The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Women’s basketball team used great performances from Emma Miller (31 points), Willow Thiel (21 points and 10 rebounds), and Taryn Frazer (18 points) to beat the Michigan Tech Huskies 90-68 in Houghton, Michigan.
FIRST QUARTER –
Michigan Tech started the game by scoring the first four points before UMC’s Emma Miller (Jr. Albertville) three-pointer. The teams battled back and forth before the Huskies went on a big run to take a 22-9 lead with 3:26 left in the opening quarter. UMC’s Willow Thiel (Fresh. Perham) stopped the run with a basket, and Rayna Klejeski added three more points to start an 11-2 run. After a Michigan Tech basket, Thiel made a free throw, and Riley Jenkins added a basket to get within a 24-16 deficit at the end of the first quarter.
SECOND QUARTER –
UMC continued the run at the start of the second quarter with a basket from Thiel and two free throws from Jenkins to get within a 24-20 deficit in the first minute of the quarter. Michigan Tech converted a three-point play before UMC’s Taryn Frazer (Jr. Cass Lake) made a three-pointer. The teams exchanged baskets, and Michigan Tech took a 34-27 lead with 7:09 remaining in the half. UMC went on a huge 17-3 run. The Golden Eagles’ Thiel started the run with two free throws, Jenkins added a basket, and Miller scored five straight points. After a Tech three-pointer, Thiel made two more free throws, and Frazer made back-to-back three-pointers for a 44-37 lead with 1:25 left in the half. Tech finished the half with a basket and UMC took a 44-39 lead into halftime.
THIRD QUARTER –
Michigan Tech started the second half with a three-pointer, only to have UMC answer with a Miller three-pointer and baskets from Thiel and Miller for a 51-42 lead. Tech made a basket only to have UMC’s Miller make back-to-back three-pointers for a 57-44 lead four minutes into the quarter. The Huskies made a basket only to have UMC’s Miller and Thiel respond with a basket from each player for a 61-46 lead. Michigan Tech slowly chipped away at the UMC lead and got within a 66-56 deficit before the Golden Eagles ended the quarter with a Frazer three-pointer and a Thiel basket for a 71-56 lead after three-quarters of play.
FOURTH QUARTER –
The Cass Lake-Bena high school grad, Taryn Frazer, continued to have the hot hand for UMC as she started the final quarter with a three-pointer. UMC led 76-60 when Miller scored four points, and Jenkins added a basket for a 6-0 run for a commanding 82-60 lead with 4:30 left in the game. UMC finished the game strong and made their free throws, winning the game 90-68.
UMC was led by Emma Miller’s 31 points, Willow Thiel’s career high (in her third collegiate game) of 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Taryn Frazer’s 18 points. The Golden Eagles improve to 1-3 on the year and will play Blackhills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota on Thursday, November 21. Michigan Tech drops to 2-2 on the year.
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| UM-Crookston | 16 | 28 | 27 | 19 | 90 |
| Michigan Tech | 24 | 15 | 17 | 12 | 68 |
| For UMC | Points | Rebounds | Assists/Steals |
| Emma Miller | 31 | 6 | 4 assists |
| Willow Thiel | 21 | 10 | 3 assist |
| Taryn Frazer | 18 | 5 | 1 assist |
| Riley Jenkins | 10 | 8 | 4 assists/2 steals |
| Nicole Hernandez | 6 | 7 | 3 assists/3 blocks/2 steals |
| Rayna Klejeski | 2 | 1 | |
| Hope Dudycha | 2 | 1 | 2 assists |
