to give UMC a 61-57 lead with 11 seconds left. Jenkins would hit two more free throws with two seconds to go as UMC would hold on for a 63-57 win.

UMC improves to 8-5 on the season and will travel to Augustana tomorrow. Wayne State is now 4-7 on the season and will host MSU Moorhead tomorrow.