Feb. 02– Junior Candace Olstad (Elgin, MN) posted her fourth double-double of the season as she tied her career-high with 20 points and grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds as the sixth-ranked Golden Bears (20-1, 11-1 NSIC) earned a 85-70 win over Minnesota Crookston (6-16, 2-11 NSIC) Saturday night in Lysaker Gym.
After a close first half that saw three ties and six lead changes, the Golden Bears took a 31-30 lead that they would not relinquish on a pair of free throws by sophomore Jamie Jones (Mounds View, MN) with 1:25 to play in the opening frame.
The largest lead the Golden Eagles could muster was five points at 17-12 with 12:51 to play and again at 25-20 with7:13 remaining in the period.
Concordia would take a 34-30 lead into the lockerroom at the intermission.
After scoring six of her game-high 20 points in the first half, C.Olstad caught fire, scoring 13 of the Golden Bears first 16 points of the second half in just over six minutes giving Concordia a 50-41 lead at 13:48 on a three point field goal.
From there the Golden Bears would use a balanced attack with 11 players scoring in the game to extend the lead to as many as 16 points in the second half.
Concordia's bench would provide 33 points, compared to just 14 for Minnesota Crookston.
Olstad finished the night shooting 7-13 from the field, including 1-3 from beyond the arc and 5-6 from the free throw line.
Senior Kelly Lund (New Brighton, MN) finished with 13 points, while Jones was the only other Concordia player to score in double figures with ten.
Katie LaViolette (Sr., Manitowoc, WI) just missed her fifth double-double of the season, finishing with nine points and a season-high 15 assists to extend her school-record in assists to 690.
Katie Chelin posted a double-double with 16 points and ten rebounds to lead Minnesota Crookston. Jamie Zalinsky and Gina Jaroszewski each had 15 for the Golden Eagles.
After shooting 10-32 (31.3%) in the first half, the Golden Bears converted 16-35 (45.7%) in the second half and finished the night shooting 26-67 (38.8%).
Concordia had a strong night at the free throw line making 9-10 in the first half and 22-29 (75.9%) for the game.
The Golden Bears outrebounded Minnesota Crookston 43-40, with junior transfer Te'Aira Small (Chicago, IL) pullling down a career-high seven rebounds, and Amanda Behnke (Sr., Eagan, MN) pulling down six.
Behnke, the NSIC's leading scorer, was held to just three points in 16 minutes of action.
Concordia returns home to host the University of Mary on Feb. 8 at 6:00 in the Gangelhoff Center.
Box Score - CU 85, UM Crookston 70
