Game Notes

Gameday Info

Away Team: University of Minnesota, Crookston (4-5, 1-4 NSIC)
Home Team: Minnesota State University Moorhead (5-4, 2-3 NSIC)
Date: Fri., Jan. 4, 6 p.m.
Arena: Alex Nemzek Hall
Live Stats: http://web.mnstate.edu/livestats/basketball/xlive.htm
Away Team: University of Minnesota, Crookston (4-5, 1-4 NSIC)
Home Team: Northern State University (7-2, 3-2 NSIC)
Date: Sat., Jan. 5, 5 p.m.
Arena: Wachs Arena
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/northern/wbball/scoreboard.aspx
Radio: KROX AM 1260 (Friday only)
Twitter: UMCAthletics
Facebook: Golden Eagle Sports

Quick Hits

• Wiese Joins 1,000-Point Club
    2011-12 All-NSIC Second Team pick Brittani Wiese has had a great first three years at UMC despite missing the end of last season due to a knee injury. The senior guard leads team in scoring averaging 13.6 points per game. Wiese became the seventh player in program history to eclipse 1,000 points Dec. 15 against University of Mary with friend and UMC all-time leading scorer Jamie Zelinsky on the
opposing bench as an assistant coach.

Wiese now has 1,016 points in her career, which is the sixth-most of any Golden Eagle Player. In addition to breaking the record, she also moved past former teammate Bri Zabel on the all-time Scoring Charts. Wiese needs 25 points to move past Jess Forsline in fourth place.

•Tyson Closing in on Rebound Record
    Senior Center Laurie Tyson has been a force on the boards for her four seasons at UMC. Tyson has 562 rebounds in her career and needs just 11 to surpass Kari Score's school-record 572 rebounds. Tyson comes in averaging 8.0 rebounds per game entering the weekend and with her pace so far this year should accomplish the milestone this weekend against either MSU Moorhead or Northern State.

•Family Ties
    MSU Moorhead junior forward Morgan Zabel has some familiarity with the University of Minnesota, Crookston program as her older sister, Bri Zabel, competed for the Golden Eagles from 2008-11. The elder Zabel is sixth all-time in career scoring at University of Minnesota, Crookston while Morgan currently averages 12.2 points per game for the Dragons.

•Looking for First NSIC Road Victory
    The Golden Eagles enter the weekend with an 0-3 mark in NSIC road games thus far this season. UMC will look to get on a winning track away from Lysaker
Gymnasium as they face two tough foes in MSU Moorhead and Northern State this weekend.

The Scoop
    The University of Minnesota, Crookston women's basketball team will tip off their 2013 portion of the schedule this weekend as they head to Minnesota State University, Moorhead and Northern State University for Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) road affairs.

Previewing the Golden Eagles
    The Golden Eagles picked up their first victory in conference play before the holiday break as they upended Minot State University. UMC currently sits at a 4-5 (1-4 NSIC) mark coming into the weekend. UMC has been led all season long by senior guard Brittani Wiese (Albertville, Minn.), who comes in averaging 13.6 points per game. Wiese also is tied for the team lead with 21 assists on the season. The senior became the seventh player in Golden Eagle history to amass more than 1,000 points before the break. Her fellow senior, Laurie Tyson (C, Rosemount, Minn.), is looking to come up with a major milestone this weekend to match Wiese's pre-break accomplishment. Tyson needs just 11 rebounds to surpass Kari Score's school-record 572 career boards. Tyson currently leads the team with 8.0 rebounds per game.

    UMC has relied on several key freshmen so far this season. Their growth and development will continue to be a major story line for the Golden Eagles as they will be vital to the success of UMC as the season moves forward. Katrina Moenkedick (Fr., F, Perham, Minn.) leads all newcomers with 8.3 points per game. Moenkedick currently leads all NSIC players, shooting 62.0 percent from the field. In addition, Alexa Thielman (Fr., G, Buffalo, Minn.) and Jaya Perkins (R-Fr., G, Lakeville, Minn.), have played major roles for UMC. Thielman is UMC's co-leader in assists with 21 assists and is averaging 7.7 points per game while starting eight games. Perkins is averaging 6.6 points per game for the Golden Eagles.
 
   
Previewing the Dragons
    Minnesota State University, Moorhead enters the weekend with a 5-4 (2-3 NSIC) record. The Dragons went into the break following two losses, falling 65-50 at home to University of Minnesota Duluth and 79-56 to St. Cloud State University. The Dragons are led by 6-0 forward Megan Strese, who is averaging a double-double with 14.3 points and 10.9 rebounds. Guard Marisa Yernatich (13.4 points per game) and Morgan Zabel (12.2 points per game) are also averaging double-figure scoring for MSU Moorhead. The Dragons have been dangerous from beyond the arc this season, shooting 33.3 percent as a team from downtown. MSU Moorhead currently boasts four players (with 10 or more attempts) who are shooting above 30.0 percent from beyond the arc led by 48.3 percent from Zabel and 38.6 percent from Yernatich.

Previewing the Wolves
    The Northern State University women's basketball team enters the weekend with a mark of 7-2 (3-2 NSIC). The Wolves went into the break following major victories over St. Cloud State University and University of Minnesota Duluth. Northern State has been led on the season by guard Alison Kusler, who comes in averaging 14.8 points per game.
Forward's Rachel Krogman (11.2 points per game) and Megan Mutchler (10.1 points per game) are also averaging double-figure scoring.

    On the boards, Northern State is led by Krogman's 9.1 rebounds per game, along with Sarah Hintz's 6.2 rebounds per game. The majority of the Wolves' success has come inside the three-point line outside of Kusler's 38.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The Wolves have two players that are over six-foot starting in the front court with Krogman and Mutchler, along with 5-11 Hintz.