CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team heads to San Antonio, Texas Nov. 25-26 for the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic at Bill Greehey Arena. The Golden Eagles will face No. 15 Angelo State University at 2 p.m. Fri., Nov. 25. They will then take on host St. Mary's University (Texas) Sat., Nov. 26 at 4 p.m.
Minnesota Crookston Preview
So. PG 14 Alison Hughes, 5-7, Janesville, Wis.
So. SG 3 Caitlin Michaelis, 5-8, Marshfield, Wis.
Jr. 3G 10 Micaela Noga, 5-7, Parkers Prairie, Minn.
Jr. SF 22 Emily Gruber, 5-11, Monticello, Minn.
R-So. PF 15 Isieoma Odor, 6-0, Bloomington, Minn.
The Golden Eagles come into the weekend with a 0-2 mark after losses to two strong teams in Michigan Tech University and Northern Michigan University in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan last weekend.
Minnesota Crookston has been led by
Alison Hughes (So., G, Janesville, Wis.), who is off to a strong start to the season. Hughes is averaging 20.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for the Golden Eagles. She shot 57.1 percent from the field and 63.6 percent from beyond the arc last weekend for UMC.
In the post, UMC looks to
Isieoma Odor (R-So., F/C, Bloomington, Minn.), who is also off to a strong stat to the season. Odor is averaging 10.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
The Golden Eagles are looking for more production out of their other players heading into the weekend.
Micaela Noga (Jr., G, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) averaged 6.5 points last weekend, while
Kelsey Stinson (Fr., G/F, Cottage Grove, Wis.) came off the bench for 5.0 points per game.
Minnesota Crookston is shooting 31.0 percent from the field on the season and 34.1 percent from beyond the arc. They were on-par with their opponents on the boards with a 41-41 split in the first two games of the season.
Outside of Odor and Hughes, UMC averaged just 12.5 points from their other three starters last weekend. They will look for added production against two tough teams this weekend.
Angelo State Preview
Sr. PG 23 Christina Robinson, 5-9, Gilbert, Ariz.
Sr. SG 10 Taylor Dorsey, 5-7, Fort Worth, Texas
Jr. 3G 4 Keanna Kelly, 5-8, Arlington, Texas
Sr. SF 21 Lexi Murphy, 5-9, Papillion, Neb.
Jr. PF 24 Bria Frierson, 6-1, Frisco, Texas
Angelo State comes into the weekend with a 1-0 mark and a No. 15 national ranking. The Belles went 24-8 last season and made it to the second round of the South Central Regional Tournament before losing to eventual National Champion Lubbock Christian University.
Angelo State was led in the first game by Taylor Dorsey, who tallied 20 points and five rebounds. Dorsey shot 33.3 percent from beyond the arc. Off the bench, Jenelle Pelle tallied 11 points and seven rebounds for the Belles. 6-1 post Bria Frierson tallied nine points and two rebounds, while Jasmine Prophet came off the bench for nine points and six boards.
Angelo State shot 49.3 percent from the field, but they were just 24.0 percent from beyond the arc.
The Belles play a small starting line-up with basically four guards. They do have some size coming off the bench with 6-1 posts Jasmine Prophet and Chenelle Pelle coming off the bench.
Angelo State returns four starters from last season with Dorsey, Prophet, Keanna Kelly and Christina Robinson. Dorsey averaged 16.7 points per game last season, while Prophet averaged 14.2 points per game for the Belles.
St. Mary's (Texas) Preview
Sr. PG 15 LaBraile Fields, 5-9, Augusta, Ga.
Jr. SG 5 Kealani Marquez, 5-9, San Antonio, Texas
So. 3G 12 Arysia Porter, 5-6, San Antonio, Texas
Sr. SF 13 Kiara Etheridge, 5-11, San Antonio, Texas
Fr. PF 44 Tyra Cormier, 6-0, Houston, Texas
The Rattlers are off to a strong start to the season with a 5-1 mark on the year. St. Mary's is shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 35.9 percent from beyond the arc.
They are led by 5-11 forward Kiara Etheridge, who is averaging 11.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Etheridge is also a threat from beyond the arc, shooting 41.7 percent. Point guard LaBraile Fields is averaging 10.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. Arysia Porter, a 5-6 guard, is tallying 10.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game for the Rattlers. In the post, Tyra Cormier is a 6-0 freshman. She is averaging 9.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
St. Mary's is coming off a 48-36 win over Tarleton State University on Tuesday.
