CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team will open up 2022 on the road against Bemidji State University Sunday, January 2 at 4 p.m. at BSU Gymnasium in Bemidji, Minn.

GAME INFORMATION
vs. BEMIDJI STATE
LIVE STATS - http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=373259
LIVE VIDEO - https://nsicnetwork.com/bsubeavers/
RADIO - 1260 KROX AM/105.7 FM

NEW YEAR, FRESH START
The Golden Eagles will get a fresh restart to the season after a couple weeks off of games. UMN Crookston has had five games decided by less than 10 points this season. The Golden Eagles come into 2022 with a 1-12 (0-7 NSIC) mark.

REMATCH
The Golden Eagles and Beavers played a classic NSIC game December 7 in Crookston, Minn., with Bemidji State claiming an 86-80 victory. The Beavers outscored the Golden Eagles 16-9 in the final three minutes of the game. Minnesota Crookston was led by a career night from Kylie Post, who had 27 points on 12-of-17 from the field.

SERIES
Minnesota Crookston has lost the last five games in their series against Bemidji State. Prior to that stretch, the Golden Eagles had won seven of the last eight games. Minnesota Crookston is 12-9 in the series since 2010.

IN BEMIDJI
The Golden Eagles are 6-3 against the Beavers at BSU Gymnasium since the 2010-11 season. Minnesota Crookston's last win in Bemidji came Dec. 1, 2018 with a 70-61 victory over Bemidji State.

BSU HALL OF FAMER
Minnesota Crookston women's basketball coach Mike Roysland is in the Bemidji State Athletic Hall of Fame. Roysland played basketball for the Beavers from 1976-80 where he was an NIC All-Conference pick. Roysland's wife Kim is also in the BSU Athletic Hall of Fame after a great career on the volleyball court.

HEARTBREAKER

• The Golden Eagles lost a heartbreaker to end the 2021 portion of their schedule. UMN Crookston fell to UMary 74-73 Dec. 18 as Lexie Schneider hit a basket for the Marauders with four seconds remaining. The Golden Eagles did a lot of great things in the game, as they shot 40.3 percent from the field, and 36.4 percent from beyond the arc. Minnesota Crookston was guided by 16 points from Emma Carpenter.

POST PLAY

• UMN Crookston senior Kylie Post has been a staple in the Golden Eagle line-up for the last four years. She is looking to cap off her career with a strong senior season. Post leads all Golden Eagles this season with 10.3 points per game. She comes into Sunday with 707 career points, 291 rebounds, and 160 assists. Her best game this season came with a career-high 27 points in her first meeting against Bemidji State.

ELECTRIC EMMA

• Junior Emma Carpenter is coming off one of her best games of the season with 16 points on a perfect 5-of-5 from the field against UMary. Carpenter is averaging 6.1 points per game this season. She also leads the team with 2.5 assists per game. Carpenter will look to ignite the Golden Eagles Sunday against the Beavers.

FRESHMAN STAND-OUT

• Freshman forward Abi Fraaza has jumped right on to the scene for the Golden Eagles. Fraaza, a native of Birnamwood, Wis., comes in averaging 10.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. She has started the last three games for the Maroon and Gold. Fraaza has been especially good of late, as she is averaging 12.5 points per game in the last four tilts for the Golden Eagles. Her season-high 18 points came against MSU Moorhead Dec. 13.

SOMETHING ABOUT MARY

• UMN Crookston senior Mary Burke comes into Sunday tallying 8.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game for the Golden Eagles. Burke will look to improve from beyond the arc as she comes in shooting 29.5 percent. She had a strong game against UMary the last time out, as she notched 14 points on 5-of-10 from the field.

IMPROVING FROM THREE

• The Golden Eagles are trending in the right direction from beyond the arc. They had struggled early in the season beyond the arc, but in the last three games the Golden Eagles are averaging eight three-pointers per game and shooting 36.4 percent. UMN Crookston will look to continue to trend in a positive direction heading into the new year.

BEMIDJI STATE
4-OF-5

• Bemidji State has won four of their last five games, with their only loss coming 70-67 at the University of Mary Dec. 17. The Beavers come into Sunday with a 6-5 (4-3 NSIC) mark. Bemidji State is currently in third in the NSIC North.

REACHING NEW "HEITTS"

• Rachael Heittola has been outstanding for Bemidji State in her young career and it is no exception this season. Heittola is
averaging a team-high 17.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. She comes in shooting 54.5 percent from the field for the Beavers. Heittola's season-high 23 points came at Umary Dec. 17. She had 22 points and seven boards in the first meeting against the Golden Eagles.

NEW NAME, SAME GAME

• She may be Trinity Yoder now instead of Trinity Myer, but she still has the same game. Yoder comes in averaging 10.1 points per game for the Beavers. She is averaging a team-high 5.0 assists per game for Bemidji State. Yoder will look to continue to be a key facilitator for the Beavers.

YOUNGSTOWN STATE TRANSFER

• DIvision I transfer Maddie Schires has made an immediate impact for the Beavers after transferring from Youngstown State University. The Wausau, Wis. native is averaging 9.3 points per game. She has been a major three-point threat, hitting at a 45.3 percent clip. Schires has had 17 points twice this season. She had 17 against Minot State, including 5 three-pointers. She also had 17 the first time out against the Golden Eagles, draining 5-of-9 from beyond the arc.

EXPERIENCE

• Bemidji State has 12 players on the roster that are either juniors or seniors. The Beavers are led by a strong senior class, including five crucial seniors. They are guided by Yoder, Brooklyn Bachmann, Sydney Zerr, and Claire Wolhowe who are all key contributors. Molly Wenner is also a senior and has played in four games this season.