St. Bonifacius, Minn. – The Crown College Polars Women's Basketball team faced off with the Martin Luther College Knights on Saturday ultimately coming out victorious 75-74 thriller.

The first quarter was a very balanced start to the game. With Martin Luther scoring the first few buckets and the Polars answering right back. A total of five lead changes in the first quarter left the score at 17-14, Crown with the three point edge. The second quarter saw much of the same. Even play and both teams trading buckets. Crown stretched the lead to eight with 1:24 to go, but the knights clawed right back settling the score at 40-37 to end the half, Crown with the lead.

The second half saw Crown extend their lead to ten with 2 minutes to go in the third quarter off of buckets from McKenzie Latzke and Shauna Thompson. The 3^rd quarter would end with Crown out in front 58-49. Crown held their lead trading buckets with the Knights in the first few minutes of the fourth quarter. The knights scratched their way back to tie it up at 68 apiece with 2:17 to go. Martin Luther took the lead with 1:33 to go but a three from Thompson put the Polars back in front with a minute left. The Knights returned the favor with a jumper and the Polars called a timeout with 9 seconds to go. Hecox took the inbounds pass and drove right down the lane drawing a foul with one second left. Hecox went 2-2 from the stripe with the game on the line.

The final shot from the Knights did not fall and Crown notched their 11^th win of the season 75-74 setting an NCAA-era program record with a chance to make the UMAC Playoff for the first time ever.

The Polars were led offensively by the duo of Latzke and Hecox, both dropping 15 points. Thompson tabbed 14 points followed by Amy Martius with 12 points. Hecox tabbed 5 assists and multiple Polars led the rebounding. Latzke and Sager notched 7 boards, Martius grabbed 6, and Hecox and Flowers grabbed 5.

The Polars shot 42.9% from the field going 24-56 and 46.2% from three-point range going 12-26.

Crown moves to 11-9 on the year and 6-6 in UMAC play. Crown currently sits in the 4^th position in the UMAC with two games to go.

The Polars head on the road for the final weekend of UMAC play. They will take on the Northland College Lumberjacks on Friday, February 17^th at 7:15pm in Ashland Wisconsin and follow that with a game on Saturday against Wisconsin-Superior.