CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston men's basketball team will host St. Cloud State University and University of Minnesota Duluth Sat., Jan. 9 and Sun., Jan. 10 at Lysaker Gymnasium. The two games will mark the first two games at home for the Maroon and Gold in 2016. The Golden Eagles will take on St. Cloud State Sat., Jan. 9 at 4 p.m. and then will battle UMD Sun., Jan. 10 at 3 p.m. UMC will look to get wins back against both teams after losing to the Huskies and Bulldogs on the road earlier in the season.
UMC enters the weekend with a 3-9 (1-7 NSIC) mark. The Golden Eagles will look to snap a four-game losing streak dating back to a 70-68 win over Wayne State College (Neb.) Dec. 11. St. Cloud State comes in with a 6-8 (3-5 NSIC) record, while UMD is 11-3 (7-1 NSIC) entering the weekend.
Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles
Head Coach: Dan WeisseRecord at UMC: 10-29
Year at UMC: Second Season
St. Cloud State Huskies
Head Coach: Matt Reimer
Record at SCSU: 24-20
Year at SCSU: Second Season
Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs
Head Coach: Matt Bowen
Record at UMD: 47-49
Year at UMD: Fourth Season
St. Cloud State at Minnesota Crookston
Sat., Jan. 9, 4 p.m., Lysaker GymnasiumLive Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/umcrookston/mbball/Live Video: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/crk/#liveEventsTab
Online Radio: www.kroxam.com Sun., Jan. 10, 3 p.m., Lysaker Gymnasium
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/umcrookston/mbball/Live Video: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/crk/#liveEventsTab
#5StoryLines1. Can the Golden Eagles shoot the three? In three wins, UMC is shooting 50 percent (29-of-58), while they are shooting just 30.7 (60-of-195) in their losses.
2. Can
Kobe Critchley continue to be an impact player for the Golden Eagles? Critchley continues to come on for UMC, averaging 12.4 points per game over the last five games.
3. Can
Gable Smith build off of his double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds against Minot State? Smith has been key on the boards recently, averaging 6.5 rebounds over the last six games.
4. Can the Golden Eagles snap their four-game losing streak?
5. What other players will step up for the Golden Eagles to help secure wins over the Huskies and Bulldogs?
#Tidbits- The Golden Eagles have been right on the cusp of several wins this season in the second year under
Dan Weisse. The Golden Eagles have lost six of eight games by a 5.8 point margin. UMC is still a very young team with still only one player who has played more than 40 games in a Maroon and Gold uniform. However, the youth continues to improve led by
Kobe Critchley improving his scoring average by 2.3 points since UMC last faced Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State in early December. In addition,
C.J. Polk is averaging 2.0 points per game more than he was when the Golden Eagles last played the Bulldogs and Huskies.
- Minnesota Crookston has become a more offensively productive team in Weisse's second season at the helm, averaging 65.7 points per game compared to 58.0 during the 2014-15 season. In addition, The Golden Eagles have improved their three-point shooting to 35.2 percent, while improving their overall field goal percentage to 41.4 percent. UMC has also improved in rebounding, up to 31.6 rebounds per game.
- St. Cloud State is 6-8 (3-5 NSIC) during the 2015-16 season. The Huskies are in their second season under Matt Reimer and have struggled at points as they also have a group that has not played a lot of games together. The Huskies defeated UMC 97-68 Dec. 5 in St. Cloud, Minn.
- The Huskies look to IPFW transfer Gage Davis, who is averaging 20.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, while Scottie Stone is averaging 17.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Davis has also been a lights out three-point shooter, hitting at a 48.2 percent clip.
- Minnesota Duluth has had a great start to the 2015-16 campaign with an 11-3 (8-1 NSIC) mark. The Bulldogs have a very senior-laden line-up as they start three. UMD has been led by Pierre Newton, who is averaging 18.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. Guard Taylor Lavery has also been an impact player with 18.2 points per game, while shooting 47.6 percent from beyond the arc. Brendon Pineda, a senior along with Lavery and Newton, is averaging 13.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
#DoubleDoubleUMC redshirt freshman
Gable Smith is coming off a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds against Minot State. Smith is a player that continues to show improvement in every facet of his game. He currently leads the Golden Eagles with 5.1 rebounds per game, while also leading the team with 19 blocks for an average of 1.6 per game. Smith is averaging 5.0 points per game for the Golden Eagles.
#SeniorLeadershipDerrick Redd, Jr. continues to be the senior leader for the Golden Eagles, averaging a team-best 11.8 points per game, while shooting 39.2 percent from beyond the arc. Redd continues to move up the scoring chart as he has 728 career points.
#GrygielForThreeBen Grygiel has been a threat beyond the arc for UMC all season long off the bench. The junior college transfer is shooting at a 47.6 percent clip on the season. In addition to Grygiel,
Chase Knickerbocker has also been deadly from distance, shooting 40 percent on the year.
