CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston men's basketball team put up a fight but fell just short 62-58 to Bemidji State University Sat., Nov. 28 at Lysaker Gymnasium. The game was the conference opener for Head Coach Dan Weisse and the Golden Eagles. A Ben Grygiel (Jr., F, Rockford, Ill./Management) three-pointer with 27 seconds remaining put UMC within one (58-57). However, the Beavers' Elijah Valdez would hit four free throws down the stretch as Bemidji State held on for the win in the NSIC battle Saturday.

The Golden Eagles fall to 2-3 (0-1 NSIC), while Bemidji State improved to 4-1 (1-0 NSIC) with the victory.

UMC was led with their play off the bench, especially from Jim Warmack, who finished with 13 points and six boards on 4-of-4 from the field and 5-of-5 from the charity stripe. Warmack has family ties to the Beavers including his sister Kate (Warmack) Bergstrom, who played for BSU from 2010-14. In addition to Warmack, Grygiel came off the bench for 11 points and five boards, including going 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.

UMC's starters were led by C.J. Polk (So., G, Milwaukee, Wis./Sports and Rec Management), 10 points. Derrick Redd, Jr. (Sr., G, Menifee, Calif./Sports and Rec Management) did a lot of little things with six points, six rebounds and three assists. Gable Smith (R-Fr., F, Lodi, Wis.) added six points and four blocks on the night.
The Golden Eagles were 21-of-53 for 39.6 percent from the field and were 5-of-14 for 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. UMC finished 11-of-14 for 78.6 percent from the charity stripe. They were out-rebounded on the night 38-31.

Bemidji State had five players score in double figures on the night led by the play of junior Ben Best, who had 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Elijah Valdez was clutch off the bench with 13 points. William Harvey chipped in 13 points and five boards. D.J. Anderson was strong as a facilitator for the Beavers with 11 points and five assists. To round out the double-figure scoring, freshman Calvin Harrington showed his potential with 11 points and nine boards off of the bench.
BSU was 24-of-57 for 42.1 percent from the field and 5-of-12 for 41.7 from beyond the arc. They struggled from the charity stripe, going 9-of-18 for 50 percent but hit their shots when they needed to.

BSU went into the break with a 25-22 lead led by seven points from Harvey, while Best added six. UMC was paced by six points from Polk and five from Smith.
UMC would find themselves down 47-40 with 8:46 left after a Valdez lay-up, but the Golden Eagles would begin chipping away from there. An old-fashioned three-point play from Kobe Critchley (Fr., G, Roseville, Minn./Health Sciences) would bring UMC within four. After an Anderson bucket for Bemidji State. Warmack would hit a pair of free throws to get UMC back within four. Howver, BSU would strike again with an old-fashioned three-point play of their own from Harrington to make it 52-45 with 5:58 left in the game. Harrington would hit 1-of-2 from the free-throw line on their next possession to extend the lead to 53-45.

UMC would come up with a big shot as Grygiel nailed a three to make it 53-48 with 5:13 left. Polk would then come up with four-consecutive points to pull UMC within 53-52 with 4:09 left.

After a defensive stop, Redd, who had been quiet offensively, came up with a big play, driving the lane for a lay-up to make it 54-53 with 2:38 remaining.
The Beavers would take the lead back on a Best three-pointer with 1:52 left in the game. Best would hit a lay-up on the next possession to extend the Bemidji State lead to 58-54 with 38 seconds left.

The Golden Eagles would cut the lead down to one at 58-57 on a Grygiel three, but Valdez would hit a pair of free throws with 12 seconds left to make it 60-57.
On the next UMC possession, Critchley would drive the lane and would nearly make the bucket and get fouled. He would hit one free throw, but miss the other, to keep BSU up 60-58. Valdez would hit two more free throws to ice the game for the Beavers.

UMC will hit the road to face University of Minnesota Duluth Fri., Dec. 4 at 8 p.m., and then will face St. Cloud State University Sat., Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. in another road tilt.

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 a NCAA Division II university located in the Red River Valley of Northwest Minnesota. UMC sponsors 11 intercollegiate athletic teams with membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate conference (NSIC) and the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). The NSIC is a 16-team conference with schools situated in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.
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