CROOKSTON, Minn. - Trying to overcome a slow start, the University of Mary Women's Basketball team got a career night from Haley Hibbs while Hannah Larson tied a season high in points as the second-half rally fell short in an 83-72 loss to the University of Minnesota Crookston.
 
The Marauders (13-15, 7-13 NSIC) shot 30.3% from the floor in the first half and closed within four points of the lead in the fourth quarter, but couldn't complete the comeback as the Golden Eagles (17-7, 14-6 NSIC) held on for the win.
 
The teams traded baskets back-and-forth to open up the first quarter with the Marauders owning an 11-7 lead by the 5:46 mark before the Golden Eagles rallied to take a 15-13 lead with 2:38 remaining in the frame. Hibbs sunk the first of her seven treys in the game at the 1:34 mark for a 16-15 U-Mary lead, but Minnesota Crookston closed out the period on a 7-2 run for a 23-18 lead going into the second.
 
The Golden Eagles kept the pressure up through the start of the second as they matched the Marauders shot-for-shot for a 35-27 lead with 3:56 remaining in the half. Yet U-Mary's offense went through a drought at the end of the frame as Minnesota Crookston fired off nine straight points for a 44-27 lead just before halftime. Brittney Dietz had the last say in the half as she drove home the trey with 27 seconds to play as U-Mary went into the break down 44-30.
 
The third quarter was another game of back-and-forth as the teams traded shots once against with the Marauders chipping away at the lead throughout the period. Hayley Niles got U-Mary within at as she hit the running jumper with 12 seconds left on the clock, but the Golden Eagles had the last say with a buzzer-beating midrange jumper from Micaela Noga for a 60-50 Minnesota Crookston lead going into the fourth.
 
The Golden Eagles re-extended their lead out to 65-53 with 7:33 remaining in the fourth quarter, but Larson nailed the midrange jumper at the 6:32 mark to kick start an 8-0 run that closed U-Mary within four points of the lead capped off by her own trey at the 4:52 mark to put the score at 65-61. Unfortunately, Minnesota Crookston would not be denied on their own court as they fired off a 12-2 run to storm ahead at 77-63 with 2:17 left in the game.
 
Back-to-back three-pointers from Larson and Dani Williams kept U-Mary's hope alive to put the score at 77-69 with 1:55 left, but the Golden Eagles closed the game out first from a layup and the rest from the charity stripe, en route to an 83-72 final score.
 
Hannah Larson tied her season-high with 27 points on 10-for-22 shooting, along with six rebounds and two assists in 33 minutes on the court.
 
Haley Hibbs brought the spark off the bench as she went 7-for-13 from beyond the arc for a career-high 23 points in 25 minutes; she also added four rebounds, one assist, one block and two steals in the game.
 
Brittney Dietz failed to reach double digit points for the first time this season as she finished with six points to go with eight rebounds, eight assists, one block and two steals in 40 minutes on the court.
 
Rachel Weir was busy on the floor as she ended with seven points, six rebounds, one assist and one block in 29 minutes.
 
The Marauders will wrap up the regular season starting next Friday, February 19, for Alumni Weekend starting with a game against the University of Minnesota Duluth. Senior Day will take place the following afternoon against St. Cloud State University on February 20.
 
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