CROOKSTON, Minn. - The Golden Eagles survived a scare against NCCAA (National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association) afficilate Crossroads College Saturday afternoon at Lysaker Gymnasium. With the help of Tyler West Jr.'s (Sr., G/F, Portland, Ore./Communications) third double-double during his time with UMC, they won 83-79 in double overtime.
 
Gabe Devila and West battled for the top spot all game. Devila scored 34 points on 12-20 shooting including 7 of 11 from deep. With the win, West got the last laugh in a game where he fell 1 rebound short of tying the UMC single-game rebounding record set by Justin Henry 2004. West grabbed 18 rebounds to go along with his 26 points.
 
The Golden Eagles dominance on the boards were the key to the victory. They out-rebounded Crossroads 53-37. John Hughes (Jr., F, San Diego, Calif./Management) helped West on the boards by grabbing 12 rebounds for himself. Derrick Redd, Jr. (Jr., G, Menifee, Calif./Sports and Rec Management) scored 16, good for second on the team.
 
Isaac Bowles had a double-double for Crossroads as well scoring 13 and getting 11 rebounds. Aside from Devila, A.J. Kuhn came up big with two late threes.
 
Less than a minute into the game, Crossroads coach Richard Westerlund burned a timeout after a quick turnover and an and-one for Redd.
 
UMC led throughout the first half with the score 11-7 at the first media timeout and 15-13 at the second media timeout. Crossroads took the lead for a short time after that with a Brandon LeGree layup, but the Golden Eagles went into the half-time break leading 35-32.
 
The Golden Eagles shot only 9% from three in the first half, but were able to overcome it by going 8-10 from the line, shooting over 50% from inside the arc, and outrebounding Crossroads 26-13.
 
LeGree had a good first half for the Knights with nine points and four rebounds. Bowles led the team in scoring with 10 points.
 
UMC came out in the second half hot with a 13-5 run to give themselves a 10 point lead. Their largest lead of the night came with 11:48 left in the second half at 11 points.
 
The Golden Eagles only scored two points from 6:17 left in the second half until 1:44 left which provided an opportunity for Crossroads to send the game to overtime. Devila was fouled shooting a three pointer by Redd with 14 seconds left. After he hit all three free throws, Crossroads led 66-64.
 
The Golden Eagles got the ball out quickly and Redd took it coast-to-coast for an easy layup to send the game to overtime.
 
Kuhn's first three of the day gave Crossroads the lead in the first overtime. With 13 seconds left, West hit a three to pull the Golden Eagles back within one. After a Devila turnover, West was fouled going up for a layup. He put all the pressure on himself after missing the first, but was able to hit the second.
 
Hughes got to the line early in the second overtime, but was able to just hit 1 of 2. Another Devila jumper gave the lead back to Crossroads, but Hughes got to the line again as LeGree fouled out.
 
Looking to take the lead, Bowles turned the ball over with miscommunication between him and Devila. Lucas Reller (Sr., G, Lead, S.D./Management) stepped up to the plate with a big drive and finish to give the Golden Eagles a 76-74 lead with two minutes left.
 
West responded to Kuhn's second corner three of the game with a layup of his own to give UMC the lead with 1 minute left.
 
Reller extended the lead, but Devila got to the rim for a quick 2 to pull the Knights back within 1. Shades of Chris Webber entered Lysaker Gymnasium when Crossroads head coach called a timeout without having any left. This sealed the game for the Golden Eagles after Reller stepped up and hit both technical free throws and the Golden Eagles found themselves with an 83-79 victory.
 
The Golden Eagles next game is an exhibition against division 1 foe North Dakota State in Fargo, N.D. On Saturday, UMC opens up their conference schedule by traveling to nearby Bemidji, Minn. Bemidji State is 2-0 entering their game tonight against Viterbo University. The Golden Eagles will look to build on their two early season wins.


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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).