Minnesota Crookston Men's Basketball Opens Up 2019 Season with Defending National Champions Friday; Missouri Western State Saturday in St. Joseph, Mo.


•  The Minnesota Crookston men's basketball team will face two stiff tests in two Missouri schools, No. 1 Northwest Missouri State and Missouri Western State. Minnesota Crookston will see many new faces this season, including junior college transfer Ibu Jassey Demba and freshman Tyrese Shines and Reed Miller. All three will look to play a key role for the Golden Eagles this season. Minnesota Crookston will look to stop the Bearcats' dominant 40 game winning streak, dating back to last season.

•  H. Senior guard Harrison Cleary is back for one final run with the Golden Eagles. The Oak Creek, Wis., native has been one of the best players in the conference since he put on a Golden Eagle uniform in 2016. Cleary is two points away from moving up to second on the all-time NSIC scoring list, set by SMSU's Ryan Bruggeman and about 400 points away from the top, set by former St. Cloud State star Gage Davis. A season ago, Cleary averaged 22.2 PPG, which was top-three in the NSIC and also pitched in 4.03 APG. The senior shot 47 percent from behind the three-point line as a junior a season ago. Cleary will look to get off to a strong start in his senior season against two good teams.
 
•  INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR. Minnesota Crookston will feature two impact players with international flavor. Javier Nicolau (Spain) and Ibu Jassey Demba (England) will make an impact for the Golden Eagles this season. Nicolau started the final eight games of the season a year ago and was solid in the starting role, while Jassey Demba comes from a powerhouse junior college program. Jassey Demba had four points in Minnesota Crookston's exhibition win over Bethel last Wednesday night.

•  BATTLE TESTED. It's no secret that men's basketball in the NSIC is really, really good. Minnesota Crookston is getting ready for that really, really good basketball in conference play, by playing two good teams. Northwest Missouri State is the defending national champions and went 38-0 last season, while Missouri Western State is 0-2 on the season, with two losses to ranked teams last weekend, but the Griffins are looking to make a jump in year two of the Sundance Wicks era.

•  DETROIT MADE.  A lot of the publicity goes to senior guard Harrison Cleary, but Cleary's classmate Malcolm Cohen deserves some pub as well. The redshirt senior from Detroit, Mich., showed his outstanding offensive ability in the exhibition win over Bethel. The lefty forward hit a number of threes and scored 27 points and showed a number of ways he can hurt teams defensively. Cohen could have excellent numbers offensively this season playing with Number 0.

•  GIVE IT TO THE SITZ(MANN). Redshirt sophomore Brian Sitzmann started 18 games a season ago and played in 30 of the possible 33 games for the Golden Eagles. Sitzmann averaged 7.0 points per game and 2.3 rebounds per game and shot nearly 40 percent from behind the arc. Sitzmann had nine games where he scored in double figures, including a career and season high of 18 against Upper Iowa in mid January last season. The Savage, Minn. native wasn't afraid of the big stage either, making a career-high four three's in the NSIC playoff win over Augustana for the Golden Eagles. Sitzmann will look to make a big jump from year one to year two for Dan Weisse and Minnesota Crookston.


•  THE JUHL FROM CLIVE. Ben Juhl has battled with various injuries throughout his Golden Eagle career. When Juhl has been in the rotation, however, he has been excellent. Another lefty on the Golden Eagles roster, Juhl averaged 8.2 points per game in 25 games last season, while making 33 of 72 attempts from the three point line, good for 46 percent. Much like Sitzmann, Juhl picked his best time for his best game of the year, going 5-6 from behind the arc in the Golden Eagles historic win over Augustana. The Golden Eagles made a school-record 18 three's in that win.


 
•   THE REPLACEMENTS. One of the bigger stories early on in the season for Head Coach Dan Weisse and his squad will how do the Golden Eagles replace some key pieces from last season. The Golden Eagles only lose one starter in Josh Collins, but will also have to replace key pieces in Chase Knickerbocker, Gable Smith and Darin Viken, all of which graduated. All of the productivity lost will more than likely be the help of a committee. The Golden Eagles could lean on junior college transfers Jassey Demba, Zac Olson and Destiny Chikwem-Stanley, as well as freshman Tyrese Shines and Reed Miller. The Golden Eagles have seven newcomers on the roster this season.



•   THREE IS MORE THAN TWO. Minnesota Crookston had a historic season a year ago. A big part of that outstanding season was the way the maroon and gold shot the ball from deep. Minnesota Crookston was third in three-point percentage with a 41 percent clip, just behind Northern State and Southwest Minnesota State, who was one and two, respectively. The Golden Eagles made 312 three's a season ago, which was also third in the conference, right behind Upper Iowa and Winona State. Minnesota Crookston had 14 games with double-digit three point makes a season ago, including 18 against both Oak Hills Christian and Augustana. 


Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles
Head Coach: Dan Weisse
Record at UMC: 45-98 Season at UMC: Sixth Season


Northwest Missouri State
Head Coach: Ben McCollum
Record at NMSU: 241-75 Season at NMSU: Tenth Season


Missouri Western State
Head Coach: Sundance Wicks
Record at MWSU: 12-20  Season at MWSU: Second Season


Minnesota Crookston at Northwest Missouri State
Date: Fri., Nov. 8
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Video: https://www.themiaanetwork.com/mwsugriffons/
Live Stats: https://gogriffons.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Series Record: NMSU and Minnesota Crookston have never met.
Last Meeting: N/A
Trends: The Bearcats have won 40 games in a row dating back to last season and won the National Championship a season ago, defeating Point Loma


Minnesota Crookston at Missouri Western State
Date: Sat., Nov. 9
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Video:  https://www.themiaanetwork.com/mwsugriffons/
Live Stats: https://gogriffons.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Series Record: The Griffins and Golden Eagles have never met.
Last Meeting: N/A
Trends: N/A


Minnesota Crookston
Projected Starters
Sr. PG 0 Harrison Cleary (6-1 180, Oak Creek, Wis.) 22.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 4.0 APG
RSo. SG 14 Brian Sitzmann (6-4 192, Savage, Minn.) 7.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG
RSr. SF 12 Malcolm Cohen (6-6 210, Detroit, Mich.) 9.0 PPG, 3.1 RPG
Jr. PF 10 Ibu Jassey Demba (6-7 200, Birmingham, England) 3.8 PPG, 3.7 RPG
Sr. F/C 44 Javier Nicolau (6-10 220, Castellon, Spain) 4.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG
Top Bench Players
So. SG 2 Ben Juhl (6-1 186, Clive, Iowa) 8.2 PPG, 2.0 RPG
R-So. F 21 Chase Johnson (6-8 240, La Crosse, Wis.) 3.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG
Fr. F 20 Reed Miller (6-6 205, Appleton, Wis.)
Fr. G 13 Tyrese Shines (6-3, 190, La Grange, Ill.)
R-So. G/F 25 Zac Olson (6-5 225, Waterville, Minn.)


Northwest Missouri State
Projected Starters
So. G 1 Diego Bernard (6-0 175, St. Josephs, Mo.) 15.0 PPG, 5.0 APG, 6.0 RPG
So. G 12 Trevor Hudgins (6-0 180, Manhattan, Kan.) 21.5 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 3.0 RPG
Sr. F 32 Tyler Daugherty (6-7 215, Omaha, Neb.) 6.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG
Jr. F 33 Ryan Hawkins (6-7 220, Atlantic, Iowa) 34.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG
Sr. C 44 Ryan Welty (6-8 190, Parkville, Mo.) 8.0 PPG, 2.5 RPG
Top Bench Players
Fr. F 10 Wes Dreamer (6-7 200, Alvo, Neb.) 7.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG
Missouri Western State
Projected Starters
So. G 3 Tyrell Carroll (5-11 155, Omaha, Neb.) 17.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG
Sr. G 5 Tyus Millhollin (6-0 194, Rescue, Calif.) 5.5 PPG
So. F 13 Tyree Martin (6-8 223, Chicago, Ill.) 5.0 PPG
R-Fr. F 30 Zach Anderson (6-6 204, Chandler, Ariz.) 3.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG
R-Fr. F 33 Will Eames (6-7 214, Lee's Summit, Mo.) 14.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG
Top Bench Players
Fr. F 24 Jaron Thames (6-6 185, St. Louis, Mo.) 11.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG
Fr. G 0 Reese Glover (6-0 167, Franklin, Tenn.) 6.5 PPG
R-Jr. F 42 Tony Chukwuemeke (6-10 213, Park Hills, Mo.) 0.5 RPG


#Tidbits

NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS. The Bearcats are one of the best programs in Division II men's basketball. A season ago, the Bearcats won their second National title in three season's by defeating Point Loma 64-58 in Evansville, Indiana. Northwest Missouri State also became just the fourth program in Division II to finish the season undefeated. This season, it seems like there is no hangover from a season ago. The Bearcats are 2-0 on the season, defeating both Daemen and Southern Nazarene in the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic in St. Joseph, Missouri.

HAWKINS IN MARYVILLE.  Through two games this season, junior forward Ryan Hawkins is giving fans in Maryville, Mo., a reason to think they can go back-to-back. The Atlantic, Iowa native is averaging 34.0 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game. Hawkins is shooting the ball at an outrageous clip, shooting 69 percent from the field and 70 percent from behind the arc. Oh yeah, Hawkins also won the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year a season ago.

THE LITTLE APPLE. Sophomore guard Trevor Hudgins is also enjoying an outstanding start to his second season as a Bearcat. The Manhattan, Kansas native is averaging 21.5 points per game, including scoring 24 in the opening game win over Daemen last Friday night. Hudgins is also averaging 8.0 assists per game. The reigning MIAA Freshman of the Year and the Most Outstanding Player of the Elite Eight a season ago is going to present a tall task for the Golden Eagles on Friday Night.

BEARCAT MENTALITY. Since Head Coach Ben McCollum took over the Bearcats prior to the 2009-10 season, he has built Maryville, Mo., into a recruiting hotbed and a mecca of Division II college basketball. The Bearcats have won the MIAA regular season title seven times and the postseason title four times in his tenure, as well as two-time National Champions. McCollum was also named the 2019 John McLendon National Coach of the Year, which spreads across all divisions.

MISSOURI WESTERN STATE. The Griffins will look to rebound off of a season where they finished 12-20 overall and 6-13 in the highly competitive MIAA. Missouri Western State enters the second season of the Sundance Wicks era and are off to an 0-2 start on the season, albeit the two losses came at the hands of two ranked opponents last weekend at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic.

CHRISTMAS CARROLL. Although the Griffins may have lost both games last weekend, Tyrell Carroll enjoyed a solid weekend for Missouri Western State. The sophomore from Omaha, Neb., averaged 17.0 points per game and 4.0 rebounds per game, including 22 points against Daemen. That 22 point output was one away from tying a career-high of 23 points he set last season against Washburn.

WILL I AM. Through two games, Will Eames is second on his squad in scoring with 14.5 points per game and leads his team with 7.0 rebounds per game. The redshirt freshman from Lee's Summit, Mo., scored a career-high 19 points against Southern Nazarene and did so by shooting just 1-7 from behind the three point line. Eames is just 1-11 from behind the arc to start his career as a Griffin, but he is finding other ways to beat opponents offensively.

NO STRANGER TO THE NSIC. Second year Head Coach Sundance Wicks is no stranger to the NSIC. Wicks is a graduate of Northern State University, where he had an illustrious playing career for the legendary Don Myers, scoring 1,174 points for the Wolves from 1999-2003. Wicks returned to Aberdeen and was an Assistant Coach for the 2017-18 Wolves squad that played for a National Championship, falling to Ferris State. Wicks has also trained NBA players in Las Vegas, Nev., such as Kawhi Leonard (San Diego State), Alec Burks (Colorado) and Isaiah Thomas (Washington). 


#5StoryLines
1. Can Minnesota Crookston end Northwest Missouri State's 40 game winning streak?

2. How will Harrison Cleary open up his senior season?

3. Can Malcolm Cohen be a consistent scorer?

4. How will the new guys fit in?

5. Will Minnesota Crookston shoot lights out from behind the arc?