St. Cloud State
9-2,7-1NSIC
University of Minnesota Duluth
8-4,6-2NSIC
Huskies bite Bulldogs in 71-67 win
1/2/2022 5:43:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Nikki Kilboten scores 20+ points for the third time this season in win
ST. CLOUD, MINN. – The St. Cloud State University women's basketball team found the perfect way to ring in the new year. The Huskies opened the 2022 calendar year with a resounding 71-67 win over Minnesota-Duluth, earning their first sweep of the Bulldogs since the 2017-18 season. With the win, (RV) St. Cloud State improves to 9-2 overall and 7-1 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play.
BITE AS BAD AS THE BARK
As per usual, Sunday's game between the Huskies and the Bulldogs was projected to be one of the best of the NSIC season. It featured the top two defenses in the conference as well as one of the top scorers in Minnesota-Duluth's Brooke Olson. Therefore, the game was one of the highest scoring of the season for both teams, as the Huskies and Bulldogs scored a combined 138 points in 40 minutes of play. In fact, St. Cloud State scored 19 points in the first quarter alone, jumping out to a 19-14 lead over visiting Minnesota-Duluth. The Bulldogs, though, were the better team in the second quarter, cutting the Huskies lead to 32-31 entering the locker room at half.
If fans thought the first half was entertaining, the second was even better, as St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Duluth continued to trade baskets (and turnovers). The Bulldogs managed to outscore the Huskies 20-16 in the quarter and held a 51-48 lead over the Huskies entering the fourth and final quarter. In the end, however, Minnesota-Duluth had no answer for the combined scoring efforts of St. Cloud State's senior class. The quintet of Tori Wortz (Hutchinson, Minn. / Hutchinson), Katrina Theis (Maple Grove, Minn. / Maple Grove), Brehna Evans (De Pere, Wis. / West De Pere), Nikki Kilboten (Eau Claire, Wis. / Eau Claire North) and Caitlyn Peterson (Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North) spurred the Huskies offense into action, keeping the team within three points of the Bulldogs at all times. After minutes of back and forth play, Kilboten gave St. Cloud State a definitive 64-63 lead with 2:07 remaining in the game and extended it to 66-63 by draining two free throws with under two minutes to play.
Minnesota-Duluth, like bulldogs everywhere, continued to nip at the Huskies heels, cutting the lead to 68-67 with 27 seconds remaining in regulation. Peterson, then, came in clutch. After shooting just three free throws all season, the graduate senior sunk two, giving St. Cloud State a three-point cushion at 70-67 with 14 seconds remaining in the ball game. Kilboten extended the lead to 71-67 before Evans came up with the block of the season. With two seconds remaining, the senior point guard blocked Olson's attempt at a desperate win, sealing the 71-67 victory for the Huskies.
TOP HUSKIES
- Nikki Kilboten (Eau Claire, Wis. / Eau Claire North) put up 20+ points on the Bulldogs for the second time this season, as she scored a team and game-leading 21 points on 8-15 shooting. The fifth year senior additionally pulled in a team-leading nine rebounds and added one block and one steal.
- Brehna Evans (De Pere, Wis. / West De Pere) scored 14 points and went 4-4 from the free throw line Sunday afternoon. She additionally tallied seven assists in the victory and four steals.
- Katrina Theis (Maple Grove, Minn. / Maple Grove) put together a huge second half, scoring 11 points on 5-9 shooting.
UP NEXT
St. Cloud State will return to Halenbeck Hall on Friday, January 7, when the team hosts Concordia-St. Paul at 7:30 p.m.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Women's Basketball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
