By: Ryan Haggstrom, Sports Information Intern

CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC) Golden Eagles upended the Minot State University (MSU) Beavers 74-62 Saturday at Lysaker Gymnasium. The Golden Eagles utilized the cushion provided by their 23-2 first half run by maintaining a double digit lead throughout the game. Minnesota Crookston. Minnesota Crookston improves to 9-13 (6-12 NSIC) with Saturday's victory. The Golden Eagles are now 8-5 this season in the friendly confines of Lysaker Gymnasium. Minot State University, who came into the weekend in second place in the NSIC North, drops to 15-7 (11-7 NSIC). The Golden Eagles are in 12th place overall and seventh in the NSIC North. They are one game out of sixth place in the North division.

The Golden Eagles made 26 of their 34 free throws. Rebounding was another area of control for the Golden Eagles as they outrebounded the Beavers 43-36. Minnesota Crookston finished with 10 offensive boards o nthe game.

Alexa Thielman (So., G, Buffalo, Minn./Health Science) dominated offensively for UMC scoring 23 points while playing every minute of the game. She also had eight rebounds. Katrina Moenkedick (So., F, Perham, Minn./Early Childhood Education) had another double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Megan Taylor (R-Fr., C, Estelline, S.D./Animal Science) played her most minutes of the season tonight providing some more post presence for the Golden Eagles. She had eight points, five rebounds and two blocks.

Minot State gave away too many fouls, being called for 25 throughout the game. Carly Boag had a double-double for the Beavers grabbing an impressive 17 rebounds to go along with her 17 points. Her sister Christina Boag had a solid game as well. She scored 10 points, had six rebounds and four steals, but missed several bunnies on the game, shooting just 4-of-11 from the field.

Alisha Jones got the BEavers on the board with a corner three off the Morgan Klose assist. A few possessions later, the same sequence occurred with Jones hitting another corner three to MSU a 10-9 lead.

Turnovers marred the early going for the Golden Eagles. This allowed Minot State to jump out to a 16-9 lead with four points off turnovers.

At the second media timeout, the Golden Eagles lead 22-20 after a transition three from Thielman and a short jumper by Moenkedick. Moenkedick was able to counter First Team All-NSIC player Carly Boag early on by outscoring her 8-6.

The Golden Eagles extended their lead to 12 on the back of some stellar defensive play. Despite Minot State having a significant size advantage, UMC was able to defend without fouling or allowing the post players of MSU easy baskets.

During the 23-2 Golden Eagle run, it seemed that UMC could do no wrong. The defense hassled the Boag sisters to a tune of 0-of-6 shooting and four turnovers.

Katie Hardy finally ended the Golden Eagle run with a three only for Thielman to respond with one of her own. At the end of the run, UMC found themselves ahead 36-20.

The solid play did not stop there for the Golden Eagles. Running the last play of the first half, Thielman broke down her defender, Jones, and found a wide open Ebony Livingston (Jr., G/F, Minneapolis, Minn./Sports and Rec Management) who hit the deep three to give the Golden Eagles a 44-25 lead going into the break.

By asserting themselves on the defensive end, the Golden Eagles opened up the rest of the game. One problem area this season has been rebounding. In the first half, the Golden Eagles closed out possessions with 17 defensive rebounds to MSU's 15 total rebound. Along with their eight offensive rebounds, this was a significant edge for the Golden Eagles.

Moenkedick did the most on the boards for UMC grabbing seven rebounds. Livingston followed closely behind with five boards. Thielman lead the charge on the offensive end with 15 points while Moenkedick and Livingston had eight and seven respectively.

After starting out well, the Minot State offense faltered only scoring seven points over the last 12 minutes of the first half. UMC was able to limit Carly Boag on the offensive end. She had six points and four rebounds. Jones chipped in six points, too. Carly and Christina Berg each had three turnovers to help the Golden Eagle cause.

The Beavers came out of the break in a 2-3 zone, but the Golden Eagles easily dismantled it with back-to-back baskets. After those two buckets, MSU went on a 7-0 run of their own before Coach Mike Roysland called a timeout. Carly Boag sparked the run with some impressive work inside.

Taylor put an end to the run with a short jumper and followed it up with a block on the defensive end.
Neither team could find the bottom of the net with only five baskets over a six minute stretch. After a couple Carly Boag free throws, Minot State found themselves down only 11 and in the bonus with 11 minutes to play.
Erika McRoberts (So., F, Byron, Minn./Health Science) went to the line with 8:13 left in the game as they entered the bonus up 56-45.

Down the stretch, the game became a free throw shooting contest. At the last media timeout, MSU was 9-9 from the line in the second half while UMC was 9-of-11. From the nine minute mark until the two minute mark, there was only one made shot from the field.

Klose fouled out of the game with 2:24 left with her team trailing 12.

The Golden Eagles could not put Minot State away for good instead trading free throws until the buzzer sounded.

With 1:16 left, Livingston fouled out of the game for the Golden Eagles. The ensuing free throws by Christina Boag brought the UMC lead down to 12.

That is where the game would end. The Golden Eagles knocked off MSU 74-62.

Next weekend the Golden Eagles host Concordia University, St. Paul and Minnesota State University, Mankato. With a couple wins, the Golden Eagles can solidify their seed in the conference tournament with a chance of moving up.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

Follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook at Golden Eagle Sports and on Twitter at @UMCAthletics.

The University of Minnesota Crookston is an NCAA Division II Institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Golden Eagle Equestrian team is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).