UMC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL LEADS FOR 39 MINUTES, BUT U OF MARY FINISHES STRONG TO WIN

The University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC) Women’s Basketball team led for the first 39 minutes and two seconds of the game, but the University of Mary took the lead with 52 seconds left in the game and led the rest of the way for a 77-73 victory in a Northern Sun Conference game played at Lysaker Gymnasium in Crookston.  “I was really happy with how we competed tonight,” said UMC Coach Mike Roysland. “We had some costly turnovers late, but it was the most consistent we played this year.”

FIRST QUARTER –
UMC started the game playing some inspired basketball as they came out strong defensively and used some excellent team play to jump out to a 9-2 lead in the first four minutes of the game. Emma Carpenter (Fresh. Eagan) and Julia Peplinski (Soph. Hutisford, Wis) started the game with baskets for a 4-0 lead. After a Mary basket, UMC’s Mattea Vetsch (Fresh. Devils Lake, ND) buried a three-pointer, and Abby Guidinger capped the run with a strong basket in the paint for the 9-2 run.  “I was pleased with the way we started, especially battling the flu bug and having a shorter bench,” said Coach Roysland. “We were moving the ball and we were making some shots, but we had great balance too.”
Mary mounted a comeback that was sparked by a Golden Eagle foul on a three-point shot, and the Marauders made all three free throws and added two more points and continued to chip away at the lead until the game was tied at 13-13 with three minutes left in the quarter. UMC stopped the Marauder run with another Vetsch three-pointer for a 16-13 lead, and they held a 21-19 lead at the end of the first quarter. UMC had the hot hand in the quarter and made 9 of 17 shots for 53 percent.  

SECOND QUARTER –
The second quarter was just as entertaining if you liked fast-paced offensive action as both teams battled back-and-forth the entire quarter.  Mary started the quarter with a basket to tie the game at 21 before UMC answered with four straight points, a back-to-back buckets in the paint from Vetsch and Mary Burke (Fresh. Virginia). Mary battled back to tie the game at 29 and again at 31 before UMC’s Carpenter rattled home a three-pointer, and after a Marauder basket, the Golden Eagles’ Guidinger made two free throws, and Vetsch added two more points for a 38-33 lead with three minutes left in the half. Every time Mary scored, the Golden Eagles had an answer the rest of the way and had a great move in the paint from Peplinski, and UMC took a 42-36 lead into halftime.  UMC continued to have the hot hand while making 18 of 31 shots at a 58 percent clip!  “If we can stay balanced we will be in good shape,” said Coach Mike Roysland.  “We were hitting some shots and playing some pretty good defense.”

THIRD QUARTER –
Mary came out of the locker room with a strong start to the third quarter and scored the first five points to get within a 42-41 deficit. UMC’s Guidinger stopped the run with a basket, and the Golden Eagles picked up the defensive pressure. UMC built a 48-43 lead halfway through the quarter behind a basket from Burke and a nice baseline jumper from Vetsch. Mary responded with four straight points before Burke made a three-pointer, Guidinger added a basket and Burke finished a 7-0 run with a basket for a 55-47 lead with 68 seconds to go in the quarter. Mary closed the quarter with the final four points, and Crookston led 55-51 going into the fourth quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER –
Mary started the fourth quarter with a basket to get within a 55-53 deficit. Peplinski answered with a three-point play to give UMC a 58-53 lead. About four minutes later, UMC built their biggest lead of the game when Carpenter made her second three-pointer of the game for a 65-57 lead with 5:34 left in the game. Over the next three minutes, Mary went on a 9-1 run to tie the game at 66-66. UMC led 70-69 when Mary partially blocked a UMC shot in the paint and came down the floor, and Cassie Askvig scored to give the Marauders a 71-70 lead with 56 seconds remaining. The lead was the first of the game for Mary.  The Marauders added two free throws and led 73-70, and they elected to foul the Golden Eagles instead of giving them a chance at a three-pointer.  UMC made their first two free throws, and after Mary answered with two free throws of their own, the Marauders led 75-72.  Mary fouled UMC again, and this time the Golden Eagles made one of two free throws.  UMC fouled Mary, and they made two more free throws and held on for a 77-73 come from behind victory.  “Julie Peplisnki had a great first half, Mary Burke keeps improving, Emma Carpenter had her best game of the season too,” said Coach Roysland. “We have to keep getting better and if we can play like we did tonight we should put ourselves in position to win tomorrow.”

UMC drops to 1-12 in the Northern Sun Conference and 2-15 overall and will host Minot State on Saturday.   Mary improves to 7-6 in the NSIC and 13-9 overall and will travel to Bemidji State on Saturday.