Bemidji State at Minnesota Crookston
2 p.m., Lysaker Gymnasium, Crookston, Minn.
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CROOKSTON, Minn.-  The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team will open up the 2013-14 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference schedule Sat., Nov. 30 at 2 p.m. at Lysaker Gymnasium against their rival from 88 miles down Highway 2, Bemidji State University.

The Golden Eagles enter NSIC play with a 3-1 record overall after wins over Valley City State University, William Penn University and Finlandia University. The lone loss for Minnesota Crookston came Nov. 19 versus Mayville State University. Minnesota Crookston has been led so far this season by 2012-13 NSIC All-Freshman pick Katrina Moenkedick (So., F, Perham, Minn./Early Childhood Education), who is averaging 15.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Alexa Thielman (So., G, Buffalo, Minn./Health Science) is also off to a strong start for the Golden Eagles averaging 10.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while Ebony Livingston (So., G/F, Minneapolis, Minn./Sports and Rec Management) comes in averaging 9.0 points per contest. UMC is averaging 80.2 points per game to 65.8 points per game for their opponents.

Minnesota Crookston is shooting 43.6 percent from the field as a team and 38.0 percent from beyond the arc led by the shooting of Christine Thorn (So., G, St. Michael, Minn./Early Childhood Education) is shooting 6-of-14 from trey this season for 42.9 percent. In addition to Thorn, Jaya Perkins (So., G, Lakeville, Minn./Criminal Justice) is shooting 40.0 percent from beyond the arc while Thielman is shooting 35.3 percent from three.

The Beavers of Bemidji State are off to an unblemished 4-0 start on the season. Bemidji State, under the leadership of former Minnesota Crookston women's basketball coach Mike Curfman, has crucial road wins over University of Colorado-Colorado Springs and Western State Colorado University. They also have home wins over Mayville State and Finlandia. The Beavers are led by a trio of seniors. Shooting guard Morgan Lee leads the way for Bemidji State. The daughter of BSU's all-time leading men's basketball scorer recently surpassed 1,000 points in her career for the Beavers and is averaging 22.5 points and 4.8 rebounds through four games. Lee is shooting an astonishing 48.6 percent from three-point range this season.

In addition to Lee, East Grand Forks-native Kate Warmack, the sister of Jim Warmack who just signed to play basketball at UMC, comes in averaging 16.0 points and 11.8 rebounds. Senior Jessie Althoff comes in averaging 11.0 points and 5.3 rebounds. The trio of seniors is joined by talented freshmen Hanna Zerr and Tatum Sheley. Zerr is averaging 12.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists. Sheley is averaging 8.3 points per game.

Bemidji State won both meetings over UMC last season, winning 74-66 in Bemidji, Minn., and 58-48 at Lysaker Gymnasium.

 For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

Follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook at Golden Eagle Sports and on Twitter at @UMCAthletics.

The University of Minnesota Crookston is an NCAA Division II Institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Golden Eagle Equestrian team is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).