Minnesota Crookston Hits the Road for Crucial Road Trip


•  The Minnesota Crookston men's basketball team is back on the road, looking to rebound from a disappointing four game homestand that saw the Golden Eagles go 1-3. Minnesota Crookston won the first game of the homestand over UMary, but lost the next three. This weekend, the Golden Eagles will look to do exactly what they did last season and that's sweep Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul. This will be the first of two-straight weekends on the road and to say it's a big stretch to finish the season would be an understatement.

•  GET HEALTHY. It seems obvious, but Minnesota Crookston would love to get healthy. The past two weekends, the Golden Eagles have been without some key contributors. Two weekends ago, Minnesota Crookston had to be without starters Brian Sitzmann and Javier Nicolau, due to sickness. Last weekend, the Golden Eagles were once again down two players, this time it was key bench players Tyrese Shines and Reed Miller, both freshman who have played big roles for Head Coach Dan Weisse. Golden Eagle fans are hoping for a hot-streak and maybe getting healthy will help that cause.
 
•  ETCHED IN THE HISTORY BOOKS. Senior guard Harrison Cleary has helped bring the program to new and exciting levels. He helped last season's team reach new heights, setting the school record for overall and conference wins, as well as being the first ever team to advance past the first round of the NSIC quarterfinals. It's been an impressive career for the Oak Creek, Wis. This past weekend, he set yet another milestone. Cleary became the NSIC's all-time leading scorer this past Friday, in a fitting way, a free throw. Cleary capped off his 29 point output with an old-fashioned three-point play. It was a storybook way to get the record, as Cleary currently leads the entire nation with 147 free throw makes. Cleary is now all alone in the NSIC record books with 1,955 points, passing former St. Cloud State great Gage Davis, in four less games. With six games left, he also has a chance to become the only player in conference history to surpass the 2,000 point mark in conference play.

•  DOUBLE-DIGIT WINS. If the Golden Eagles can get one win through their next six games, it will be the first time in school history Minnesota Crookston has won double-digit games in back-to-back seasons. The Golden Eagles also sit at five conference wins, just four away from surpassing last season's watermark of nine wins in the NSIC. It has been a bit of a bumpy road as of late for the Golden Eagles, but there's still plenty to play for, including some things that haven't been done before. The program has no doubt been taken to new and exciting heights.

•  WHAT'S IN STORE THIS TIME? Harrison Cleary likes it when he plays the Mavericks. I mean, really, really likes it. In his previous three matchups with the Mavericks, Cleary is averaging 38.3 points per game. In his freshman season, he scored 42 points. The next season, Cleary scored an at the time career-high 46 points in the Taylor Center. Last season, in the Golden Eagles first ever win over Minnesota State, Cleary scored just 27 points. If Cleary has the same success this Friday night in the Taylor Center as he did the last time, you have to imagine Minnesota Crookston is in a great spot to defeat the Mavericks for the second consecutive season.

•  HE'S BACK. Brian Sitzmann missed the UMary-Minot State weekend due to sickness. This past weekend, the redshirt sophomore from Savage, Minn., averaged 8.5 points on 6-14 shooting from the field, including three 3-point makes. Sitzmann also grabbed five rebounds in the two games as well. Sitzmann is a big part of what the Golden Eagles do, so him staying healthy and making an impact is important to the Golden Eagles success.

•  CLEAN THE GLASS. Two Friday's ago against UMary, redshirt senior forward Malcolm Cohen had his best game of the season. Cohen was 10-19 from the field and 8-13 from behind the arc, good for a season-high 28 points and was huge in helping the Golden Eagles earn the win. Last weekend, Cohen was good once again. In the loss to Southwest Minnesota State, Cohen scored 8 points on the night, but also pulled down a season-high nine rebounds, just one behind his career-high 10 rebounds, which came last season, against you guessed it, Minnesota State. Cohen has had a nice four game stretch and he will look to continue that run this weekend on the road.

•  PICK THE POCKET. Throughout the season, the Golden Eagles have earned the reputation of having some good hands on the defensive side of the ball. Heading into this weekend, Minnesota Crookston is currently 7th in the conference in steals as a team and they showed that ranking this past weekend. In the loss to Sioux Falls, the Golden Eagles collected eight steals, the fifth time this season Minnesota Crookston has stolen the ball from their opponents eight times or more in a game. Cleary was a big part of those eight steals on Saturday, earning four steals, just one shy of his season-high.

•  Q & A. Freshman guard Quintin Winterfeldt set a lot of career-high's in last weekend's game against Sioux Falls. Winterfeldt set career-high's in points (5), minutes played (20), field goals made (2), field goals attempted (6) and 3-point field goals attempted (4). With the Golden Eagles a little short-handed last weekend, Minnesota Crookston needed Winterfeldt to step up and the Waupun, Wis., native did just that this past weekend.
"Look Good, Play Good"
White Jersey: 5-6
Black Jersey: 4-7  


2019-20 NSIC Rankings
Scoring Offense: 11th
Scoring Defense: 14th
Scoring Margin: 15th
Free Throw Pct.: 1st
Field Goal Pct.: 16th
Field Goal Pct. Defense: 16th
3-Point Field Goal Pct.: 13th
3-Point Field Goal Pct. Defense: 16th
Rebounding Offense: 16th
Rebounding Defense: 15th
Rebounding Margin: 16th
Offensive Rebounds: 15th
Defensive Rebounds: 16th
Blocked Shots: 6th
Assists: 16th
Steals: 7th
Turnover Margin: 4th
Assist/Turnover Ratio: 12th


Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles
Head Coach: Dan Weisse
Record at UMC: 53-110 Season at UMC: Sixth Season


Minnesota State University Mankato Mavericks
Head Coach: Matt Mrgenthaler
Record at MSU: 404-176 Season at MSU: 19th Season


Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears
Head Coach:  Eric Johnson
Record at CSP: 6-14 Season at CSP: 1st Season


Weekly Snapshot

Minnesota Crookston
Projected Starters
Sr. PG 0 Harrison Cleary (6-1 180, Oak Creek, Wis.) 27.7 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 4.3 APG
RSo. SG 14 Brian Sitzmann (6-4 192, Savage, Minn.) 8.7 PPG, 2.6 RPG
RSr. SF 12 Malcolm Cohen (6-6 210, Detroit, Mich.) 9.7 PPG, 3.2 RPG
Jr. PF 10 Ibu Jassey Demba (6-7 200, Birmingham, England) 4.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG
Sr. F/C 44 Javier Nicolau (6-10 220, Castellon, Spain) 6.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG
Top Bench Players
Fr. F 20 Reed Miller (6-6 205, Appleton, Wis.) 3.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG
Fr. G 13 Tyrese Shines (6-3 190, La Grange, Ill.) 6.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG
R-So. F 21 Chase Johnson (6-8 240, La Crosse, Wis.) 4.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG
R-So. G/F 25 Zac Olson (6-5 225, Waterville, Minn.) 2.3 PPG

Minnesota State
Projected Starters
Fr. G 0 Ryland Holt (6-5 200, Gibson City, Ill.) 13.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG
R-Fr. G 15 Corvon Seales (6-3 180, Eldridge, Iowa) 9.7 PPG, 2.5 RPG
Sr. F 21 Cameron Kirksey (6-6 205, Apple Valley, Minn.) 17.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG
Sr. F 25 Kevin Krieger (6-6 210, Plainfield, Ill.) 11.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG
So. C 33 Kelby Kramer (6-10 235, Rock Springs, Wyo.) 9.2 PPG, 9.3 RPG
Top Bench Players
Jr. G 1 Jamal Nixon (6-6 210, Plainfield, Ill.) 3.0 PPG, 3.3 RPG
Fr. G 2 Malik Willingham (6-2 170, Waseca, Minn.) 5.4 PPG, 2.2 RPG
Sr. F 5 Carter Asche (6-9 220, Raymond, Minn.) 4.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG
Fr. G 20 Landon Wolfe (6-5 205, Effinghman, Ill.) 3.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG
Concordia-St. Paul
Projected Starters
Sr. G 0 Perion Little (6-4 185, Kenosha, Wis.) 6.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG
Jr. G 11 Lee Higgins (6-3 185, Chicago, Ill.) 11.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG
Fr. G 14 Mac Wieczorek (6-1 160, Anoka, Minn.) 1.3 PPG
Sr. F 32 Max Keefe (6-7 220, Germantown, Wis.) 6.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG
Jr. F 35 Cody Carlson (6-9 222, Duluth, Minn.) 12.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG
Top Bench Players
So. G 10 Noah Kannegiesser (6-0 165, Hancock, Minn.) 8.1 PPG, 2.4 RPG
So. G 20 Seth Coatta (6-4 200, Minnetonka, Minn.) 4.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG
Fr. F 23 George Scharlau (6-5 195, Elk Mound, Wis.) 4.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG


#Tidbits

MINNESOTA STATE. The Mavericks are one of the traditional powers in the NSIC. This season, MSU is currently 11-11 and 8-8 in the NSIC, but has lost three of their previous four games. The Mavericks were swept last weekend, falling to Minnesota State University Moorhead and Northern State. The Mavericks lost both games by an average of 29.5 points, so being back home will help the Mavericks, who are back in the Taylor Center after being on the road last weekend.

FROM A GRIZ TO A MAV. Sophomore Kelby Kramer has seen a lot through his college basketball career. The Rock Springs, Wyo., native started out his career at Division I Montana, where he played in 21 games during his two seasons in Missoula. Kramer has been a huge addition to the Mavs. Kramer comes into this weekend averaging 9.2 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game. Kramer's first ever game as a Maverick was a giant one, where he scored just five points, but hauled in 18 rebounds and blocked eight shots. Kramer is a huge force down low for MSU.

BASKETBALL FAMILY. Speaking of Division I college basketball, redshirt freshman Corvon Seales is no stranger to that level. The Eldridge, Iowa native watched his brother, Cortez play collegiately for Brian Jones and The University of North Dakota. The elder Cortez enjoyed a solid career, but now it's younger brother's turn to make a name for himself. Seales is averaging 9.7 points per game on the season and scored a season-high 19 points in a win over Augustana. Seales is shooting just 32 percent from the 3-point line, but is shooting over 40 percent from the field.

KIRKSEY MANIA. Cameron Kirksey is in his final season as a member of the Mavericks, but he is trying to make it last as long as possible. Kirksey leads the team in scoring (17.2 PPG) and is second on the team in rebounding (5.2 RPG). After scoring 22 points against MSU Moorhead last Friday night, Kirksey was held to a season-low four points in the loss to Northern State. Last season, when the Golden Eagles and Mavericks met, Kirksey was held to just nine points on 3-7 shooting from the field.

CONCORDIA-ST.PAUL. It'll be round two between the Golden Eagles and the Golden Bears, this time from the Gangelhoff Center in Minnesota's capital, St. Paul, Minn. The last time these two teams met, Minnesota Crookston was able to hold off a hot shooting CSP squad, 78-76, while the Golden Bears shot 10-19 from behind the 3-point line. It should be a fun one in St. Paul on Saturday.

NEW LOOK. The Golden Bears could look a lot different than they did on Nov. 15, when they fell to the Golden Eagles by two. Jordan Coblin and Carlos Barela, who scored 17 and 7, respectively, both missed last Saturday's game against MSU Moorhead. If both miss this Saturday, it will be a different look since the last time these two teams met.

NEW MAN IN CHARGE. When the Golden Eagles last played CSP, they expected to see Joey James as the Head Coach. Instead, it was Eric Johnson, who took over after James took another job. Sure, it was a curveball for both the Golden Bears and Johnson, but in his first game as the head man, Johnson saw his team lose by just a bucket. In his first season, Johnson is 6-14 and 4-12 in the NSIC.

WINDY CITY RAISED. Chicago, Ill., native Lee Higgins is just one of two players, along with Jordan Coblin to average double-figures this season for the Golden Bears. Higgins missed the first few games, but since his season debut on Dec. 13, a loss to Upper Iowa, Higgins is averaging 11.0 points per game and has scored in double-figures in nine of his 14 games played. Higgins will be a tough guard this weekend for Minnesota Crookston.


WHAT TO WATCH  
1. Can Minnesota Crookston get some confidence back this weekend?

2. Can the Golden Eagles get healthy?

3. Harrison Cleary is now the NSIC's all-time leading scorer.

4. Minnesota Crookston is on the road for two-straight weekends.

5. Still a lot to play for in the NSIC North.