Sioux Falls, S.D. – The Northern State women's basketball team advanced to the NSIC Semifinals tonight with an 83-60 victory over No. 6 seeded Minnesota Crookston. With the win, the Wolves improve to 22-6 on the year, while the Golden Eagles conclude their season with an 8-20 overall record.

Northern State exploded for 28 points in the first quarter to create an early 18-point advantage. The Wolves maintained control in the second quarter, closing out the half with a 50-31 lead. As a team, NSU shot 55.0 percent from the floor and went 5-of-10 from the three point arc. Both Jill Conrad and Miranda Ristau led the team with 11 points.

The Wolves earned their largest scoring margin with seconds remaining in the third quarter, posting a 27-point lead. NSU sealed the second round victory with a 14-point fourth quarter.

As a unit, Northern State shot 47.8 percent from the floor, 47.1 percent from the three-point arc and 52.9 percent from the charity stripe, while collecting 33 points off the bench, 30 points in the paint, 15 second chance points and ten points off turnovers. The Wolves outrebounded the Golden Eagles 43-31 and tallied a season high 25 team assists and eight made three pointers.   

Junior Jill Conrad led the offensive attack with 17 points, sinking 7-of-11 field goals with a team-high nine rebounds. Freshman Jessi Marti had a career-high night, going a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor for 15 points. Miranda Ristau, Gabby Laimer and Paige Waytashek each followed up in double figures of their own. Ristau posted 12 points with three blocks, while Laimer and Waytashek notched 11 and ten points respectively.

The Wolves will face Winona State on Monday, February 27^th at 2:30 p.m. from the Sanford Pentagon.