• The Minnesota Crookston men's basketball team concludes their 2018 portion of their schedule Sun., Dec. 30 versus Bemidji State University at 4 p.m. The Golden Eagles are looking for a season split against the Beavers as they fell 96-95 in overtime to Bemidji State Dec. 1, 2018.

•  GREAT START. The Minnesota Crookston men's basketball team has matched their 2017-18 start with a 7-6 mark through the first 13 games. Minnesota Crookston is just three games shy of tying their school-record for wins which was set with 10 victories during the 2017-18 season. Minnesota Crookston has never had back-to-back 10-win seasons. 

• CHASING GREATNESS. Harrison Cleary has had an incredible start to his career. The junior already has 1,613 career points for the Golden Eagles. Cleary needs 305  points to surpass Minnesota Crookston great Joe Hasz as the all-time leading scorer. In addition, Cleary is already 20th all-time in scoring in the NSIC with 1,147 career points. Cleary needs two points to surpass Eric Erdmann of UMary and Assem Marei of Minnesota State for 18th-all-time in NSIC scoring. Cleary has scored over 20 points six times this season, including a career-high 47 points against MSU Moorhead Dec. 7. He is averaging 20.8 points per game, while shooting 51.4 percent from beyond the arc on the 2018-19 season.

• RECORD-CHASER. Gable Smith has already shattered the school's blocks mark with 264 career blocks. He is now attempting to get into the Top 10 for points, where he needs just 14 points to surpass Bilal Hill for 10th all-time. In addition, Smith is third all-time for steals with 108. He needs 22 steals to surpass Almir Krdzalic for second all-time.  Earlier this season, Smith became the school's all-time leading rebounder. He currently has 528 career rebounds. Smith is averaging 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game on the 2018-19 season.

• MAKING MALCOLM. Redshirt junior Malcolm Cohen is showing signs of the player he can become. The native of Detroit, Mich., has averaged 10.5 points per game in the last four tilts for the Golden Eagles. Cohen notched a career-high 24 points in a win over MSU Moorhead Dec. 7. He tallied 12 points versus Augustana. Cohen is tallying 8.5 points per game off the bench on the 2018-19 season for Minnesota Crookston.

• CROWN JUHL.  Minnesota Crookston sophomore Ben Juhl has continued to show vast improvement for the Golden Eagles. Juhl notched 14.0 points per game during the last NSIC weekend for the Golden Eagles. He is averaging 11.7 points per game, and is shooting 41.2 percent from beyond the arc on the 2018-19 season.

•  TURNING THE CORNER.  The Minnesota Crookston men's basketball team has made big strides as a program in the last 1.5 years. The Golden Eagles have posted a 17-25 mark in their last 42 games, a vast improvement from where the program was prior to Coach Dan Weisse as they went 8-46 in the two seasons prior to his arrival. The Golden Eagles will look to continue to make the next step as a program as they continue the 2018-19 season.

•  THREE BALL.  The three ball has been of vital importance for the Golden Eagles as they come into the weekend in fifth in the NSIC in three-point shooting percentage at 41.4 percent. The Golden Eagles are averaging 9.6 three-pointer per game on the 2018-19 season. Minnesota Crookston has been led by Cleary at 51.4 percent. Juhl is shooting 41.2 percent, while Chase Knickerbocker is hitting at a 41.0 percent clip on the 2018-19 season.

•  JAVI. Minnesota Crookston junior Javier Nicolau has continued to make an impact for the Golden Eagles off the bench. Nicolau is averaging 4.5 points and 2.5 rebounds per game for Minnesota Crookston, including a season-high seven points against Wayne State. 

•  BEMIDJI STATE BEAVERS. Bemidji State comes into Sunday with a 4-5 (1-4 NSIC) mark. Their lone win in league play came over Minnesota Crookston Dec. 1. The Beavers have been guided by the play of their forwards as Derek Thompson is averaging 16.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, while Logan Bader is tallying 14.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per tilt. In addition, sharp-shooter Jacob Hoffman is notching 12.4 points per game. Hoffman is shooting an astounding 51.7 percent from beyond the arc. Ja Morgan has also had an instant impact on the Beavers. The transfer is tallying 10.4 points and 6.6 assists per game. Bemidji State is averaging 81.0 points per game, while allowing 78.0 points per tilt. The Beavers are shooting 50.8 points per game, while hitting at a 41.7 percent clip from beyond the arc.    

Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles
Head Coach: Dan Weisse
Record at UMC: 35-90 Season at UMC: Fifth Season

Bemidji State Beavers
Head Coach: Mike Boschee
Record at BSU: 80-96 Season at BSU: Seventh Season

Bemidji State at Minnesota Crookston
Date: Sun., Dec. 30
Time: 4 p.m.
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/crk/
Live Stats: https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Series Record: Bemidji State leads 32-9 since 1999-00 over Minnesota Crookston
Last Meeting: Bemidji State won 96-95 in overtime over Minnesota Crookston Dec. 1, 2018
Trends: Bemidji State won the last game in the series

Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles
Projected Starters
Jr. PG 0 Harrison Cleary (6-1 180, Oak Creek, Wis.) 20.8 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.8 APG
So. SG 2 Ben Juhl (6-1 186, Clive, Iowa), 11.7 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2.0 APG
Sr. SF 25 Chase Knickerbocker (6-7 210, Annandale, Minn.) 12.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG
Sr. PF 30 Josh Collins (6-6 230, Minneapolis, Minn.) 6.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG
R-Sr. C 24 Gable Smith (6-7 225, Lodi, Wis.) 5.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.5 BPG

Bemidji State Beavers
Projected Starters
Jr. PG 3 Ja Morgan, 6-1 180, Las Vegas, Nev., 10.4 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 6.6 APG
So. SG 1 Jacob Hoffman, 6-3 189, Horsens, Denmark, 12.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG
Jr. 3G 10 Jacob McNallan, 6-2 190, Andover, Minn., 9.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG
Jr. SF 24 Logan Bader, 6-7 205, Milltown, Wis., 14.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG
So. PF 5 Derek Thompson, 6-8 218, Cold Spring, Minn., 16.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG

#5StoryLines
1. Can Minnesota Crookston bounce back after losing to Bemidji State Dec. 1?

2. Can Harrison Cleary continue to have a major impact for the Golden Eagles?

3. Can the Golden Eagles defend the post to limit Derek Thompson and Logan Bader for Bemidji State?

4. Can the Golden Eagles continue to shoot the three-ball well this weekend?

5. Will Minnesota Crookston limit the three-point shooting of Jacob Hoffman?