CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston men's basketball team used an all-around team effort to upend St. Cloud State University, the No. 2 team in the NSIC North, 92-89. The win is a big one for a young UMC roster that includes 12 underclassmen. It signifies a big step in the right direction as Head Coach Dan Weisse and the Golden Eagles continue to build the program at UMC.

Minnesota Crookston improves to 6-9 (2-7 NSIC) with Saturday's win. They are already one win from tying the previous best for the Golden Eagles under Coach Weisse, which came in his first year with seven wins on a roster that was very senior-laden. St. Cloud State falls to 11-7 (7-2 NSIC) with the loss.

UMC would find themselves down 79-77 when they would knot up the game 79-79 following a Harrison Cleary (Fr., G, Oak Creek, Wis.) basket with 2:18 remaining. UMC would go up by as much as six points (85-79) after a Kobe Critchley (So., G, Roseville, Minn.) free throw. However, St. Cloud State would chomp away at the lead and would take the 89-88 advantage after a Gage Davis drive to the lane. Chase Knickerbocker (So., G/F, Annandale, Minn.) would knot up the game at 89-89.

UMC would be up 90-89 after a Cleary free throw, when Davis would again try to drive the lane but Xavier Hall (Sr., G, Woodbury, Minn.) would step up and make quite possibly the biggest play of the game as he took the charge. A technical on the bench after the foul call would send Cleary to the charity stripe, where he would sink both to ice the game 92-89.

Minnesota Crookston put together one of their most balanced efforts of the season as four players scored in double-figures and all eight players who saw the floor came up with a crucial play on the night. Cleary had a bounce back game for the Golden Eagles after struggling a bit in the last three. The NSIC's leading scorer would finish with 26 points on 8-of-18 from the field. He was 8-of-11 from the charity stripe.

Gable Smith (R-So., F, Lodi, Wis.) proved effective in the post as he put up a career-high with 17 points on 5-of-7 from the field. He was 5-of-8 from the charity stripe. Smith also had a career night on the defensive end as the blocking machine set the school record and a career-high with seven blocks on the night.

Connor Gamble (R-Fr., G, Stillwater, Minn.) would have a great night for UMC as he came off the bench for 18 points on 5-of-7 from the field and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Critchley would be the straw that stirred the drink from his point guard spot. He would finish with a career high eight assists. He added 10 points. Jim Warmack (Jr., F/C, East Grand Forks, Minn.) would chip in 10 points.

The Golden Eagles would shoot 27-of-50 from the field for 54.0 percent. They finished 11-of-18 for 61.1 percent from beyond the arc and 27-of-37 for 71.1 percent from the charity stripe. The Golden Eagles would have 15 assists to eight turnovers on the night.

St. Cloud State would be led by their guard court. Davis, the NCAA Division I transfer, would lead the way with 28 points and eight boards on 10-of-17 from the field. Scottie Stone chipped in 27 points on 8-of-18 from the field and 5-of-12 from beyond the arc. Jon Averkamp would add 15 points and eight rebounds, but would foul out on the night.

The Huskies shot 33-of-64 for 51.6 percent from the field. They were 7-of-17 for 41.2 percent from beyond the arc. They would struggle from the charity stripe as they went just 16-of-25 for 64.0 percent.

UMC would take the early 5-2 lead out of the gate after a pair of Knickerbocker free throws. St. Cloud State would climb back and would take the lead out to 12-8 after an Averkamp bucket. They would build their lead to 16-10, before UMC would be able to cut the advantage to 16-14 on a Smith free throw.

The Huskies would extend their lead to 22-16 after an Averkamp jumper with just under 10 minutes remaining in the half. UMC would get the lead down to 24-21 on a Critchley three. However, the Huskies would come right back and go on a 7-0 run culminating with a Stone trey to make it 31-21 with 6:40 left in the half. UMC would bounce right back and go on an 8-0 run of their own stamped by a Cleary jumper to make it 31-29 with 5:04 remaining in the frame. UMC would pull within one after a pair of Hall free throws.

St. Cloud State would then end the half on a strong note as they pushed their lead out to 40-34 going into the break.

UMC would cut into the lead and get it down to 40-38 early in the second half on a Knickerbocker basket. They would knot the game up 41-41 on a Knickerbocker free throw with 17:35 remaining in the game.

It would become a see-saw exchange between the two teams before the Huskies pushed their advantage out to 52-46 on a Stone three-pointer. They would build their lead to 55-47 led by three Stone free throws after being fouled on a three-point attempt. The lead would get out to as much as 10 before UMC would be able to take a bite of their advantage.

A 7-0 run would lead the cause for UMC stamped by a Smith dunk off a Critchley pass to cut the lead to 63-57 with 10:27 left. The Golden Eagles would get the lead down to one point (64-63) after a Gamble old-fashioned three-point play with 8:38 left in the contest.

St. Cloud State would respond and would get their lead out to 68-63 with 7:32 remaining. They would push their lead out to seven before UMC would make another charge. The Golden Eagles cut the advantage to 74-71 on a Gamble three-pointer with 5:03 left.

They would get within one on a pair of Smith free throws. St. Cloud State would lead by two (79-77) with 2:39 remaining after an Averkamp basket. UMC would again respond in the face of adversity with baskets from Cleary and Smith would go up 81-79 with 1:49 left in the game.

They would push their lead out six before St. Cloud State would make their late charge that would be fended off by the Golden Eagles as they won 92-89.

Minnesota Crookston will hit the road to face Bemidji State University Tues., Jan. 10 at 8 p.m. The game will be at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minn., the venue is normally home to BSU's hockey team, but has been converted for basketball for three men's basketball games this week.