• The Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team enters the weekend with a 10-8 (5-7 NSIC) mark. The Golden Eagles are currently tied for fifth place in the NSIC North. Minnesota Crookston is currently two games back from St. Cloud State University in fourth place. The Golden Eagles split last weekend with a win over Upper Iowa University, and a loss to Winona State University. The Golden Eagles are allowing 68.8 points per game, while scoring 68.1 points per tilt. Minnesota Crookston comes into the weekend shooting 40.9 percent from the field. Minnesota Crookston shoots 33.3 percent from beyond the arc. 

•  WHY NOT MINOT. The Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team has had winning ways over Minot State recently. The Golden Eagles are 8-4 in their 12 meetings with the Beavers. Minnesota Crookston has won five of the last six meetings with Minot State.

•  SOMETHING ABOUT UMARY. The Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team has found success recently against UMary. The Marauders own the series record 16-8 all-time over the Beavers. The Golden Eagles though have recently had UMary's number as they have won seven of the last eight games in the series.

• ISY DOES IT. Minnesota Crookston redshirt senior Isieoma Odor has been off to one of the best seasons any player has had in the history of the Golden Eagle women's basketball program. Odor is third in the league, averaging 18.2 points per game. She is fifth in the conference with 9.7 rebounds per game. Odor also continues to move up the all-time charts for the Golden Eagles. She is fifth all-time in scoring for the Golden Eagles with 1,328 points. Odor needs 132 points to surpass her former teammate Alexa Thielman for fourth all-time on the scoring charts. In addition, she set the school record for rebounds last weekend against Winona State. Odor surpassed Laurie Tyson for second, and Katrina Nordick, her former teammate, for the all-time record. Odor has 712 career rebounds in her time in the Maroon and Gold.

• THE LAST I IS SILENT. The last I may be silent in the last name of Caitlin Michaelis (my-kulls), but she has been anything but silent this season. The senior comes into the weekend averaging 11.8 points per game. Michaelis has been strong from outside the arc, where she is hitting at a 33.3 percent clip. Michaelis had a career-high 21 points, including 5-of-6 from beyond the arc Jan. 11 at Northern State University. She has had 12 games where she has scored in double figures.

• WHAT A WEAK...LEY. Minnesota Crookston junior Paige Weakley had quite the weekend for the Golden Eagles. The Kearney, Mo., native averaged 15.0 points per game last weekend. Weakley notched a career-high 21 points, including going 7-of-12 from beyond the arc against Winona State. Weakley's seven three-pointers tied the school record. Weakley comes into this weekend shooting 41.0 percent from behind the three-point line.

• DEAR ABBY. Minnesota Crookston sophomore Abby Guidinger is a very versatile player for the Golden Eagles. She can be very dangerous from the high post, something she showed off against Upper Iowa with a career-high seven assists. Guidinger also was strong from the field, where she tallied 16 points against the Peacocks on 8-of-12 from the field.

• PAIGE TURNER.  Paige Cornale has really turned the page on her freshman season in recent weeks, as she has become a crucial player for the Golden Eagles off the bench. Cornale is averaging 6.7 points per game off the bench in the last seven games. Cornale had 10 points against Upper Iowa. Her career high came earlier this season with 11 points versus Saint Martin's. 

• FOXING OUT THE OPPONENT. Bren Fox has been a key for the Golden Eagles, especially against teams with size in the post. Bren Fox has been crucial on the boards with 4.3 rebounds per game on the season. Fox has been improving on the offensive end. She notched 6.0 points per game last weekend against Upper Iowa and Winona State. Fox's best game came with 10 points at Wayne State College. Her best game on the boards came with 13 rebounds against the Wildcats. Fox notched 11 rebounds against Minnesota Duluth.

• DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE.  The Golden Eagles have found success when they have been able to keep opponents under 70 points this season. Minnesota Crookston is 9-2 when holding opponents under the 70-point mark. The Golden Eagles have held teams to 68.7 points per game this season. Their opponents are shooting 40.6 percent from the field, and 32.2 percent from beyond the arc on the season.

•  SINK THE FREE ONES.  Minnesota Crookston is the top team in the conference when it comes to free throw shooting. The Golden Eagles are hitting at a 77.5 percent clip from the line this season. Paige Cornale, and Stephanie McWilliams all have over 10 attempts, and are shooting over 90-percent from the charity stripe.  Caitlin Michaelis comes in shooting 88.9 percent from the charity stripe. Isieoma Odor has the most attempts from the line, and is hitting at a 78.7 percent clip. Needless to say, Minnesota Crookston is hoping to get to the line this weekend and make it pay off. 

•  ON THE ROAD.  Minnesota Crookston is 4-5 away from the friendly confines of Lysaker Gymnasium this season. The Golden Eagles only win on the road in conference play came with a win over Bemidji State University on the road in Bemidji, Minn. Dec. 1. 

Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles
Head Coach: Mike Roysland
Record at UMC: 123-221 Season at UMC: 13th Season

UMary Marauders
Head Coach: Rick Neumann
Record at UMary: 99-93 Season at UMary: Seventh Season

Minot State Beavers
Head Coach: Mark Graupe
Record at MINOT: 21-24 Season at MINOT: Second Season

Minnesota Crookston at UMary
Date: Fri., Jan. 25
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/umary/
Live Stats: https://goumary.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
Series Record: UMary leads 18-6
Last Meeting: Minnesota Crookston won 72-67 in Bismarck, N.D. 
Feb. 17, 2018
Trends: Minnesota Crookston has won the last two meetings
Radio: 1260 KROX AM/105.7 FM, on the app, www.kroxam.com, and on Amazon Alexa
Officials: Paul Mellum, Rob Nudell, Justin Purintun

Minnesota Crookston at Minot State
Date: Sat., Jan. 26
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/crk/
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/umcrookston/wbball
Series Record: Minnesota Crookston leads 8-4
Last Meeting: Minnesota Crookston won 66-64 Feb. 16, 2018 in
Minot, N.D.
Trends: Minnesota Crookston won the last game in the series
Radio: 1260 KROX AM/105.7 FM, on the app, www.kroxam.com, and on Amazon Alexa
Officials: Brad Sylliaasen, Glenn Roll, Jacob Trierweiler

Minnesota Crookston
Projected Starters
Fr. PG 5 Kylie Post (5-7, Corcoran, Minn.)   8.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.2 APG
Sr. SG 3 Caitlin Michaelis (5-8, Marshfield, Wis.) 11.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.1 APG
Jr. 3G 32 Paige Weakley (5-9, Kearney, Mo.) 5.6 PPG, 2.3 RPG
R-Sr. SF 15 Isieoma Odor (6-0, Bloomington, Minn.) 18.2 PPG, 9.7 RPG
Fr. PF 23 Bren Fox (6-3, Norwood Young America, Minn.) 3.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG
Top Bench Players
So. G/F 12 Abby Guidinger (5-10, Waukesha, Wis.) 8.4 PPG, 3.4 RPG
Jr. G 4 Stephanie McWilliams (5-8, Grand Forks, N.D.) 3.3 PPG, 2.8 RPG
Fr. G 11 Kylea Praska (5-8, Thief River Falls, Minn.) 2.9 PPG, 1.2 RPG
Fr. G 24 Paige Cornale (5-10, Oak Creek, Wis.) 3.9 PPG, 0.5 RPG

UMary
Projected Starters
Jr. PG 2 Christal Hearn (5-11, Mequon, Wis.) 1.9 PPG, 1.5 RPG
So. SG 20 Coral Gillette (6-0, Bismarck, N.D.) 8.8 PPG, 1.7 RPG
Fr. SF 21 Tonya Dvorak (6-1, Bismarck, N.D.) 5.3 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.7 APG
Jr. PF 12 Cassie Askvig (6-2, Minot, N.D.) 18.3 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.4 APG
Jr. C 32 Gabbie Bohl (6-2, Minot, N.D.) 20.1 PPG, 9.7 RPG
Top Bench Players
So. G 1 Macy Williams (5-7, Sussex, Wis.) 10.0 PPG, 3.1 APG
R-Jr. G 14 Jordyn Jossart (5-7, Bismarck, N.D.) 3.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG
Fr. F 4 Lexie Schneider (6-3, Hilbert, Wis.) 2.7 PPG, 3.5 RPG
Fr. G 3 Kassandra Bartek (5-10, Oak Creek, Wis.) 1.4 PPG, 1.5 RPG

MINOT STATE
Projected Starters
Jr. PG 4 Mariah Payne (5-7, Burnie, Australia) 11.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.0 APG
Sr. SG 3 Madison Wald (5-6, Minot, N.D.) 14.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.9 APG
Sr. 3G 12 Kari Clements (5-7, Trevor, Wis.) 13.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG
Sr. SF 14 Whitney Molina (5-8, Hinsdale, Mont.) 2.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG
So. PF 22 Haley Hildenbrand (6-2, Parker, Colo.) 6.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG
Top Bench Players
So. G 10 Calli Delsman (5-10, Waukesha, Wis.) 5.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG
Sr. G 32 Gabby Wilkinson (5-9, Bismarck, N.D.) 2.7 PPG, 1.6 RPG
Fr. F/C 44 Anna Counts (6-2, Crystal, Minn.) 2.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG
Jr. F 42 Reina Strand (6-1, Keizer, Ore.) 2.2 PPG, 2.4 RPG

UNIVERSITY OF MARY. Ranked third in the north, the University of Mary Marauders head into this weekend series 10-5 overall and 8-4 in the conference.   The Marauders are outscoring their opponents by 7.4 points.  They are averaging 74.3, while their opponents are averaging 65.7.  They look to continue their undefeated home record to 7-0 in their contest against the Golden Eagles.

SUPER BOHL.  A 6-2 junior forward from Minot, N.D., Gabbie Bohl has been a key component to the Marauders success during the 2018-19 season.  Bohl is leading the team as well as the conference in points, with 20.1 PPG.  She also has 146 rebounds on the year, averaging 9.7 rebounds/game and is also a team leader in blocks with 17 so far this season, averaging 1.1 blocks/game.  

YOU JUST HAVE TO ASKVIG. The 6-2 native of Minot, N.D., junior forward Cassie Askvig has helped the Marauders with their strong season.  Askvig is ranked second in scoring in the conference and on the Marauder roster with 275 points total and 18.3 PPG.  She is eight in the conference for minutes played, as well as the most minutes played for the Marauders with 442 minutes, averaging 29.4 minutes/game. 

I, TONYA. Tonya Dvorak has made a big impact as a freshman in her first year with the Marauders.  The 6-1 guard from Bismarck, N.D. has played a total of 269 minutes, starting 14 of the 15 games during the 2018-19 season.  Dvorak is leading the Marauders in assists, 41 total while averaging 2.7 assists/game.  She is also second in blocks with 14 total, averaging 0.9 blocks/game.

MINOT STATE BEAVERS. The Minot State University Beavers are heading into this weekend's contest 2-10 in the NSIC and 7-11 overall.  They are currently scoring 64.7 PPG, just 1.6 under their opponent's average and 3.5 under the Golden Eagles average.  The Beavers are hoping to add wins to their conference record, looking to move up in the standings.

MADISON FROM MINOT. A senior guard from Minot, N.D., Madison Wald has started 17 of the 18 games for the 2018-19 season.  She is currently leading the Beavers in points, with 254 and averaging 14.1 PPG.  Wald is also leading in defensive rebounds; she has 74 total, with 65 of them being defensive.  She averages 3.6 per game.

ASSISTS FROM DOWN UNDER. A native of Burnie, Australia, Mariah Payne has been a key component for the Beavers this season.  The redshirt-junior guard is leading the team with 68 assists and averaging four per game.  She is also a leader in steals with 17 for the whole season, averaging one per game.  Payne is scoring 11.8 PPG and is hoping to add a win to their record this weekend.

SENIOR SENSATION. Kari Clements, a senior guard from Trevor, Wis., is looking to continue her strong play this weekend against the Golden Eagles.  She is 2nd in scoring for the Beavers, averaging 13.8 PPG and has 45 assists on the 2018-19 season.  Clements is also leading in steals, with 39 this season and averaging 2.2 per game.  

#5StoryLines

1. Can Minnesota Crookston exploit the post against Minot State?

2. Can the Golden Eagles defend the post against UMary?

3. Can the Golden Eagles knock down the three-point shot?

4. Who will step up off the bench for the Golden Eagles?

5. Will Isy Odor continue her strong season?