• The Minnesota Crookston men's basketball team will look to stay hot this weekend in North Dakota. The Golden Eagles rebounded nicely last week, by winning three straight games at home, after two losses on the road at Northern State and MSU Moorhead. Minnesota Crookston picked up a non-conference victory over Jamestown last Tuesday and two conference wins over Winona State and Upper Iowa. In order to add on to their win streak, the Golden Eagles will look to do something that they haven't done this season; win on the road. The Golden Eagles will look to change that narrative when they travel to Bismarck to take on the Marauders of the University of Mary at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night. The Golden Eagles will then travel north to do battle with Minot State on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
• BRIAN IS THE SITZMANN.
Brian Sitzmann, the redshirt freshman from Savage, Minn., has made quite the impact off the bench for
Dan Weisse. Sitzmann scored a career high 18 points on 7-10 shooting in the route of Upper Iowa last Saturday. Sitzmann has started in seven games this season and is averaging 6.7 PPG this season. Sitzmann is also shooting 33 percent from the three-point line this season.
• YEAH, YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T LET HIM SHOOT. Senior guard/forward
Chase Knickerbocker had a weekend that could help propel the Golden Eagles from good to great. Through three games last week, Knickerbocker averaged 21.3 PPG on 11 of 27 shooting from behind the line, good for 40.7 percent. On the season, Knickerbocker has knocked down 49 of 127 attempts, good for 38.6 percent. Knickerbocker will look to continue his solid three-point shooting this weekend.
• OFFENSIVE JUGGERNAUT. The Golden Eagles have had no problem putting the ball in the hoop this season. The Golden Eagles are top-five in the NSIC in several offensive categories, including scoring offense (4th), margin of victory (3rd) and three-point field goal percentage (1st). The offense, led by
Harrison Cleary,
Chase Knickerbocker and
Malcolm Cohen will look to continue the solid offensive output this weekend.
• SHOT-SWATTER. Redshirt-Senior center
Gable Smith is having no problem sending away opponents shot-attempts. The native of Lodi, Wis. is averaging 2.5 BPG, which is good for second in the NSIC, right behind St. Cloud State's Sean Smith. The reigning defensive player of the year had four blocks in the win against Winona State. He has had four or more blocks in four games this season.
• HIS OBJECTIVE IS CLEAR(Y).
Harrison Cleary continues to put up outstanding numbers in the conference. Cleary is third in the conference in scoring, right behind Ryan Bruggeman of Southwest Minnesota State and Trevon Evans of Sioux Falls. In 12 NSIC games, Cleary is averaging 25.8 PPG. Cleary scored a season-high 47 points in the third conference game of the season, a Minnesota Crookston victory over MSU Moorhead 101-88. Cleary sits at ninth all-time in NSIC conference history in scoring with 1,331 points. Cleary needs six points this weekend to catch former SCSU great Scottie Stone for eighth all-time and just 17 to pass Casey Schilling, a former Augustana Viking great.
• WIDE MARGIN. The Golden Eagles have the third best margin of victory in the conference this season. Minnesota Crookston has nine victories of 15 points or more, including a 61-point victory over Oak Hills Christian College in November, a 30-point victory over Valley City State University and a 31-point victory over Upper Iowa just this past Saturday. In all nine of their victories of 15 points or more, the Golden Eagles have scored over 70 points.
• END THE STREAK. Since Minot State has entered the NSIC in the 2012-13 season, The Beavers have won every meeting between these two programs. Last season, in the first meeting between the teams, the Golden Eagles fell 80-77.
Harrison Cleary scored 34 points and eight rebounds in the loss. The Golden Eagles also fell in the second meeting last season 78-62. The Golden Eagles will look to beat the Beavers Saturday night for the first time in school history.
Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles
Head Coach: Dan Weisse
Record at UMC: 41-92 Season at UMC: Fifth Season
UMary Mauraders
Head Coach: Joe Kittell
Record at WSU: 44-61 Season at WSU: Fourth Season
Minot State Beavers
Head Coach: Matt Murken
Record at UIU:89-103 Season at UIU: Seventh Season
Minnesota Crookston at UMary
Date: Fri., Jan. 25
Time: 7:30 p.m
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/umary/
Live Stats: https://goumary.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Series Record: UMary leads the all-time series 17-5.
Last Meeting: UMary won the last meeting 80-70 Feb. 17, 2018 in Bismarck, N.D.
Trends: UMary has won five out of the previous six meetings.
Refs: Chad Bjornson, Pat Bauschelt, Brent Svor
Minnesota Crookston at Minot State
Date: Sat., Jan. 26
Time: 5:30 p.m
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/minotstate/
Live Stats:https://msubeavers.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Series Record: Minot State leads 10-0
Last Meeting: Minot State won the last meeting 78-62 on Feb. 16, 2018 in Minot, N.D.
Trends: Minot State has won every meeting between these two programs since the Beavers entered the NSIC in the 2012-2013 season.
Refs: Reggie Jackson, Darin Perius, Nathan Berseth
Minnesota Crookston
Projected Starters
Jr. PG 0 Harrison Cleary (6-1 180, Oak Creek, Wis.) 23.1 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 4.1 APG
R-Fr. SG 14 Brian Sitzmann (5-4 192, Savage, Minn.) 6.7 PPG 2.3 RPG
Sr. SF 25 Chase Knickerbocker (6-7 210, Annandale, Minn.) 12.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG
Sr. PF 30 Josh Collins (6-6 230, Minneapolis, Minn.) 8.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG
R-Sr. C 24 Gable Smith (6-7 225, Lodi, Wis.) 4.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.5 BPG
Top Bench Players
So. G 2 Ben Juhl (6-1 186, Clive, Iowa) 10.8 PPG 2.2 RPG 1.7 APG
R-Jr. G/F 12 Malcolm Cohen (6-6 210, Detroit, Mich.) 8.7 PPG, 2.7 RPG
Sr. G 13 Darin Viken (6-1 200, Fosston, Minn.) 3.2 PPG, 1.8 RPG
Jr. F/C 44 Javier Nicolau (6-10 220, Castellon, Spain) 1.8 PPG, 1.8 RPG
R-So. F 21 Chase Johnson (6-8 240, La Crosse, Wis.) 3.6 PPG, 4.3 RPG
UMary
Projected Starters
Jr. G 0 Jaylan White (5-11 175, St. Charles, Iowa)14.2 PPG 2.2 RPG 3.3 APG
So. G 11 Connor Hellebust (6-3 195, Bismarck, N.D.) 10.7 PPG 3.7 RPG
So. F 22 Wyatt Carr (6-5 225, Hazen, N.D.) 5.1 PPG 1.9 RPG
Sr. F 32 Tom Kubank (6-7 200, Adelaide, South Australia)12.1 PPG 5.4 RPG
So. F 44 Matthew Kreklow (6-9 210, Maple Plain, Minn.) 10.9 PPG 5.9 RPG
Top Bench Players
Jr. G 1 Johnnie Turner (6-3 195, Minneapolis, Minn.) 2.3 PPG 2.0 RPG
Fr. G 2 Trever Kaiser (6-2 200, Dassell, Minn.) 3.0 PPG 1.6 RPG
Jr. F 4 Richard Brown (6-7 215, Houston, Texas) 1.9 PPG 1.3 RPG
R-Fr. F 5 Justin Engg (6-5 215, Minot, N.D.) 0.9 PPG 1.3 RPG
Sr. G 23 Dennis Austin III (6-3 185, Minneapolis, Minn.) 5.9 PPG 5.7 RPG
UNIVERSITY OF MARY MARAUDERS. The Marauders come into this weekend's game with the Golden Eagles sitting at 7-11 overall and 4-8 in the NSIC. Losers of three straight, UMary will look to get back into the win column with a critical series this weekend. The Marauders are good at home, with a 5-3 record. The Marauders make just over seven threes per game.
WHITE IS RIGHT. There isn't much that Jaylan White can't do. The junior guard from St. Charles, Iowa is having a breakout season for the blue and orange. White is averaging 14.2 PPG and 2.2 RPG, while also dishing out 3.3 APG. White leads the team in scoring, assists, minutes per game and field goals made. When White goes, so do the Marauders.
THE LAND DOWN UNDER. Tom Kubank, a senior from Adelaide, South Australia is enjoying his final go as a Maruader in the capital city. Kubank is shooting 36 percent from beyond the three point line this season, while averaging 12.1 PPG. Kubank is one of the best free throw shooters in the conference, shooting 86.6 percent from the charity stripe.
MATT'S ALL FOLKS. In his second season in Bismarck, Matthew Kreklow is enjoying a nice season for the Marauders. Kreklow is scoring 10.9 PPG, while averaging 5.9 RPG on the season. Kreklow also averages 1.9 BPG.
TEAM DEFENSE. Defensively speaking, the Marauders are one of the best teams in the entire conference. UMary gives up just 69.7 PPG, which currently sits at 3rd in the NSIC in scoring defense. UMary gave up just 52 points to South Dakota School of Mines in a 16-point victory in November.
MINOT STATE BEAVERS. The NSIC North foe currently sits at 8-13 overall and 3-9 in the NSIC. The Beavers shoot lights out from the field, shooting at 48.4 percent. Minot State doesn't turn the ball over a ton either, just 11.8 times per game. MISU split last weekend on the road, losing to Southwest Minnesota State and beating Sioux Falls last Saturday.
HOLY AKIBO. David Akibo is having a great season for the Beavers. The senior forward from London, England is doing it all for Minot State this season. Akibo is averaging 18.5 PPG this season and is coming off of a 30 point effort in a huge win over the Cougars of Sioux Falls last Saturday night.
TO THE MAX. Redshirt sophomore guard Max Cody has stepped right into the starting lineup and has added a much needed spark for the Beavers. The native of Melbourne, Australia has averaged 13.1 PPG this season, while adding 29 steals on the defensive side. Cody has started in every single game the Beavers have played this season.
DORIAN AT YOUR SERVICE. Dorian Aluyi has played a big part in the Beavers plans this season. The native of Chicago, Ill., Aluyi is breaking out in a big way in his second season at Minot State. Aluyi is averaging 9.7 PPG this season and has also added 5.1 RPG this season. Aluyi has scored a season high 16 points twice this season, both in losses to MSU Mankato and to Missouri Southern State over Thanksgiving weekend down in Puerto Rico.
UPPER HAND. Since entering the NSIC in 2012-13, the Beavers have had the Upper hand with Minnesota Crookston in a huge way. The Beavers have never lost to the Golden Eagles in the conference and they will look to continue the ten-game win streak this weekend with a win over Minnesota Crookston.
#5StoryLines
1. Can Minnesota Crookston get a win on the road?
2. Will Chase Knickerbocker continue to shoot lights out?
3. Can Minnesota Crookston continue to play solid defense?
4. Can Gable Smith continue to protect the paint effectively?
5. Who will step up off the bench for
Minnesota Crookston?
