Previewing the Golden Eagles
    The Golden Eagles come into post-season play with an 8-18 (8-14 NSIC) mark. Minnesota Crookston is 5-7 on the road this season. In addition, Minnesota Crookston has played their best basketball since Dec. 31, 2017. The Golden Eagles have put up a 7-9 mark since that point. Minnesota Crookston has had a very similar season to 2016-17. The Golden Eagles ended the season with a 7-10 mark after Dec. 31, very similarly to the 2017-18 season. Minnesota Crookston ended last season with an 8-20 mark overall.

    Minnesota Crookston looks to Isieoma Odor (R-Jr., F/C, Bloomington, Minn.), who played some of her best basketball last weekend. Odor averaged 22.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in wins over University of Mary and Minot State University. Odor is closing in on 1,000 points as she needs just 19 to become the 12th player in school history to reach the milestone.
    In addition to Odor, Micaela Noga (Sr., G, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) enters the tournament averaging 12.4 points per game. Noga ranks seventh all-time in scoring in Minnesota Crookston history with 1,098 career points. Noga has already moved past Bri Zabel, Jessica Forsline, Cathy Behr and Stephanie Mayclin on the all-time charts.

    Caitlin Michaelis (Jr., G, Marshfield, Wis.) comes in tallying 10.9 points per game. Michaelis is shooting 40.2 percent from beyond the arc. Abby Guidinger (Fr., G/F, Waukesha, Wis.) has been vital for Minnesota Crookston recently. Guidinger is notching 9.8 points per game. She is tallying 14.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in the last four games. Emily Gruber (Sr., F/C, Monticello, Minn.) rounds out the top scorers by notching 8.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Gruber needs just 47 points to join the 1,000 point club.

    The Golden Eagles are averaging 63.96 points per game, while allowing their opponents to score 69.4 points per game. Minnesota Crookston is shooting 39.4 percent from the field, 29.8 percent from beyond the arc and 79.2 percent from the foul line.

Previewing the Wildcats
    Wayne State enters Wednesday with a 24-6 (18-4 NSIC) mark. The Wildcats have won 10 straight games coming into the tournament. Wayne State came up with a narrow 67-60 win over Minnesota Crookston Feb. 3 in Crookston. The Golden Eagles were within striking distance for most of the game, but shot just 31.4 percent from the field on the game.

    The Wildcats are led by their post play, specifically by Paige Ballinger, who is averaging 12.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Maggie Schulte is another threat inside to score. She also adds strong passing ability from the high post. Schulte is notching 11.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. Freshman Erin Norling comes in notching 9.1 points and 3.8 rebounds, while guard Kacie O'Connor is averaging 8.6 points per game. Schulte is one of the top three-point shooters for the Wildcats at 47.0 percent.

    Wayne State is averaging 76.0 points per game. They are allowing their foes to score just 60.9 points per contest. Wayne State is shooting 44.6 percent from the field, 36.9 percent from beyond the arc and 79.6 percent from the stripe.

Previewing the Huskies
    St. Cloud State opens tournament play with a 17-9 (14-8 NSIC) mark. The Huskies host Concordia-St. Paul Wednesday to open the conference tournament. St. Cloud State is led by guard Andrea Thomas, who is tallying 13.4 points per game. Freshman Tori Wortz has had a strong season for the Huskies with 10.2 points per game. Amanda Christianson is tallying 9.1 points per game and is shooting 43.6 percent from beyond the arc. Madelin Dammann is averaging 8.9 points per game.

    The Huskies are averaging 64.7 points per game and are allowing foes to score 59.1 points per game. St. Cloud State is shooting 41.4 percent from the field, 36.2 percent from beyond the arc and 71.6 percent from the stripe.

Previewing the Golden Bears
    Concordia-St. Paul comes into tournament play with an 11-17 (8-14 NSIC) mark. The Golden Bears are traveling to St. Cloud State for the opening round of the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament. Concordia-St. Paul has one of the top scorers in the NSIC with guard Anna Schmitt. She is averaging 19.2 points per game. Schmitt is shooting 41.3 percent from beyond the arc. Post Lindsay Dorr comes in tallying 10.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Brianna Miller is notching 7.1 points per game, while Ellie Gess is averaging 6.7 points per game.

    The Golden Bears are averaging 63.4 points per game and are allowing foes to score 69.5 points per game. Concordia-St. Paul is shooting 38.6 percent from the field and 30.4 percent from beyond the arc. The Golden Eagles are hitting at a 70.8 percent clip from the foul line.

1. Can the Golden Eagles reached the Sanford Pentagon for the fourth-straight season?

2. Can the Golden Eagles limit Paige Ballinger in the post for Wayne State?

3. Can the Golden Eagles be strong on the glass, especially in limiting offensive boards for the other team?

4. Can Isy Odor and/or Emily Gruber reach 1,000 points?

5. Will Abby Guidinger continue to be a scoring threat for the Golden Eagles?

Minnesota Crookston
Projected Starters
Sr. PG 10 Micaela Noga, 5-7, Parkers Prairie, Minn.            12.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.7 APG
Jr. SG 3 Caitlin Michaelis, 5-8, Marshfield, Wis.            10.9 PPG, 3.0 RPG
Jr. 3G 21 Lindsey Weber, 5-11, Delafield, Wis.                1.4 PPG, 1.2 RPG
Sr. SF 22 Emily Gruber, 5-11, Monticello, Minn.            8.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG
R-Jr. PF 15 Isieoma Odor, 6-0, Bloomington, Minn.            14.5 PPG, 7.4 RPG
Top Bench Players
So. G/F 32 Paige Weakley, 5-9, Kearney, Mo.                3.0 PPG, 1.3 RPG
Fr. 3G 12 Abby Guidinger, 5-10, Waukesha, Wis.            9.8 PPG, 4.0 RPG
Fr. G 11 Ashley Freund, 5-11, Jordan, Minn.                1.3 PPG, 1.2 RPG

Wayne State Wildcats
Projected Starters
Fr. PG 23 Halley Busse, 5-5, Winthrop, Minn.            6.1 PPG, 1.2 RPG
Sr. SG 15 Kacie O'Connor, 5-10, Sundance, Wyo.            8.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG
Fr. SF 22 Erin Norling, 5-11, Loretto, Minn.                9.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG
Sr. PF 35 Maggie Schulte, 6-0, Wynot, Neb.                11.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.0 APG
Sr. C 52 Paige Ballinger, 6-1, Pender, Neb.                12.1 PPG, 6.0 RPG
Top Bench Players
Jr. F 44 Andrea Larson, 6-0, Sperry, Iowa                6.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG
Fr. F/C 54 Brittany Bongartz, 6-0, Ramsey, Minn.            6.6 PPG, 3.0 RPG
Jr. G 12 Maggie Lowe, 5-7, Perry, Iowa                5.8 PPG, 1.2 RPG
So. G 21 Eveleyn Knox, 5-7, Plymouth, Minn.                3.6 PPG, 0.7 RPG

St. Cloud State Huskies
Projected Starters
Sr. PG 10 Andrea Thomas, 5-5, Mauston, Wis.            13.4 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.3 APG
So. SG 4 Madelin Dammann, 5-9, Wacona, Minn.            8.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG
Fr. 3G 2 Tori Wortz, 5-8, Hutchinson, Minn.                10.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.2 APG
Sr. SF 32 Amanda Christianson, 5-10, Alexandria, Minn.            9.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG
R-So. PF 45 Brianna Johnson, 6-0, Beaver Dam, Wis.            6.2 PPG, 5.7 RPG

Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears
Projected Starters
Jr. PG 11 Anna Schmitt, 5-7, Waconia, Minn.                19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.7 APG
Sr. SG 0 Haydn Becker, 5-9, Andover, Minn.                3.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG
Jr. 3G 10 Kayla Miller, 5-10, Pequot Lakes, Minn.            6.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG
Jr. SF 15 Hanna Vidlund, 5-10, Forest Lake, Minn.            5.4 PPG, 2.6 RPG
Jr. PF 40 Lindsay Dorr, 6-2, Otsego, Minn.                10.9 PPG, 7.4 RPG

Minnesota Crookston redshirt junior forward Isieoma Odor has had a strong junior season averaging 14.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Odor is closing in on becoming the 12th player in school history to reach 1,000 points. The post player needs just 19 points to join the elite club. Odor is coming off one of her best weekend of the season with 22.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Odor will look to follow up that performance as the Golden Eagles open up the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament.

Minnesota Crookston freshman Abby Guidinger continues to come into her own in her freshman season. The native of Waukesha, Wis. is averaging 14.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game over her last four games. Guidinger has been vital for the team in the 2018 calendar year. Guidinger has scored in double figures in 11 games since Jan. 12. She had a great weekend against Minot State and U-Mary as the freshman notched 14.5 points per game last weekend. She tallied 19 points in the win last Saturday over the Marauders. Guidinger will look to have a major impact against Wayne State.

#MovingUpTheCharts
Minnesota Crookston senior Micaela Noga became the 11th player in school history to eclipse 1,000 points against U-Mary earlier this season. The senior has scored 1,098 points in her career. Noga surpassed Stephanie Mayclin for seventh all-time last weekend to move up to seventh all-time in scoring. She will look to continue to add to her total this weekend.

Senior Emily Gruber is also closing in on 1,000 points, along with teammate Isy Odor. Gruber is one point behind Odor currently with 935 career points. She needs just 47 points to move past 1,000 career points. Gruber is averaging 8.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game on the season. She notched 14 points in last Friday's win over Minot State.