CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team picked up an 83-72 win over Minnesota State University, Mankato Wed., Feb. 24 in the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament First Round. The Golden Eagles held off a charging Minnesota State team that went on an 8-0 run early in the fourth quarter, led by the play of seniors Katrina Nordick (Sr., F, Perham, Minn./Applied Studies) and Alexa Thielman (Sr., G, Buffalo, Minn./Health Science). The pair combined for 55 points with Thielman leading the way by tying her career-high of 30 points. Her roommate Nordick added 25.

The game was played in front of a school-record 1,106 fans at Lysaker Gymnasium as the student body, faculty/staff, supporters, family and friends came out in support of the Golden Eagles.

The Golden Eagles improve to 18-9 on the season with the victory and continue a historic season. Minnesota Crookston already had set records for most overall wins and most conference wins. They will now head back to the Sanford Pentagon to look to redeem a loss in the quarterfinals last year to Minnesota State. UMC will take on No. 2 seed in the South, University of Sioux Falls. The game will be played Sun., Feb. 28 at 2:30 p.m. at the Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Minnesota State falls to 9-18 on the season, as their 2015-16 campaign comes to a close.

Thielman's 30 led UMC on 9-of-19 from the field and 5-of-14 from beyond the arc, including a three from what appeared to be downtown Crookston. She also went 7-of-7 from the charity stripe had three steals and two blocks.

Thielman has grown accustomed to big games at the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament. Last season, she had the clutch free throws (her 1,000th and 1001st points) to send UMC to the Sanford Pentagon after a one-point win over Concordia University, St. Paul.

Nordick also had a great night, with 25 points and seven boards on 10-of-13 from the field. The school's third-leading scorer and all-time leading rebounder had a terrific final game at Lysaker Gymnasium, as did Thielman.

In addition to the pair of seniors, Micaela Noga (So., G, Parkers Prairie, Minn./Health Management) added 12 points and three assists, while Emily Gruber (So., F, Monticello, Minn./Communication) had eight points and five rebounds.

The Golden Eagles were 27-of-65 from the field for 41.5 percent and 10-of-24 from beyond the arc for 29.4 percent. In addition, they were strong from the charity stripe, going 19-of-22 for 86.4 percent.

The crowd and UMC's defense flustered Minnesota State at times. The Mavericks had 22 turnovers on the game and also struggled at the free-throw line, going just 2-of-8 for 25 percent.

Minnesota State was led by forward Claire Ziegler, who had 22 points and six boards on 11-of-16 from the field. Taylor Paulsrud added 10 points, while Britney Scherber had nine.

The Mavericks were 33-of-62 for 53.2 percent from the field, but just 4-of-20 for 20 percent from beyond the arc.

The two teams would play tight early, but UMC would finish the first half with a jumper from Isieoma Odor (R-Fr., F/C, Bloomington, Minn./Health Management) to go up 23-16.

UMC would be able to extend their lead to 31-22 on a pair of Thielman free throws with 6:36 left in the second. Minnesota State would get it down to two (33-31) on a Scherber lay-up. However, like would be the case for the rest of the night, UMC fought back. After a lay-up from Noga and steal from Odor and a fast-break lay-in from Nordick, the Golden Eagles would go back up 37-31 with 2:32 left in the half. UMC would go into the break with a 30-25 lead.

The Golden Eagles would open the second half on a 5-0 run led by an Alison Hughes (Fr., G, Janesville, Wis./Early Childhood Education) lay-in and a Thielman three to put them up 45-35 with 8:54 left in the third.

Minnesota State would get as close as four in the third quarter but UMC would end the third with a pair of Hughes free throws to make it 60-54 heading into the fourth.

The Golden Eagles opened the fourth quarter with a Noga trey to make it 63-54. But Minnesota State would make their charge and go on an 8-0 run led by four points from Ziegler. A McKenzie Hoelmenn lay-up would cut the lead to 63-62 with 7:50 left in the game. However that is where UMC would come up big led by a Thielman three as they would get their lead back up to 69-64 with 4:45 left.

Minnesota State would cut the lead to 69-66 on a Sammie Delzotto bucket, but a steal from Noga and a pair of free throws would make it 71-66 with 3:15 remaining. The Mavericks would get as close as five, but the Golden Eagles would continue to hit free throws to come away with the 83-72 win.

Minnesota Crookston didn't have to come to a last second lay-up from Odor like they did in Mankato earlier this season.

The Golden Eagles will match up with Sioux Falls Sunday at the Sanford Pentagon. Minnesota Crookston played the Cougars tough, but fell 64-55 on Feb. 5 at the Stewart Center in Sioux Falls, S.D. The match-up will feature some of the NSIC's best with Nordick and Thielman against USF's Taylor Varsho.

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 a NCAA Division II university located in the Red River Valley of Northwest Minnesota. UMC sponsors 11 intercollegiate athletic teams with membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate conference (NSIC) and the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). The NSIC is a 16-team conference with schools situated in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.