UMC Women’s Basketball Scores 51 2nd Half Points To Beat Saint Martin

The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Women’s basketball team scored 51 second-half points to come from behind to beat Saint Martin’s University (NCAA Division II) 70-65 in the Western Washington University Lynda Goodrich Classic played at Carver Gym in Bellingham, Washington.

A low scoring first quarter saw the Saints jump out to an early lead after 10 minutes of play. Saint Martin’s scored the first 6 points of the game before Steph McWilliams (Jr., Grand Forks, ND) made a jump shot with 5:36 left in the first quarter cut the deficit to 6-2. The Saints responded with another 6-0 run before Abby Guidinger (Soph., Waukesha, WI) finished at the rim with 1:36 left in the quarter. Isieoma Odor (R-Sr., Bloomington) added a lay-up to UMC’s scoring total in the opening 10 minutes, but UMC shot just 3-11 from the field in the first quarter and trailed 14-6 after one quarter of play. Isieoma Odor opened up the second quarter scoring for the Golden Eagles, trimming their deficit to 14-8. A UMC three-pointer made by Paige Cornale (Fr., Oak Creek, WI) with 6:01 left in the first half pulled Minnesota Crookston within 18-13. Cornale buried another triple with 3:38 left in the second quarter to cut the deficit down to 4, but the Saints closed the opening half on an 8-0 run and took a 31-19 lead into halftime.

Minnesota Crookston came out in the third quarter red-hot from beyond the arc. Isieoma Odor knocked down a three-pointer to open the second half before Caitlin Michaelis (Sr., Marshfield, WI) knocked down three-straight triples to pull UMC within 39-31 with 7:12 left in the third quarter. Trailing 41-33, the Golden Eagles went on a 9-0 run capped off by a Cornale three-pointer giving Minnesota Crookston its first lead of the night 42-41 with 3:42 remaining in the quarter. A pair of Isieoma Odor scored a pair of free throws to take a 46-43 lead before the Saints closed the quarter by scoring the final 8 points in the third to take a 51-46 lead into the final quarter.

In the fourth quarter, a Caitlin Michaelis lay-up with 6:36 remaining pulled the Golden Eagles within 56-52. Isieoma Odor delivered a pass to Kylie Post (Fr., Corcoran) who finished inside to cut the deficit down to 58-57 with 4:33 remaining. Steph McWilliams knocked down a three-pointer with 3:18 to play to give UMC a 60-58 lead. Saint Martin’s tied it with a lay-up before Isieoma Odor answered with a lay-in at the other end regaining the lead for Minnesota Crookston 62-60 with 1:55 to play. Caitlin Michaelis converted a steal into a lay-up pushing UMC’s lead to 64-60. The Saint cut the lead down to 64-62, but Odor found McWilliams for another lay-up regaining a 4-point lead for Minnesota Crookston with 0:56 left. Isieoma Odor made a pair of free throws to give UMC a 68-62 lead, but Saint Martin’s Jayla Russ (Jr., Arlington, WA) made a lay-up through a foul before making her free throw to make it a one-possession game with 0:13 left. A steal by the Saints with 0:09 left gave Saint Martin’s the ball with a chance to tie with a three-pointer after taking a timeout. The Saints gave possession right back with a turnover out of their timeout. Steph McWilliams was fouled before time expired and sank two free throws to close out the 70-65 comeback win for the Golden Eagles. UMCMinnesota Crookston improves to 5-0 and returns to the court on Saturday when UMC takes on Tournament host Western Washington at 7 p.m. Saint Martin’s falls to 1-3.