CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team will open up 2017 at Lysaker Gymnasium against University of Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State University. The Golden Eagles will take on the Bulldogs Fri., Jan. 6 at 6 p.m. and the Huskies Sat., Jan. 7 at 4 p.m.

UMC will look to build off their last three games, in which they have won two games. 

Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles
Head Coach: Mike Roysland
Record at UMC: 99-179 Season at UMC: 11th Season

Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs
Head Coach: Mandy Pearson
Record at UMD: 15-23 Season at BSU: Second Season

St. Cloud State Huskies
Head Coach: Lori Fish
Record at SCSU: 114-91 Season at SCSU: Ninth Season 

Jan. 6, 2016 • Crookston, Minn. • Lysaker Gymnasium •  6 p.m. 
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/crk/
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/umcrookston/wbball/
Radio: 1260 KROX AM/105.7 FM

Jan. 7, 2016 • Crookston, Minn. • Lysaker Gymnasium •  4 p.m. 
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/crk/
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/umcrookston/wbball/
Radio: 1260 KROX AM/105.7 FM

Weekly Snapshot

Minnesota Crookston
Projected Starters
Jr. PG 10 Micaela Noga (5-7, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) 7.6 PPG, 2.8 RPG
So. SG 14 Alison Hughes (5-7, Janesville, Wis.) 16.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG
So. 3G 3 Caitlin Michaelis (5-8, Marshfield, Wis.) 5.4 PPG, 2.5 RPG
Jr. SF 22 Emily Gruber (5-11, Monticello, Minn.) 6.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG
R-So. PF 15 Isieoma Odor (6-0, Bloomington, Minn.) 10.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG
Top Bench Players
Fr. G 11 Kitri Zezza (5-7, Albertville, Minn.) 5.7 PPG, 2.1 RPG
Fr. G/F 20 Kelsey Stinson (5-11, Cottage Grove, Wis.) 6.8 PPG, 2.2 RPG
Fr. G/F 32 Paige Weakley (5-9, Kearney, Mo.) 3.7 PPG, 2.0 RPG

Minnesota Duluth
Projected Starters
So. PG 23 Sammy Kozlowski (5-9, New Berlin, Wis.) 12.8 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.4 APG
Sr. SG 12 Jenna Orr (5-6, Rice Lake, Wis.) 3.8 PPG, 1.7 RPG
Sr. SF 21 Kenzie Kane (5-10, Grand Rapids, Minn.) 6.2 PPG, 1.8 RPG
Sr. PF 42 Taylor Meyer (6-0, Farmington, Minn.) 11.6 PPG, 5.9 RPG
Sr. C 4 Allyson Harris (6-2, Northfield, Minn.) 7.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG
Top Bench Players
Fr. F 22 Josie Buckley (6-0, Rice Lake, Wis.) 7.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG
Jr. F 24 Anna Monke (6-0, Fergus Falls, Minn.) 4.6 PPG, 2.2 RPG
Fr. F 31 Katie Stark (5-11, Hayward, Wis.) 4.3 PPG, 2.6 RPG
Fr. G 3 Taylor Schneider (5-9, Turtle Lake, Wis.) 2.4 PPG, 0.7 RPG

St. Cloud State
Projected Starters
Jr. PG 10 Andrea Thomas (5-5, Mauston, Wis.) 8.4 PPG, 3.8 APG
Sr. SG 2 Betsy MacDonald (5-5, St. Paul, Minn.) 19.0 PPG, 3.3 APG
Sr. 3G 34 Chelsea Nooker (5-9, Green Bay, Wis.) 15.7 PPG, 6.2 RPG
Jr. SF 32 Amanda Christianson (5-10, Alexandria, Minn.) 10.7 PPG, 2.6 RPG
R-Jr. PF 25 Emily Pratt (6-0, St. Cloud, Minn.) 2.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG
Top Bench Players
R-So. G 11 Mallie Doucette (5-6, Colfax, Wis.) 8.9 PPG, 2.1 RPG
Fr. G 4 Madelin Dammann (5-9, Waconia, Minn.) 5.1 PPG, 2.4 RPG
R-Fr. F 45 Brianna Johnson (6-0, Beaver Dam, Wis.) 3.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG

#5StoryLines

1. Can the get consistent performances out of their starters?

2. Can the Golden Eagles slow down St. Cloud State's guard court?

3. Can Alison Hughes continue her strong performance?

4. Can the UMC freshmen continue to show growth?

5. Will the Golden Eagles get strong play in the post?

#CaitlinCatchingFire
UMC sophomore guard Caitlin Michaelis is coming off her best game of the season. Michaelis had 11 points on 3-of-6 from the field against Upper Iowa in a win. Michaelis was also a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe, including the game-clinching free throws. She will look to build off her performance in the Upper Iowa game heading into two conference home games this weekend. 

#HughesLeadingTheWay
Alison Hughes continues to pace the Golden Eagles this season. Hughes is one of the NSIC's leading scorers this season at 16.4 points per game. She is coming off a major performance against Upper Iowa, in which she had 23 points on 5-of-11 from the field and 5-of-9 from beyond the arc. She continues to be the go-to player for UMC this season, averaging 42.6 percent from beyond the arc and 41.6 percent from the field. In addition, she leads the league at 93.4 percent from the charity stripe. She was a perfect 8-of-8 from there against the Peacocks. 

#Chasing100
UMC Head Coach Mike Roysland needs just one win to pick up his 100th career win. Roysland has been with the Golden Eagles for the last 11 years. He will become the first UMC coach in the NSIC era to reach 100 wins. Roysland has had 34 wins in the last three years en route to two NSIC/Sanford Health quarterfinal appearances in 2015 and 2016. 

#GruberInTheClutch
UMC junior Emily Gruber had a slow start to the season, but she has come into form in recent weeks. Gruber is averaging 11.7 points per game over the last three for the Golden Eagles. Gruber was crucial in Saturday's win over Upper Iowa. The forward played most of the game with four fouls, but avoided fouling out and came away with some big baskets and big rebounds down the stretch for UMC. She finished with 13 points and three assists in the win for UMC. She will look to build off her recent performances as she heads into the weekend. 

#Tidbits

- Minnesota Crookston has won two of their last three games coming into this weekend. The young Golden Eagle squad continues to show improvement. They will look to open the New Year with strong performances against 
Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State. UMC is averaging 64.5 points per game on the season. They are shooting 36.3 percent from the field and 32. 6 percent from beyond the arc. 

- The Golden Eagles are looking to continue to improve defensively. They are currently giving up 75.7 points per game to their opponents and allowing opposing teams to shoot 47.1 percent from the field.  In their two wins this season, they have limited those teams to 68 points per game and under 45 percent shooting from the field.

- Kelsey Stinson has continued to become more of an impact player off the bench for the Golden Eagles. Stinson is averaging 8.0 points per game over the last five for the Golden Eagles. She had 12 points against both St. Cloud State and MSU Moorhead. 

- Paige Weakley is coming off her best game as a Golden Eagle. The Missouri-native had nine points on 3-of-6 from the field against Upper Iowa on Saturday.

- The Golden Eagles fell 75-62 to St. Cloud State earlier this season. Isieoma Odor led the way with a double-
double of 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Alison Hughes had 15. UMC shot 36.4 percent from the field and 30.4 percent from beyond the arc in the game.

- UMC fell to Minnesota Duluth in a close one, 84-77, earlier this season. The Golden Eagles made a late charge in the fourth quarter but fell short. Hughes led the way with 15 points, while Emily Gruber had 13 points and six boards. UMC shot 46.3 percent from the field and 55 percent from beyond the arc. 

- UMD is in their second season under Mandy Pearson. The Bulldogs are led by guard Sammy Kozlowski, who is averaging 12.8 points per game. In the post, UMD looks to a pair of over-six-footers in Taylor Meyer and Allyson Harris. Meyer is averaging 11.6 points per game, while Harris averages 7.6 points per game. The Bulldogs are 8-4 on the season.

- St. Cloud State is led by their guard court this season. The Huskies are 6-6 coming into the weekend. St. Cloud State is led by Betsy MacDonald's 19.0 points per game, while Chelsea Nooker is tallying 15.7 points per game. The Huskies are shooting 42.0 percent from the field and 36.6 percent from the field. They are scoring 78.6 points per game this season.