Minnesota Crookston Back Home for Two with Marauders

This weekend, Minnesota Crookston will be back at home for two games with the Marauders of the University of Mary. The Golden Eagles are 2-4 in the NSIC after getting swept at the hands of Minot State a weekend ago.

Simply put, the Golden Eagles struggled to put the ball in the bucket last weekend in the Minot Dome, while losing both games to the Beavers, scoring just 92 points in the two games.

This weekend, Minnesota Crookston will play host to the other NSIC North Dakota School, the University of Mary. The Golden Eagles haven't beaten the Marauders since the 2017-18 season, where they swept the Marauders.
FAN POLICY
Friday and Saturday's games will be the first where fans are allowed. Fans should arrive no sooner than 30 minutes before game time each day. All games are free admission for fans. Two people per player for both teams will be permitted to enter the game. Your name must be on a pass list as you enter the south doors of the Crookston Sports Center. Fans must remain masked for the entirety of the game. No food or drinks are permitted. Fans must remain six ft. away from other fans. No walk-up admissions will be allowed. Fans must exit Lysaker Gymnasium immediately following this weekend's games.

BISHOP STRONG
The Golden Eagles family is dealing with a major loss to its family. Former KROX announcer Matt Bishop passed away in December after a long battle with cancer. Matt loved announcing Golden Eagle games and will always be a part of the Golden Eagle family.

ON THE BALANCE BEAM
Offensively, the Golden Eagles have been good this season. Balance has been a key part of that. The Golden Eagles currently have four players in double-digits, led by freshman Jes Mertens (11.5 PPG). Juniors Mary Burke and Bren Fox also average more than 10 points a game, as does redshirt sophomore Mary Burke. The Golden Eagles are young, and that's evident when your top four scorers are all underclassmen.

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY
Redshirt sophomore Mary Burke has always had the offensive talent to be a great player in the NSIC. This year, she's proving exactly that. Burke has scored double-digits in five of her last six games and has made 11 shots from deep in her last four games, a stretch where her team has won two and lost two. Burke is a key part of this Golden Eagles offense.


HEY YOU, WELCOME BACK
The Golden Eagles welcomed back junior forward Julia Peplinski back this weekend. Peplinski made her season debut for the maroon and gold last weekend in Minot and averaged 3.5 PPG in the two games. Head coach Mike Roysland has to be happy to have Peplinski back in the frontcourt to give him some options along with fellow junior Bren Fox and freshman Haylee Wheeler and Eden Golliher.

BIG WEEKEND AHEAD 
With a condensed season, it's no surprise that every single game in the NSIC North is a big game. That is evident this weekend as the Golden Eagles host UMary. The Golden Eagles are currently in sixth place in the North half of the NSIC, but are the only team to play six conference games. This season, only the top four teams in each division make the conference tournament. If the Golden Eagles want to keep pace in the division, this week is key against the Marauders, who are 1-3 in the NSIC North.

WIN WITH STOPS
In their two wins over the Wolves of Northern State, the Golden Eagles got stops when they needed it and found a way to win and sweep the Wolves two weekends ago in Crookston. The Golden Eagles are currently in the top ten when it comes to scoring defense and are second in terms of steals per game, sitting at just over 10 per game. A big part of the improved defense has been the emergence of freshmen Jes Mertens. The Devils Lake native is currently third in the nation in total steals with 35 and is second in the nation with 4.38 steals per game. Mertens has at least two steals in every game this season.
SHE PLAYS OUT OF POSITION
Based on her last name, you would think that junior Kylie Post would be a post player. Nope, Post runs the offense for the Golden Eagles and has been a key player for three seasons now in Crookston. Post is currently averaging 9.5 PPG on the season to go along with 3.9 rebounds per game. Post is shooting 40 percent from the field on the season and has scored double-digits in four games this season, including a season-high 17 in a loss to MSU Moorhead earlier this year.

Game Information
Friday, Jan. 29
5:30 P.M.
University of Mary at Minnesota Crookston
Gary Senske Court at Lysaker Gymnasium
Live Video - https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/
Live Stats - https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary

Sat., Jan 30
1:30 P.M.
University of Mary at Minnesota Crookston
Gary Senske Court at Lysaker Gymnasium
Live Video - https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/
Live Stats - https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary


2020-21 NSIC Rankings
Scoring Offense: 16th
Scoring Defense: 10th
Scoring Margin: 16th
Free Throw Pct.: 9th
Field Goal Pct.: 16th
Field Goal Pct. Defense: 15th
3-Point Field Goal Pct.: 4th
3-Point Field Goal Pct. Defense: 11th
Rebounding Offense: 16th
Rebounding Defense: 12th
Rebounding Margin: 16th
Offensive Rebounds: 12th
Defensive Rebounds: 16th
Blocked Shots: 10th
Assists: 16th
Steals: 2nd
Turnover Margin: 6th
Assist/Turnover Ratio: 16th 


Weekly Snapshot

Minnesota Crookston
Projected Starters
So. G 4 Emma Carpenter (5-10, Eagan, Minn.) 5.6 PPG, 2.0 RPG
Jr. G 5 Kylie Post (5-7, Corcoran, Minn.) 9.5 PPG, 3.9 RPG
R-So. G/F 14 Mary Burke (5-11, Virginia, Minn.) 9.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 15 3-Point makes
Fr. G 21 Jes Mertens (5-9, Devils Lake, N.D.) 10.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG
Jr. F 31 Julia Peplinski (5-10, Hustisford, Wis.) 3.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG
Top Bench Players
So. G 3 Alyssa Peterson (5-7, Menahga, Minn.) 4.0 PPG
Sr. F 10 Ashley Freund (5-11, Jordan, Minn.) 1.5 PPG
Jr. G 11 Kylea Praska (5-8, Thief River Falls, Minn.) 1.3 PPG
Sr. G 12 Abby Guidinger (5-10, Waukesha, Wis.) 2.2 PPG
Fr. F 30 Haylee Wheeler (6-2, Lakeville, Minn.) 5.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG
Fr. F 32 Eden Golliher (6-0, Iron River, Mich.) 2.7 PPG, 2.7 RPG
Jr. F 23 Bren Fox (6-3, Norwood Young America, Minn.) 10.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG
University of Mary
Projected Starters
Sr. G 1 Macy Williams (5-7, Sussex, Wis.) 10.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG
Jr. F 4 Lexie Schneider (6-3, Hilbert, Wis.) 9.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG
Jr. G 10 Raquel Doll (5-8, Hazen, N.D.) 1.2 PPG
So. G 23 Megan Voit (5-9, Sauk Rapids, Minn.) 7.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG
Sr. G 24 Lauren Rotunda (6-0, Fargo, N.D.) 15.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG
Top Bench Players
Sr. G 20 Corral Gillette (6-0, Bismarck, N.D.) 4.0 PPG
Jr. G 13 Carly Kottsick (5-8, Fargo, N.D.) 2.2 PPG
Jr. G 32 Claire Borot (6-0, Le Robert, Marinique) 1.5 PPG
Fr. C 34 Hallie Schweitzer (6-2, Bismarck, N.D.) 1.7 PPG


STUDY THE OPPONENT

University of Mary
 
The Marauders have struggled this season, sitting at just 1-3 in the NSIC North and are coming off a weekend where the Marauders got swept to Bemidji State, who is undefeated in the NSIC North. The lone conference win came against a good St. Cloud State team earlier this year.

SHE WENT TO MACY'S
 
Macy Williams, the senior guard from Sussex, Wis., might be one of the more underrated guards in the conference. Williams is just one of two Marauders averaging double-figures on the season and is currently second in the conference with 4.7 assists per game. After playing Minot State and Kate Head last weekend, who leads the conference in assists per game, the Golden Eagles welcome in another great assist artist in Williams.

MEET ME AT THE ROTUNDA
 
Fargo native Lauren Rotunda is one of the best scorers in the conference. Rotunda is currently ninth in the NSIC in scoring, averaging just under 16 PPG. Rotunda has scored in double-figures in every game this season, including scoring 17 and 21 in the two losses to the Beavers a weekend ago. Rotunda is also a rebounding machine. The senior collected a double-double in a win over St. Cloud State earlier this season.

SOPHOMORE STUD
 
Sophomore guard Megan Voit leads her team in makes from deep this season. Voit has 11 makes from deep on the season and a big reason for her 11 makes has been nine makes in two games against St. Cloud State. Voit is a major threat from deep and will look to continue that this weekend in Crookston.
 

WHAT TO WATCH
1. Can the Golden Eagles continue their strong play at home?

2. Key weekend in the NSIC North

3. Minnesota Crookston looking to end losing streak to UMary

4. Can the Golden Eagles put the ball in the basket?

5. Start of three out of four weekends at home