Huskies honor seniors with 77-68 win over Crookston

Saturday, February 23

St. Cloud, Minn.

3:30 p.m.

St. Cloud State

17-9, 14-8NSIC

University of Minnesota Crookston

10-18, 5-17NSIC

Minnesota Crookston

St. Cloud State

Mallie Doucette made six consecutive free throws to clinch victory for the Huskies.

Photo by: Kylie Macziewski

2/23/2019 7:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

ST. CLOUD, MINN. – The St. Cloud State University women's basketball team could not have asked for a better ending to the 2018-19 regular season. The Huskies ended on the highest note possible, taking down their Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) foe the University of Minnesota-Crookston once again with strong defensive and offensive play. Though it wasn't the blowout St. Cloud State has become accustomed to as of late, it was an impressive win, as the team took down Minnesota-Crookston 77-68 to close out the regular season.

The Huskies needed a second half surge to defeat the Golden Eagles, as they trailed 37-35 after the first two quarters of play. In both the first and the second, St. Cloud State would jump ahead to a multi-point lead before Minnesota-Crookston would close the gap and tie the score or take the lead itself. It happened late in the first quarter, as the Golden Eagles used a 9-0 run midway through to take an 18-15 lead over the Huskies. Then, in the second, St. Cloud State outscored the visitors 20-19, but Minnesota-Crookston still took the 37-35 advantage to the locker room at halftime.

Things started to go the Huskies way in the third quarter, as Nikki Kilboten (Eau Claire, Wis. / North) and Madelin Dammann (Waconia, Minn. / Waconia) set the tone early and often. The two players helped St. Cloud State go on an 12-2 run and take a 47-43 lead midway through the quarter. From there, the Huskies only continued to score as they jumped ahead 59-49 at the end of the third quarter thanks to a jumper by first year guard Brehna Evans (De Pere, Wis. / West De Pere).

Of course, the Golden Eagles weren't about to make things easy. Though St. Cloud State led by 10+ points through the first five minutes of the fourth quarter, Minnesota-Crookston used a surge in the last five minutes to cut the lead to 67-61 with 1:54 remaining in regulation. For the final two minutes, the Golden Eagles would attempt to force the Huskies hand and stop the close by making them shoot free throws. Fortunately, the plan was thwarted. In the closing seconds, it was senior Mallie Doucette (Colfax, Wis. / Colfax) who secured the win for St. Cloud State, as she drained six free throws to clinch the 77-68 win for the Huskies.

Dammann was gold for St. Cloud State for the second consecutive day, as she tallied her first double-double of the season with 16 points and a career-high 14 rebounds on the night. Kilboten and Doucette closed the game as the team's leading scorers, as they both tallied 17 points in the win for the Huskies.

With the win, St. Cloud State closes the regular season with a 17-9 record and a 14-8 mark in NSIC play. The Huskies will open the NSIC Tournament at home on Wednesday, February 27 as they host Minnesota State at 5:30 p.m. in Halenbeck Hall. More information regarding the NSIC Standford Health Women's Basketball Tournament will be released Sunday, including ticket prices.