The Scoop
The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team continues a four-game road stand this weekend as they trek to Marshall, Minn. and Sioux Falls, S.D. The Golden Eagles will take on Southwest Minnesota State University Fri., Jan. 12 at 6 p.m. and will face University of Sioux Falls Sat., Jan. 13 at 4 p.m. 

Previewing the Golden Eagles
Minnesota Crookston comes into the weekend with a 2-11 (2-7 NSIC) mark after a tough weekend on the road at University of Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State University. The Golden Eagles had a strong weekend prior to their last one as they came just shy of upsetting a very strong Winona State University team and controlled the game against Upper Iowa University.

The Golden Eagles are paced by guard Micaela Noga (Sr., G, Parkers Prairie, Minn.), who has notched 11-straight games in double-figures. Noga is tallying 13.6 points per game for Minnesota Crookston. She continues to improve from beyond the arc where she struggled early on in the season. Noga is shooting 14-of-28 for 50.0 percent from distance in the last four games. In addition, Noga is just 47 points away from becoming the 11th player in school history to reach 1,000 points. She needs 61 points to surpass Bri Zabel for 10th all-time in scoring.

In addition to Noga, Isieoma Odor (R-Jr., F/C, Bloomington, Minn.) has had a strong season for the Maroon and Gold. Odor has held down the post with her 14.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Caitlin Michaelis (Jr., G, Marshfield, Wis.) has also been an important cog for Minnesota Crookston this season. Michaelis is averaging 11.1 points per game and is shooting 42.6 percent from beyond the arc. Emily Gruber (Sr., F, Monticello, Minn.) enters the weekend averaging 8.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.

Off of the bench, the Golden Eagles look to Abby Guidinger (Fr., G/F, Waukesha, Wis.) with 5.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Paige Weakley (Jr., G/F, Kearney, Mo.) has also made an impact of late. She is averaging 6.3 points per game in the last six games. Weakley is shooting 8-of-13 for 61.5 percent from beyond the arc in the last four games.

The Golden Eagles enter the weekend shooting 40.8 percent as a team. Minnesota Crookston is averaging 62.2 points per game. They have been strong on defense as they are limiting their foes to 69.8 points per game. The Golden Eagles are shooting 30.9 percent from beyond the arc and 78.8 percent from the charity stripe.

Previewing the Mustangs
Southwest Minnesota State is in their second season under Head Coach Tom Webb. They also have a familiar face on the sidelines with former Golden Eagle Brittani Wiese entering her second season as an assistant coach. Wiese is ranked sixth all-time in scoring for Minnesota Crookston.

The Mustangs come in with a 3-10 (2-8 NSIC) mark. Southwest Minnesota State is averaging 61.5 points per game, while giving up 70.5 points per game to their opponents. The Mustangs are shooting 36.1 percent from the field, 28.5 percent from beyond the arc and 73.4 percent from the charity stripe.

Southwest Minnesota State boasts a young team that includes four underclassmen who start. The Mustangs have been led thus far by forward Caleigh Rodning, who is tallying 11.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. In addition, freshman forward Erin Baxter is averaging 10.1 points per game. At guard, Meleah Reinhart leads the way for the Mustangs with 8.5 points per game. Baxter shoots 35.4 percent from behind the three-point line, while Reinhart comes in shooting 34.0 percent from distance.

Previewing the Cougars
Sioux Falls comes into the weekend with a 9-5 (6-4 NSIC) record. USF is 1-3 in their last four games with their only win coming over Upper Iowa. The Cougars lost to Wayne State College, No. 11 Augustana University and Winona State University.

USF also has a young team with five underclassmen in their main rotation of seven players. The Cougars are led by guard Kaely Hummel, who is tallying 16.4 points per game. Hummel has been the main offensive producer as she is the only active player averaging in double-figures. Guard Lauren Sanders comes in averaging 9.4 points per game and shooting 36.4 percent from beyond the arc. Mariah Szymanski is notching 9.3 points per game. Jacey Huinker comes in tallying 6.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.

The Cougars are averaging 65.8 points per game. They have been strong defensively as they are only allowing 59.8 points per game. USF is shooting 38.0 percent from the field, 31.5 percent from beyond the arc and 70.4 percent from the foul line. 

Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles
Head Coach: Mike Roysland
Record at UMC: 107-205 Season at UMC: 12th Season

Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs
Head Coach: Tom Webb
Record at SMSU: 6-34 Season at SMSU: Second Season

Sioux Falls Cougars
Head Coach: Travis Traphagen
Record at USF: 187-95 Season at USF: 10th Season

Date: Jan. 12, 2017
Time: 6 p.m.
Opponent: Southwest Minnesota State University
Site: Marshall, Minn. (R/A Facility)
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/smsu/mbball/?path=wbball
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/smsu/
Date: Jan. 13, 2017
Time: 4 p.m.
Opponent: University of Sioux Falls
Site: Sioux Falls, S.D. (Stewart Center)
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/siouxfalls/wbball/
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/siouxfalls/
Radio: 1260 KROX AM/105.7 FM (Friday)
Officials (Friday): Jon Garrow, Craig Norland, Joseph Guidarelli
Officials (Saturday): Troy Test, Chad Vossekuil, Jeremy Becker
Last (SMSU): Southwest Minnesota State won 75-66 in Crookston Jan. 13, 2017
Series: Southwest Minnesota State leads the series 18-11 in Division II. The Golden Eagles are 9-4 since the 2009-10 season
Last (USF): Sioux Falls  won 69-63 in Crookston Jan. 14, 2017
Series: Sioux Falls leads the all-time series 4-2. Minnesota Crookston last won Feb. 6, 2015. 

Minnesota Crookston
Projected Starters
So. PG 4 Stephanie McWilliams, 5-8, Grand Forks, N.D. 4.1 PPG, 3.1 APG
Sr. SG 10 Micaela Noga, 5-7, Parkers Prairie, Minn. 13.6 PPG, 4.8 RPG
Jr. 3G 3 Caitlin Michaelis, 5-8, Marshfield, Wis. 11.1 PPG, 2.3 RPG
Sr. SF 22 Emily Gruber, 5-11, Monticello, Minn. 8.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG
R-Jr. PF 15 Isieoma Odor, 6-0, Bloomington, Minn. 14.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG
Top Bench Players
Fr. G/F 12 Abby Guidinger , 5-10, Waukesha, Wis. 5.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG
So. G/F 32 Paige Weakley, 5-9, Kearney, Mo. 3.8 PPG, 1.2 RPG
Jr. G/F 21 Lindsey Weber, 5-11, Delafield, Wis. 1.5 PPG, 1.4 RPG

Southwest Minnesota State
Projected Starters
Fr. PG 1 Meleah Reinhart, 5-9, New Ulm, Minn. 8.5 PPG, 1.7 RPG
Fr. SG 3 Sadie Stelter, 5-8, Wood Lake, Minn. 7.3 PPG, 2.3 RPG
So. SF 5 Caleigh Rodning, 5-11, Shakopee, Minn. 11.0 PPG, 7.8 RPG
Fr. PF 24 Erin Baxter, 6-0, Apple Valley, Minn. 10.1 PPG, 2.8 RPG
Sr. C 45 Taylor Holicky, 6-0, Cleveland, Minn. 3.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG
Top Bench Players
Jr. G 21 Sarah Buysse, 5-9, Marshall, Minn. 6.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG
Sr. F 33 Lauren Hedlund, 5-11, Hinton, Iowa 4.4 PPG, 4.1 RPG
Fr. C 35 Abuk Akoi, 6-4, Sioux Falls, S.D. 4.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG
So. G 14 Emily Buysse, 5-7, Marshall, Minn. 2.8 PPG, 0.8 RPG
Fr. F 20 Sara Teske, 6-0, Lakeville, Minn. 2.6 PPG, 1.7 RPG

Sioux Falls
Projected Starters
So. PG 12 Kaely Hummel, 5-8, Cherokee, Iowa 16.4 PPG, 2.6 RPG
So. SG 22 Mariah Szymanski, 5-6, Pulaski, Wis. 9.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG
Jr. SF 23 Jacey Huinker, 5-9, Altoona, Iowa 6.4 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 3.2 APG
So. PF 14 Andi Mataloni, 6-0, Urbandale, Iowa 5.8 PPG, 2.1 RPG
Sr. C 34 Moira Duffy, 6-0, Rapid City, S.D. 3.6 PPG, 6.1 RPG
Top Bench Players
Fr. G 32 Lauren Sanders, 5-7, Millard, Neb. 9.4 PPG, 2.5 RPG
So. G 3 Augusta Thramer, 5-8, South Sioux City, Neb. 4.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG

#5StoryLines
1. Can the Golden Eagles have strong shooting from beyond the arc? 

2. Can Minnesota Crookston come up big on the glass in the crucial moments?

3. Will the Golden Eagles slow down USF's Kaely Hummel on Saturday?

4. Can Minnesota Crookston pressure the young core of SMSU Friday?

5. Will Minnesota Crookston continue to get strong production off of the bench from the likes of Abby Guidinger and Paige Weakley?

#GetItToThePost
Minnesota Crookston redshirt junior forward Isieoma Odor has had a great 
start to her junior season. Odor leads the team with 14.8 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per game. She is shooting 49.7 percent from the field this season. Odor averaged 17.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game last weekend for the Golden Eagles. She will look to continue to make an impact as Minnesota Crookston takes on Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls on the road. 

#MichaelisMakingAMajorImpact

Junior guard Caitlin Michaelis has perhaps been the most improved player for the Golden Eagles this season. Michaelis comes into the weekend averaging 11.1 points per game. She leads the team by shooting 42.6 percent from beyond the arc. Michaelis has notched 13.0 points per game in the last five for Minnesota Crookston. She is shooting 10-of-11 for 90.9 percent from the foul line in the last four games. Michaelis is 10-of-21 for 47.6 percent in the last five games. She will look to continue her strong play heading into the weekend.

#Chasing1000
Minnesota Crookston senior Micaela Noga is just 47 points from 

becoming the 11th player in school history to tally 1,000 points. Noga is also just 61 points from surpassing Bri Zabel for 10th all-time in scoring. She has tallied double-figure scoring in 11-of-13 games this season. Noga is averaging 13.6 points per game. She is shooting 14-of-28 for 50.0 percent from beyond the arc in the past four Golden Eagle games.

#FeelingItFromThree
Sophomore Paige Weakley has made a major impact off of the bench for the Golden Eagles recently. Weakley is averaging 6.3 points per game in the last six games. Weakley has been feeling it from beyond the arc in recent games as she is 8-of-13 for 61.5 percent during the last four games. She will look to continue to make a positive impact off of the bench in games to come.