CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston men's basketball team will end the 2015 portion of their schedule on the road against NSIC rival Bemidji State University Fri., Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. at BSU Gymnasium. The Golden Eagles are 3-6 (1-4 NSIC), while Bemidji State is 5-4 (2-3 NSIC). BSU won the first match-up by the slim margin of four points (62-58) at Lysaker Gymnasium Nov. 28.

Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles
Head Coach: Dan Weisse
Record at UMC: 10-26 Season at UMC: Second Season

Bemidji State Beavers
Head Coach: Mike Boschee
Record at BSU: 49-44 Season at BSU: Fourth Season

Dec. 18 • Bemidji, Minn. • BSU Gymnasium • 7 p.m.
Minnesota Crookston at Bemidji State
Video: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/bsu/
Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=91234
Radio:  1260 KROX AM/105.7 FM (Matt Bishop, Play by Play)
Online Radio: www.kroxam.com
Recent Results
11/28/15 (Crookston, Minn.) - Bemidji State 62, Minnesota Crookston 58
12/19/14 (Crookston, Minn.) - Minnesota Crookston 73, Bemidji State 64
11/29/14 (Bemidji, Minn.) - Bemidji State 78, Minnesota Crookston 50
12/20/13 (Bemidji, Minn.) - Bemidji State 103, Minnesota Crookston 61
11/30/13 (Crookston, Minn.) - Bemidji State 78, Minnesota Crookston 63
1/15/13 (Crookston, Minn.) - Bemidji State 75, Minnesota Crookston 58

#5StoryLines
1. Can the Golden Eagles limit Ben Best in the post?

2. Can the UMC freshmen continue to improve and have a major impact against the Beavers?

3. Will Derrick Redd, Jr. play a major impact after having a quiet game against No. 2 Augustana?

4. Will C.J. Polk  follow up his strong
performances against Wayne State and No. 2 Augustana?

5. Can the Golden Eagles go into the break with another conference win, which would put them at four overall wins on the season?



#Tidbits

-The Golden Eagles come into the weekend with a 3-6 mark as they picked up their first conference win of the season in a tight one against Wayne State last Friday. The Golden Eagles finally won a close game, after losing four of their games by a combined 21 points for an average of 5.25 points. UMC continues to come together as a team as their core is made up of newcomers. The Golden Eagles continue to be led by their lone senior Derrick Redd, Jr., who is averaging 12.7 points per game and shooting 43.6 percent from beyond the arc. In addition Redd, C.J. Polk continues to come on. Polk is coming off his best weekend as a Golden Eagles, in which he averaged 18.0 points per game. Polk is averaging 11.2 points per game on the season.

- The Golden Eagles have improved their three-point shooting as a team this season, as they are shooting at a 37.4 percent clip as a team, up from 32.2 percent last season.  UMC is led by Ben Grygiel, a junior college transfer, who is shooting 53.1 percent. Next is Redd, who is shooting 43.6 percent, followed by freshman Chase Knickerbocker, who is shooting 38.5 percent from beyond the arc.

- One area the Golden Eagles need to improve is foul shooting, they are shooting just 68.6 percent on the season. They have been led by Polk, who has been great from the charity stripe, shooting 86.1 percent (31-of-36), followed by Jim Warmack, who is shooting 78.6 percent (11-of-14).

- Redd is at 701 career points, as he is leading UMC in scoring for the second-straight season. He came on late in his sophomore season, following the injury to Ashton Harrell and has continued to grow as a player. He is 299 points from the 1,000 point club which includes Joe Hasz and Akeem Cubie.

- UMC continues to have several freshman playing key roles, led by starters Kobe Critchley, Nate Lorenz and Gable Smith. All three continue to improve. In addition, Chase Knickerbocker has been crucial off the bench.

- The Golden Eagles' game against Bemidji State in late November came down to a few possessions down the stretch, as they lost 62-58. UMC was led in the game by Warmack, who had 13 points and six boards off the bench, while Grygiel had 11 and Polk had 10. Bemidji State had a lot of balance in the game with five players in double figures led by 13 points from Ben Best and Elijah Valdez, while William Harvey, D.J. Anderson and Calvin Harrington also tallied double-figure scoring.

- Bemidji State is 5-4 overall and 2-3 in league play. The Beavers have looked to post player Ben Best this season, who missed most of last year due to injury. Best has averaged 13.8 points and 6.9 rebounds. He is aided inside by William Harvey, a transfer, who is averaging 7.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. On the perimeter, D.J. Anderson leads the guard core with 89.3 points per game, followed by 8.3 points per game off the bench from Elijah Valdez.

- The Beavers are shooting just 29.4 percent from beyond the arc. However, watch out for Christian Pekarek, who is shooting 42.9 percent on the season, while Calvin Harrington is shooting 41.7 percent. Bemidji State is a more post-oriented team. They are just very narrowly getting out-rebounded on the season 38.3 to 38.2. They average 11 offensive rebounds per game led by 21 from Harrington.