Minnesota Crookston Men Host Bemidji State For Gary Senske Court Dedication Night


The Minnesota Crookston men's basketball team will look to halt a three-game losing streak on Tuesday night as they host Highway-2 rivals Bemidji State for the NSIC opener. The last eight meetings have been as even as they can be between these two teams. Both teams have won four games apiece the last eight times these teams have met, but BSU has won the last three, all of which have come in Bemidji. The Golden Eagles have won three out of the last four games in Crookston, including an 88-72 win in Nov., of 2019 in the conference opener. Tuesday night will be a special one, as longtime Minnesota Crookston Head Coach Gary Senske gets his court dedication at halftime between the Golden Eagles and Beavers.

• 18-0. On Saturday against the Huskies, the Golden Eagles might have played one of their best halves of the young season. The Golden Eagles trailed by 23 heading into the halftime break against the Huskies, who should make the NCAA Tournament this season. Much like they did against Northern Michigan, the Golden Eagles chipped away at the Huskies lead and went on an 18-0 run to pull within seven at 67-60. It was the largest run of the season for the maroon and gold. If they can put together a full 40 minutes, Minnesota Crookston has to like their chances against the Beavers and other opponents this season.

• HE LEARNED IT IN LAS VEGAS. Dylan Hushaw was a huge part of that second half run against MTU. The redshirt sophomore from Las Vegas played 19 minutes on Saturday, a majority of which came in the second half and scored 13 points, a career-high, including two makes from deep. Hushaw plays with energy and he should continue to make a big impact off the bench for the Golden Eagles this season.

• BALANCE MATTERS. Including Hushaw, the Golden Eagles had four scorers in double-figures on Saturday, led by a season-high 21 points from redshirt junior Ethan Channel. Uzo Dibiamaka and Sam Tiley each added 10 points. It was the first time in double-figures for Tiley in his abbreviated Golden Eagle career. The key to any successful team is balance on the offensive end and Dan Weisse is hoping that it continues throughout the season for the Golden Eagles.

• SHOOTING IT WELL. Despite their 1-3 start, the Golden Eagles have shot the ball fairly well from the field this season. Minnesota Crookston currently ranks 11th in the conference shooting just under 45 percent from the field. Minnesota Crookston has just one game this season shooting under 40 percent, which came in the loss to Nebraska-Kearney. The Golden Eagles will hope that the strong shooting continues on Tuesday in the conference opener.

• DISH IT OUT DIBIAMAKA. Redshirt sophomore Uzo Dibiamaka has been a really consistent player this season running the point. The lefty from Australia had a career-high six assists in the loss to MTU and has had just one game in scoring less than double-figures, which came in the second game of the season against the Lopers. Dibiamaka is currently ninth in the conference at 4.0 assists per game.

• HONORING A LEGEND. This Tuesday, the Golden Eagles will honor longtime men's basketball Head Coach Gary Senske by having a ceremony at halftime honoring the court to Gary. Senske is the winningest coach in Minnesota Crookston history and will have a number of people who helped him along the way, including Jeff Oseth, his former player and longtime assistant coach. It will be especially special for Senske, whose grandson, Steele, is a redshirt junior for the Beavers.


Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles
Head Coach: Dan Weisse
Record at UMC: 59-121 Season at UMC: Eighth Season\


Bemidji State Beavers
Head Coach: Mike Boschee
Record at BSU: 109-131 Season at BSU: Ninth Season


Weekly Snapshot

Minnesota Crookston
Projected Starters
R-Jr. G 10 Uzo Dibiamaka (6-3, Adelaide, South Australia) 11.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.0 APG
R-Jr. G 1 Ethan Channel (6-4, Beaverton, Ore.) 13.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG
R-Sr. G 14 Brian Sitzmann (6-4, Savage, Minn.) 9.8 RPG, 3.3 RPG
R-Jr. F 11 Leonard Dixon (6-7, Demascus, Ore.) 8.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG
R-Jr. C 15 Zen Goodridge (6-8, Orlando, Fla.) 5.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG
Top Bench Players
R-Sr. G 2 Zach Westphal (6-2, West Fargo, N.D.) 4.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG
Fr. G 12 Ron Kirk, Jr. (6-4, Milwaukee, Wis.) .5 PPG
R-So. C 13 Nathaniel Powell (6-9, Nottingham, England) 5.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG
R-So. G 3 Dylan Hushaw (6-2, Las Vegas, Nev.) 5.3 PPG 1.3 RPG
BEMIDJI STATE
Projected Starters
Sr. G 3 Mohamed Kone (6-2, Apple Valley, Minn.) 17.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG
Sr. F 5 Derek Thompson (6-8, Cold Spring, Minn.) 8.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG
Sr. G 11 Travis Bianco (6-6, St. Petersburg, Fla.) 17.0 PPG, 11.0 RPG
Sr. G 12 Tyler Behrendt (5-11, Germantown, Wis.) 3.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG
So. F 23 John Sutherland (6-7, Grand Rapids, Minn.) 18.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG
Top Bench Players
So. F 0 Dalton Albrecht (6-7, Grafton, N.D.)
Sr. G 1 Gare Ewefada (6-2, Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 11.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG
Fr. G 14 Colton Roderick (6-5, Alexandria, Minn.)
Sr. F 15 Cody Landwehr (6-7, St. Cloud, Minn.) 6.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG
Fr. G 20 Jayce Lowman (6-3, Mandan, N.D.)    


NSIC Rankings
Scoring Offense: 16th
Scoring Defense: 13th
Scoring Margin: 16th
Free Throw Pct.: 12th
Field Goal Pct.: 11th
Field Goal Pct. Defense: 12th
3-Point Field Goal Pct.: 11th
3-Point Field Goal Pct. Defense: 15th
Rebounding Offense: 12th
Rebounding Defense: 10th
Rebounding Margin: 12th
Offensive Rebounds: 9th
Defensive Rebounds: 13th
Blocked Shots: 5th
Assists: 16th
Steals: 15th
Turnover Margin: 16th
Assist/Turnover Ratio: 16th 


#OPPONENTOUTLOOK

BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY. Bemidji State is a team full of senior leadership, including four that have started both games this season. Bemidji State was picked sixth in the conference, one spot ahead of Minnesota Crookston in the preseason poll. It should be a fun one in Crookston on Tuesday.

HIT THE TRANSFER PORTAL.  Two of those senior starters for the Beavers have made impacts at other schools before BSU. Tyler Behrendt comes to BSU from Dan Weisse's old stomping grounds, UW-Milwaukee, while Travis Bianco was a former Blazer at Valdosta State, averaging 6.8 points per game a season ago for the Blazers. Both Behrendt and Bianco know what it takes to win and they hope to bring that to Bemidji

LIVING ON THOMPSON TIME. The last time the Beavers and Golden Eagles met, Derek Thompson went off. And by went off, I mean he had a career day. Thompson scored a career-high 45 points on 17-24 from the field and 5-6 from deep, while also pulling down six rebounds. In eight games against the Golden Eagles, Thompsn is averaging 14.8 points per game and has scored in double-figures in seven out of the eight games in his career. Slowing down Thompson will be a tough thing to do for the Golden Eagles.

KONE AGAIN? Mohamed Kone is in his second year as the starting point guard for the Beavers and after averaging 11.3 points per game in 16 contests, with a career-high 29 against St. Cloud State, Kone is picking up right where he left off. The Apple Valley, Minn., native is averaging 19 points per game, including 21 against Northland College of Wisconsin. Although it has been just two games, Kone is nonetheless a dynamic point guard who can score the ball.

THEY NEVER MISS. Although it is a very small sample size, the Beavers are second in the conference in points per contest at 96.0 and lead the NSIC in shooting percentage at a whopping 62 percent. Although those numbers are likely to drop, it is evident that the Beavers can score the ball and that will be a giant thing for the Golden Eagles to contest with on Tuesday.

START STRONG. For the third time in four seasons, BSU will look to start the conference season with a win. These two teams have met in the conference opener every season except last season. The Beavers are 2-1 in the three conference opening games against the Golden Eagles and will look to go 3-1 this Tuesday.