by CROOKSTON, Minn. — South Dakota Mines survived a back-and-forth battle and escaped with an 80–79 road victory over Minnesota Crookston on Saturday after a dramatic finish in the final seconds.
South Dakota Mines Hardrockers trailed for much of the middle quarters but showed resilience down the stretch, answering every Crookston push before delivering the decisive basket in the closing moments. Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles had one last chance, but a late turnover sealed the outcome.
South Dakota Mines opened the game aggressively, with Savea Mansfield scoring inside and Morning Spotted Bear controlling the glass early. The Hardrockers led 17–16 after the first quarter, weathering an early three-point burst from Crookston’s Riley Jenkins.
The Golden Eagles took control in the second quarter, leaning on Emma Miller’s scoring to build momentum and carry a 40–34 advantage into halftime. Minnesota Crookston continued to pressure offensively in the third, stretching the lead to as many as nine points, but South Dakota Mines stayed within striking distance behind strong interior play from Spotted Bear and Mansfield.
The fourth quarter turned into a possession-by-possession showdown. Mansfield tied the game with a three early in the period, and the teams traded leads multiple times in the final minutes. After Crookston briefly reclaimed the lead with 15 seconds remaining, South Dakota Mines calmly executed its final possession. Mansfield drove to the paint and converted the go-ahead jumper with two seconds left, giving the Hardrockers an 80–79 edge.
Minnesota Crookston was unable to respond, as a late turnover ended the game and capped a hard-fought road win for South Dakota Mines.
Mansfield led the Hardrockers with timely scoring throughout the night, while Spotted Bear provided a steady presence in the paint and on the boards. Miller paced the Golden Eagles, who came up just short despite a strong second-half effort.
