CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston men's basketball team will take on Wayne State College (Neb.) and No. 3 Augustana University this weekend at Lysaker Gymnasium. The Golden Eagles will take on the Wildcats at 8 p.m. Fri., Dec. 11, while they will host the Vikings Sat., Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. UMC is 2-5 on the season, while Augustana is 6-1 and Wayne State is 2-5.
Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles
Head Coach: Dan WeisseRecord at UMC: 9-25
Season at UMC: Second Season
Wayne State Wildcats
Head Coach: Brian Dolan
Record at WSC: 18-46
Season at WSC: Third Season
Augustana Vikings
Head Coach: Tom Billeter
Record at AUGIE: 219-142
Season at AUGIE: 13th Season
Dec. 11 • Crookston, Minn. • Lysaker Gymnasium • 8 p.m.
Wayne State at Minnesota CrookstonVideo: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/crk/#liveEventsTabLive Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/umcrookston/mbball/Augustana at Minnesota Crookston
Dec. 12 • Crookston, Minn. • Lysaker Gymnasium • 6 p.m.
Video: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/crk/#liveEventsTabLive Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/umcrookston/mbball/Radio: 1260 KROX AM/105.7 FM (Matt Bishop, Play by Play)
Online Radio: www.kroxam.com#5StoryLines1. Can Derrick Redd be a big influence for the Golden Eagles?
2. What kind of production can UMC get off the bench?
3. What can freshmen starters Kobe
Critchley and
Nate Lorenz do for the Golden Eagles?
4. Will
C.J. Polk be able to find consistency in both games on the weekend?
5. Can the Golden Eagles shut down
Augustana's big three (Daniel Jansen, Casey Schilling and Alex Richter)?
#Tidbits-The Golden Eagles are 2-5 on the season. Minnesota Crookston has been led by senior
Derrick Redd, Jr. (Sr., G, Menifee, Calif.), who is averaging 14.9 points per game, while guard
C.J. Polk is averaging 9.2 points per game and freshman
Kobe Critchley is averaging 7.0 points per game.
- UMC has been close in several games this season with four of their losses coming by seven points or less, the most recent against Minnesota Duluth last Friday. With a young team, the Golden Eagles will look to get over the hump as they take on Wayne State and Augustana this weekend.
- The Golden Eagles have three newcomers starting this season and 2014-15 redshirt
Gable Smith starting. Overall, UMC returned just two players who saw the floor last year with
Derrick Redd, Jr. and
Jim Warmack. The Golden Eagles brought in 10 newcomers including four ranked in the top 40 in the state of Minnesota. In addition, redshirts Smith and
A.J. Walton are eligible to play this season.
- The Golden Eagles have been strong overall from beyond the arc led by Redd's 46.9 percent and Grygiel's 56
percent shooting.
- UMC will look to improve their defense. They are giving up 72.0 points per game, but struggling on the boards with team's out-rebounding them 38. to 31.4. Team's are shooting 44.9 percent against them and 41.3 percent from beyond the arc.
- The Wildcats are 2-5 on the season. Wayne State is led by sophomore Matt Thomas, who is averaging 18.3 points per game. In addition, 6-2 guard Joel Heesch is averaging 9.3 points per game, while 6-6 forward Jordan Cornelius is averaging 9.6 points per game. Wayne State is in a similar spot to UMC as they are a young team with several sophomores and freshmen playing prominent roles.
- The Vikings are a perfect 6-1 and currently ranked No. 3 in the nation. They are led by 6-9 forward Daniel Jansen, who is averaging 19.0 points per game, while 6-6 Casey Schilling is averaging 16.9 points and 11.1 rebounds and guard Alex Richter is averaging 15.1 points per game. Augustana defeated University of Iowa in an exhibition earlier this season. The Vikings returned most of their roster from last season's 31-3 team that went on to the second round of the NCAA playoffs.
