CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston men's basketball program will host two games this week at Lysaker Gymnasium. The Golden Eagles will take on University of Wisconsin-Stout Tues., Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. and Waldorf University Thurs., Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.
Minnesota Crookston
So. PG 13 Kobe Critchley (6-0 173, Roseville, Minn.)
Fr. SG 0 Harrison Cleary (6-1 175, Oak Creek, Wis.)
So. 3G 25 Chase Knickerbocker (6-6 189, Annandale, Minn.)
R-So. SF 44 Gable Smith (6-7 215, Lodi, Wis.)
Jr. PF 54 Jim Warmack (6-7 240, East Grand Forks, Minn.)
The Golden Eagles enter the season with a 1-1 mark after splitting with Southwest Baptist University and Lincoln University of Missouri at the SBU Classic in Bolivar, Mo., over the weekend. The Golden Eagles upended Southwest Baptist 73-64 and hung with a strong Lincoln team for the majority of the game before falling 76-65.
Harrison Cleary had a strong debut weekend for the Golden Eagles. He started things off with 34 points against Southwest Baptist in the win and had 21 points against Lincoln. Cleary is tallying 27.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. He shot 61.8 percent from the field and 54.5 percent from beyond the arc.
Chase Knickerbocker (So., G/F, Annandale, Minn.) also had a strong weekend as he averaged 13.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game on 39.1 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from behind the three-point line.
The Golden Eagles shot 49-of-103 for 47.6 percent from the field and 16-of-41 for 39.0 percent from beyond the arc. Minnesota Crookston averaged 69.0 points per game and they are giving up 70.0 points per game to their opponents.
Wisconsin-Stout
Projected Starters
Jr. PG 0 John Keefe (6-2 190, Medford, Wis.)
Sr. SG 23 Cory Speer (5-10 180, Elgin, Minn.)
Sr. 3G 13 Brett Ahsenmacher (6-0 175, Annandale, Minn.)
Jr. SF 25 John Lahti (6-5 210, Turtle Lake, Wis.)
So. PF 2 Keegan Dickson (6-5 235, Apple Valley, Minn.)
The Blue Devils will open up the 2016-17 season on Tuesday against Minnesota Crookston. Wisconsin-Stout went 4-20 last season. The Blue Devils return two starters from last season and several key players off the bench.
They have played one game so far this season with an exhibition against Winona State University. Wisconsin-Stout fell 76-47 to the Warriors. They were led by 16 points from forward Keegan Dickson, who was 5-of-13 from the field and 3-of-7 from beyond the arc. Guard John Keefe added seven points and six rebounds. Keefe and forward John Lahti are the two returning starters for the Blue Devils.
Wisconsin-Stout shot 16-of-60 for 26.7 percent from the field and 8-of-28 for 28.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Minnesota Crookston defeated Wisconsin-Stout 74-51 last season in Menomonie, Wis.
Waldorf Preview
Sr. PG 11 June Prowell (6-2 160, Atlanta, Ga.)
Fr. SG 0 Brady Kuchinka (5-10 185, Lake City, Minn.)
Jr. 3G 5 Leland March (6-0 145, Racine, Wis.)
Sr. SF 20 Michael Morgan (6-4 180, Charlotte, Tenn.)
Jr. PF 55 Kaden Verdin (6-9 240, Atwater, Calif.)
Waldorf enters the week with a 2-4 mark on the season. The Warriors are coming off a split last weekend with a win over Grace College 83-79 and a loss to Trinity International University 88-77.
The Warriors have been led on the season by 6-4 forward Michael Morgan, who is averaging 15.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. In addition, 6-2 point guard June Prowell returns for Waldorf. He is tallying 13.8 points per game, while transfer guard Leland March is averaging 10.8 points per game.
The Warriors went 16-14 last season, including an early season win, 75-69, over Minnesota Crookston. Morgan and Prowell, along with 6-9 forward Kaden Verdin, are the three starters returning from last season.
Waldorf is shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 35.0 percent from beyond the arc. The Warriors are averaging 75.8 points per game and giving up 84.0 points per game to their opponents.
