Sioux Falls, S.D. – After winning two games in a row, including an 88-72 victory over conference opponent Bemidji State and a dominant 29-point win over Waldorf, Minnesota Crookston will look to make it three in a row on Tuesday against the University of Sioux Falls. Although the Cougars are in the NSIC, this will be the final non-conference game of the regular season for the Golden Eagles.
 
Minnesota Crookston at Sioux Falls
Tues., Nov. 26, 7 p.m., Stewart Center, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Live Stats- https://usfcougars.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Video- https://portal.stretchinternet.com/siouxfalls/

2019-20 NSIC Rankings
Scoring Offense: 9th
Scoring Defense: 9th
Scoring Margin: 11th
Free Throw Pct.: 4th
Field Goal Pct.: 13th
Field Goal Pct. Defense: 11th
3-Point Field Goal Pct.: 7th
3-Point Field Goal Pct. Defense: 12th
Rebounding Offense: 16th
Rebounding Defense: 12th
Rebounding Margin: 15th
Offensive Rebounds: 15th
Defensive Rebounds: 13th
Blocked Shots: 4th
Assists: 15th
Steals: 9th
Turnover Margin: 4th
Assist/Turnover Ratio: 8th
 
Minnesota Crookston
Projected Starters
0 Harrison Cleary (Sr., Oak Creek, Wis.), G, 27.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 4.7 APG
10 Ibu Jassey Demba (Jr., Birmingham, England), F, 2.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG
12 Malcolm Cohen (R-Sr., Detroit, Mich.), G/F, 10.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG
14 Brian Sitzmann (R-So., Savage, Minn.), G/F, 12.0, 2.7 RPG
44 Javier Nicolau (Sr., Castellon, Spain), C, 8.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG
 
Top Bench Players
13 Tyrese Shines (Fr., La Grange, Ill.), G, 2.8 PPG, 2.0 RPG
20 Reed Miller (Fr., Appleton, Wis.), F, 4.0 PPG, 1.7 RPG
21 Chase Johnson (R-Jr., La Crosse, Wis.), F, 4.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG
25 Zac Olson (R-So., Waterville, Minn.), 0.7 RPG
 
"Look Good, Play Good" Update
White Jersey's- 4-0
Black Jersey's- 0-2
 
The Layup Line
·         HOME COOKING. The Golden Eagles seemed to get back on track their past two games inside Lysaker Gymnasium. After scoring just 56 points in their last game on the road at Wisconsin-Parkside, the Golden Eagles scored 88 against Bemidji State and 92 against Waldorf, both resulting in wins. The Golden Eagles made 25 three-pointers in their two home games and averaged 90 points in their first two home games of the season. The Golden Eagles were 13-2 in Crookston a season ago and are off to a good start at home this season.
·         CAREER NIGHT. Senior center Javier Nicolau has had a really nice start to his final season as a Golden Eagle, averaging 8.5 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per game. The Spaniard had his best game of the season on Saturday in a blowout win over Waldorf, collecting a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. It was the first double-double in three seasons for Nicolau.
·         TIME FOR ME TO SHINE(S). Freshman guard Tyrese Shines has shown his potential in the last four games. In his first career game against Concordia-St. Paul, Shines played outstanding perimeter defense and scored his first career basket on a layup in the two point win. In his first career home game, Shines buried his first career three for the Golden Eagles in the 16-point conference opening win. Shines has shown potential and as his minutes grow, the Golden Eagles hope the team success will grow as well.
·         WHEN HE'S GOOD, CLEAR(Y) OUT. Harrison Cleary will undoubtedly go down as one of the best players in school history. The senior from Oak Creek, Wis., is the school's all-time record holder with 2,236 points, including 54 in two games this past weekend. Cleary shot 55 percent from the field over the weekend, including 25 points on 10-14 from the field against Waldorf University. Cleary is fifth in the nation in scoring at 27.2 points per game and is just one of three players in the NSIC ranked in the top-50 in the nation in scoring. Cleary has scored 20 or more points in each of the last five games, including a season-high 35 against Concordia-St. Paul. Harrison ranks in the top-50 in the nation in a lot of offensive categories, including free throws made, field goals attempted, field goals made, three-point field goals attempted and is sixth in the nation with 136 points. Cleary is as dangerous offensively as anyone in the nation and he will look to continue his outstanding start to the season against USF this Tuesday.
·         BATTLE TESTED. Minnesota Crookston has been battle tested this season in non-conference play. They opened the season with the defending national champions and No. 1 Northwest Missouri State, losing by only eight, which is the smallest margin of victory this season for the Bearcats. The Golden Eagles are 2-1 in the region this season, with wins over Concordia-St. Paul and Missouri Western State in non-conference play, while the only loss came to Northwest Missouri State. The Golden Eagles will look to wrap-up their solid non-conference slate with their third region win against Sioux Falls.
 
Take a look at the Cougars
University of Sioux Falls
Projected Starters
2 Jack Thompson (Fr., Eagan, Minn.), G, 4.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG
5 Teathloach Pal (R-Jr., Fridley, Minn.), F, 13.8 PPG, 11.4 RPG
10 Austin Slater (R-Jr., Andover, Minn.), F/C, 13.4 PPG, 8.0 RPG
11 William Lybaek (R-Jr., Trondheim, Norway), G, 8.0 PPG, 1.6 RPG
14 Chase Grinde (R-So., Spring Grove, Minn.), G/F, 9.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG
 
Top Bench Players
0 Troy Houghton (So., Council Bluffs, Iowa), G, 3.8 PPG, 1.8 RPG
4 Milan Surlic (Sr., Nis, Serbia), G, 2.8 PPG
25 Devin Green (Sr., Cascade, Iowa), F/C, 5.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG
 
The Cougars are off to a 4-1 start for the second time in three seasons. This will also be the second time in three seasons that the Cougars and Golden Eagles will meet in non-conference play. In 2017, the Cougars fell to the Golden Eagles, 79-74, in a wild game in Lysaker Gymnasium. The Cougars have won three-straight games, including a 77-70 victory over Colorado State University Pueblo last Saturday in Aberdeen, S.D.
 
Teathloach Pal is enjoying an outstanding start to his third season as a Cougar. Pal is averaging a double-double on the season with 13.8 points per game and 11.4 rebounds per game. In a 21-point victory over Dakota State, Pal had a career-high 26 points and 16 rebounds. Through games through Nov. 21, Pal led the nation in rebounds per game. Austin Slater and Chase Grinde are also enjoying solid seasons, averaging 13.4 and 9.4 points per game. The Cougars had to replace two outstanding scorers in Drew Guebert and Trevon Evans, who as a duo, averaged about 40 points per game. So far, so good for the Cougars.
 
One of the biggest reasons for the Cougars' early season success has been their defense. Led by Pal, the Cougars are one of the best rebounding teams in the conference. USF is second in defensive rebounds, collecting about 30 rebounds per game and are really solid on the offensive boards as well, grabbing 13.0 offensive rebounds per game. Defensively, USF is second in the conference in giving up just 61.0 points per game, which also ranks in the top-ten nationally.