CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston men's basketball team used a big second half to upend the University of Mary 91-80 to end the regular-season on a winning note. The game would be played Sat., Feb. 18 at Lysaker Gymnasium. The Golden Eagles would be down 40-36 at half, but would use a 10-0 run to open up the second half to ignite the win. Minnesota Crookston would outscore the Marauders 55-40 in the second half propelled by 23 points from Harrison Cleary (Fr., G, Oak Creek, Wis.) and 18 points and seven boards from Chase Knickerbocker (So., G/F, Annandale, Minn.).

Minnesota Crookston ends the regular-season with an 8-20 (4-18 NSIC) mark as they earn the No. 7 seed in the NSIC North Division. The Golden Eagles will travel to Upper Iowa University Wed., Feb. 22 for the first round of the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament. U-Mary ends the 2016-17 season with a 12-16 (10-12 NSIC) mark. The Golden Eagles are just one win of tying their all-time best of nine wins set during the 2000-01 season.

Cleary led the Golden Eagles on the night with 33 points on 14-of-17 from the field and 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Cleary set the school record for single-season scoring with 617 points, surpassing Joe Hasz' previous record of 599 points during the 2001-02 season. Knickerbocker had a career-high 27 points on 9-of-14 from the field and 8-of-10 from the charity stripe. Knickerbocker added eight rebounds.

Gable Smith (R-So., F, Lodi, Wis.) chipped in 13 points and seven boards. Minnesota Crookston seniors Xavier Hall (G, Woodbury, Minn.) and Riley Rice (F, Mullen, Neb.) had strong games off of the bench in their final games at Lysaker Gymnasium. Hall tallied eight points and two rebounds. Rice chipped in six points and two boards. Both players were honored prior to the game for their contributions to the program over the last two seasons. 

Minnesota Crookston would have a strong offensive night as they finished 34-of-58 from the field for 58.6 percent. They were 6-of-15 from beyond the arc for 40.0 percent. They were 17-of-25 from the charity stripe for 68.0 percent.

The Marauders were led by a double-double of 25 points and 10 boards from Bryan Jefferson on 11-of-16 from the field. Rickey Suggs also had a big game with 26 points and seven boards on 9-of-16 from the field. Trevor Zacher came off of the bench for 12 points and six boards.

U-Mary shot 31-of-62 from the field for 50.0 percent. They were 1-of-13 from beyond the arc for just 7.7 percent as they struggled to find their outside shots. U-Mary was 17-of-26 from the free throw line for 65.4 percent.

The Marauders would jump out to the early 10-4 lead after a layup from Jefferson with 16:13 left in the first half. UMC would be able to pull within 14-12 with 12:52 remaining in the frame after a basket from Chase Johnson (Fr., F, La Crosse, Wis.). U-Mary would respond with a pair of Suggs free throws to extend their lead to 16-12. However, Minnesota Crookston would jump right back with a trey from Knickerbocker as they cut the lead to 16-15.

U-Mary would continue to hold the lead until Cleary's jumper would push the Golden eagles over the edge with 8:40 left in the half. However, the Marauders responded with a layup from Suggs to make it 20-19. UMC would bounce back again with another bucket from Cleary as he started a 6-0 run as the Golden Eagles pushed their lead out to 25-20.

U-Mary bounced right back to get within 30-29 on a Suggs free throw with 3:14 left in the first quarter. Minnesota Crookston would be able to get their lead back out to 32-29 with free throws from Smith.

The Marauders would fight right back as they knotted up the game at 32-32 with an old-fashioned three-point play from Zacher with 1:50 left in the quarter.

The Marauders would end the frame on a 8-4 run as they went into the break up 40-36 over the Golden Eagles.

UMC would open the second half on a 10-0 run. The Golden Eagles would take lead out of the gate in the half with a three-pointer from Rice. Minnesota Crookston would lead 43-30 after free throws from Knickerbocker. The Marauders would be able to take the lead back 51-50 with a pair of free throws from Suggs. They would be able to build their lead to 55-50 after a basket from Zacher.

Minnesota Crookston would be able to take the lead back 61-59 as Cleary hit a triple with 10:06 left in the game. The Golden Eagles would push their lead out to 66-60 after a pair of free throws from Hall. UMC would continue to extend their lead as they made it 76-64 with a three-pointer from Cleary.

The Marauders would be able to pull within 83-75 after a free throw of Thomas with 1:49 left. However, that would be as close as they would get as UMC would hang on for the 91-80 win.
Minnesota Crookston will take on Upper Iowa at 7 p.m. Wed., Feb. 22 at Dorman Gymnasium in Fayette, Iowa.