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Box Score
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Morris, Minn. – In an overwhelming effort, the Minnesota, Morris women's basketball team cruised to a 95-33 win over Crown this afternoon (Jan. 15) on Jim Gremmels Court.
A Crown (0-12, 0-3 UMAC) team that has struggled all season, got down early and never recovered as UMM (7-6, 3-0 UMAC) posted their best offensive performance of the season. All thirteen Cougars played 11 or more minutes, and all scored at least once.
The Cougars shot at a 63% (19-of-30) clip in the first half, and ran out to a 52-21 halftime lead. They cooled off a skosh in the second half, but still finished at 59% (37-of-63) for the game, their best mark of the season.
The 95 points were easily a season high, and the 33 allowed for Crown were a season low. Also setting new marks for season highs were the Cougars 58% mark from behind the arc, 41 rebounds, 31 assists, and seven blocks. With seven turnovers, and seven fouls, they set new lows for the 2010-11 campaign.
After being held scoreless last night, Tara Thielke (Hancock, Minn.) flipped the switch today, leading all scorers with 18 points in just 16 minutes of play. She finished 7-of-8 from the field, including a perfect 5-of-5 from inside the arc. She nailed her only two free throws and added a pair of assists and three steals to her effort.
To be expected Steph Roggenbuck (Osakis, Minn.) joined Thielke in double figures, scoring 14 on the day, while Abby Fragodt (Benson, Minn.) chipped in 13 with a perfect 6-of-6 day shooting.
The Storm actually led twice inside the first five minutes, taking a 5-2 lead at 18:16 and an 8-7 advantage at 16:33. It was not until an Emily Mehr (Aitkin, Minn.) three-pointer at 15:53 made the score 10-8, that the Cougars had lead for good.
Late in the first half the Cougars stretched their lead to as much as 36 while holding the Storm scoreless for nearly seven minutes, until Crown scored the final five minutes of the period. Thielke and Roggenbuck each went to the locker rooms already in double figures, with 11 and 10 respectively.
The Cougars opened the second half on a 29-to-2 run and also had a stretch where they held the Storm without a field goal while nearly 12 minute ran off the game clock.
The win keeps the Cougars unbeaten in the early conference season, and with Northland falling to Bethany Lutheran today, UMM becomes the last unbeaten standing in the UMAC. The Cougars will look to avoid becoming the second straight undefeated team that the Vikings knock off, as UMM travels to Bethany Lutheran next week when UMAC play resumes on Jan. 21. Tip-off in Mankato, Minn. is set for 5:30 p.m.
