UMC Women’s Basketball beat Black Hills State, Emma Miller becomes UMC Women’s career all-time leading scorer

The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Women’s basketball team had a strong fourth quarter to beat the Black Hills State Yellowjackets 75-68 in the home opener at Lysaker Gymnasium in Crookston. UMC senior, Emma Miller scored 26 points and became the Golden Eagle Women’s Basketball career all-time leading scorer, breaking Jamie Zelinsky’s record of 1,724 points back in 2011.

FIRST QUARTER –
Both teams came out and played solid defense and that made for a low-scoring first quarter. UMC struck first with a Rayna Klejeski (Jr. Barnum) basket before the game was tied at 2 and 4. The Golden Eagles’ Riley Jenkins (Jr. Galesburg, Ill) backed her way into the post and then hit a fade away jumper for a 6-4 lead. Black Hills State answered with a three-pointer to take their first lead of the game with 5:27 left in the quarter. UMC answered with an Emma Miller (Sr. Albertville) layup and an Anna Westby (Fresh. Eveleth)  fade away jumper for a 10-7 lead. It was this point a little three-point contest popped up with Black Hills State making a long-range shot to tie the game at 12-12. UMC responded with an Miller three-pointer. Less than a minute later, Black Hills State buried a three-pointer to tie the game at 15 with 2:48 remaining in the opening quarter. The Golden Eagles took the lead back on a Tayden Hanks(Jr. Los Lunas, NM) fastbreak layup and Miller added two free throws for a 19-15 lead. Black Hills State made a thre-pointer to get within a 19-18 deficit going into the second quarter.

SECOND QUARTER –
The second quarter saw the teams offenses continue to warm up as Hope Dudycha (Jr. Austin) made a three-pointer 14 seconds into the quarter for a 22-18 lead. UMC’s Miller made a layup for her 11th point of the game to become the Golden Eagle Women’s Basketball all-time career leading scorer, breaking Jamie Zelinsky’s record. Black Hills made five straight points to take a 25-24 lead two minutes into the quarter. After a UMC basket, Black Hills State answered with four points for a 29-26 lead. The Golden Eagles Westby stopped a three minute Golden Eagle offensive drought with a basket to get her team within a 29-28 deficit. Black Hills State went on a 8-2 run to take a 37-30 lead. UMC’s Klejeski made a free throw only to have Black Hills State answer with a basket in the paint for a 39-31 lead.  UMC’s Westby had a nice turn-around jumpshot from Westby and after a Black Hills State offensive foul, UMC’s Emma Pierson (Fresh. Cherry Valley, IL) grabbed an offensive rebound and scored to bring UMC within a 39-35 deficit with 1:17 left in the half. UMC got the ball back and Westby was fouled and made two free throws to get within a 39-37 deficit with less than a minute reamining and that is how the half ended with Black Hills State leading 39-37.

THIRD QUARTER –
Black Hills State started the second half scoring with a basket one minute into the half before UMC responded with a 5-2 run with two points apiece from Westby and Miller and a free throw from Jenkins to get within a 43-42 deficit three minutes into the half. UMC battled back to get within a 45-44 deficit after two Jenkins free throws, only to have Black Hills State go on an 8-3 run for a 53-47 lead with over three minutes left in the quarter. The Golden Eagles’ Klejeski stopped the run with a layup and Pierson added a free throw to get within a 53-50 deficit. Black Hills State responded with back-to-back baskets for a 57-50 lead. With five seconds left in the quarter, UMC’s Klejeski made two free throws to bring the Golden Eagles within a 57-52 deficit at the end of the quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER –
UMC had a great start to the quarter when Miller scored on a layup eight seconds into the quarter. Dudycha followed with a layup and almost three minutes later, Jenkins had a three-point play to give the Golden Eagles a 59-57 lead with 6:21 left in the game. Black Hills State answered with four free throws over a 20 second span to take a 61-59 lead. UMC’s Miller made a jump shot to spark a 7-0 run with Klejeski making a layup and Dudycha making a three-pointer for a 66-61 lead with four minutes to go. Black Hills State chipped away at the deficit and got within two points (68-66) when Miller buried a three-pointer with 1:24 to go for a big 71-66 lead. UMC held on in the final seconds to win 75-68.

UMC improves to 1-2 on the year and will start conference play when they go to Minnesota State Moorhead on Tuesday. Black Hills State drops to 1-2 on the year.

Emma Pierson

Anna Westby

Emma Miller

Reyna Klejeski

Tayden Banks

Riley Jenkins

Emma Pierson

Anna Westby

Emma Miller

Reyna Klejeski

Tayden Banks

Riley Jenkins

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