• THE MINNESOTA CROOKSTON women's basketball team suffered a setback last weekend with tough losses to No. 11/20 Minnesota State University and Concordia University-St. Paul. The Golden Eagles have still won six of their last nine games. 
Minnesota Crookston comes into the weekend in fourth place in the NSIC North with a mark of 8-10 (7-5 NSIC). Minnesota Crookston is still off to their best record in the NSIC through 12 games since the 2015-16 season. The Golden Eagles are averaging 64.2 points per game, and allowing 71.2 per game to their foes. They are shooting 39.2 percent from the field, and 33.2 percent from beyond the arc. 

• AGAINST THE OPPOSITION. The Golden Eagles have lost the last four in the series with Augustana. Minnesota Crookston last defeated the Vikings December 12, 2015 with a 76-57 win in Crookston. The last win for UMN Crookston in Sioux Falls came December 17, 2011. The Golden Eagles have the last win in the series with Wayne State, with a 66-65 victory December 14, 2019 in Crookston. The last win for Minnesota Crookston in Wayne came December 12, 2014. 

·   MILLER TIME. Emma Miller has been a major impact for the Golden Eagles as a freshman. Miller leads UMN Crookston averaging 17.5 points per game. Miller is the second-leading scorer in the NSIC currently, behind only University of Minnesota Duluth star Brooke Olson. Miller is also averaging 4.7 points, and 3.0 assists per tilt. She is shooting 41.9 percent from the field, and 38.2 percent from beyond the arc. Miller's career-high 37 points, also a Minnesota Crookston single-game record, came December 17 versus Bemidji State University. Miller has 10 consecutive games with double-digit scoring. She will look to continue the trend on the road at Augustana and Wayne State. 

·  DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE. Bren Fox has already secured seven double-doubles during the 2022-23 season. Fox has been a rebounding machine for the Golden Eagles. She is averaging 12.0 rebounds per game in the last seven tilts. Fox has eight games with double-digit rebounds this season. Fox has scored 743 points in her career, and has 653 career rebounds. She ranks fourth all-time in career rebounds, recently surpassing Emily Gruber. Fox needs 43 rebounds to surpass Laurie Tyson for third all-time in rebounds at Minnesota Crookston. She needs 45 boards to move past Katrina (Moenkedick) Nordick for second in the program's history. Isieoma Odor holds the record with 775 rebounds. Fox is 123 rebounds away from surpassing her former teammate for the mark. Fox needs to average 12.3 rebounds per game over the 10-game stretch of the regular season to move past Odor. If the Golden Eagles at least make the first round of the playoffs, she would need to tally 11.2 rebounds per tilt. 

• TURN THE PAGE. Minnesota Crookston sophomore Alex Page is having a solid sophomore season. Page has been an 
important piece this season for the Golden Eagles. Page is second on the team with 9.3 points per game. She is averaging 3.6 rebounds per tilt. She is coming off 10 points against Minnesota State Friday, and seven versus Concordia-St. Paul Saturday. Page is averaging 14.4 points per game in the last five. She had a career-high 29 points in a win over Upper Iowa University January 7. She will look to have a major impact against Augustana and Wayne State this weekend. 

·  STAY IN YOUR LANE. University of North Dakota transfer Erika Lane has been an important player off the bench for the Golden Eagles. The Breezy Point, Minn., native is averaging 7.8 points per game in the last five. She had eight off the bench last Saturday versus Concordia-St. Paul. Lane is hitting 35.0 percent of her shots from deep, and 90.0 percent of her shots from the charity stripe.

• DON'T HURT US FROM DEEP. Minnesota Crookston continues to prevent opponents from shooting the long ball well. The Golden Eagles are holding foes to just 27.3 percent from beyond the arc this season. Teams are just averaging 5.8 three-pointers per game. Minnesota Crookston held MSU Moorhead to 23.5 percent .Against St. Cloud State on December 3, the Huskies shot just 29.4 percent from beyond the arc. The Golden Eagles completely shut down Minot State and UMary.Minot State shot just 15.4 percent from beyond the arc, while UMary shot only 19.2 percent. Palm Beach Atlantic and Winona State are the only two teams to shoot over 40.0 percent on more than 10 attempts from beyond the arc. 

• HITTING THE FREE ONES. Minnesota Crookston has made it count at the charity stripe this season. The Golden Eagles lead the conference with a 79.0 free throw percentage this season. They have made 196-of-248 shots this season. Erika Lane leads the team with a 90.0 percent clip this season. Bren Fox comes in shooting 85.7 percent. Alex Page is hitting at an 84.8 percent clip, while Emma Miller is connecting at an 80.9 percent rate this season.

• ON THE ROAD AGAIN. Minnesota Crookston is 5-5 away from Lysaker Gymnasium this season. In conference play, Minnesota Crookston is 4-2. They have road victories over Bemidji State University, Northern State University. Upper Iowa University, and Winona State University. The last time they were on the road, they picked up a weekend sweep of Upper Iowa and Winona State. The Golden Eagles will look to continue those ways on the road in Sioux Falls and Wayne this weekend. 

AUGUSTANA. The Augustana Vikings enter the weekend with a 15-3 (9-3 NSIC) record. The Vikings are currently ranked in a tie for fifth in the Central Region in the latest D2SIDA poll. Augustana swept UMary and Minot State at home last weekend. The Vikings will be playing Minnesota Crookston in their on-campus arena, the Elmen Center, instead of the Sanford Pentagon. They haven't played a game in the Elmen Center since a November 27 victory over Chadron State. Augustana is averaging 76.3 points per game, while allowing just 61.5 points per game to their foes. They are hitting at a 45.3 percent clip from the field, and a 36.1 percent clip from beyond the arc.

DUFFY DOES IT ALL. Aislinn Duffy, a six-foot forward for the Vikings, does a little bit of everything for the Vikings. She leads the team with 16.4 points per game, 8.1 rebounds per game, and 4.5 assists per tilt. Duffy is shooting 52.9 percent from the field, and 39.6 percent from deep. She has 20 or more points in five games this season.

SHE "SEES" IT ALL.  Lauren Sees comes into the weekend notching 14.2 points per game. Sees had 20 points in a win over Minot State last weekend, including going 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. She is shooting 34.6 percent from beyond the arc this season. 

ON THE GLASS.  In addition to Duffy's 8.1 rebounds per game, Jennifer Aadland is averaging 6.2 boards per game. 
Aadland is also averaging 10.0 points per tilt, and is shooting 55.2 percent from the field. 

WAYNE STATE. The Wildcats come into the weekend with a 9-7 (5-7 NSIC) record. Wayne State has lost their last five games. Their last win came against Upper Iowa December 18 with a 77-70 overtime victory. The Wildcats are averaging 70.8 points per tilt, while allowing 70.3 points per game. They shoot 38.9 percent from the field, and 32.5 percent from behind the three-point line.

Z IS FOR ZACHARIAS. Lauren Zacharias leads the Wildcats with 16.3 points, 5.0 rebounds per game, and 3.0 assists per game. Zacharias has started eight games, and come off the bench for eight tilts. She is shooting 41.4 percent from the field, and 37.8 percent from beyond the arc. She was limited to five points last Saturday versus UMary.

PRIMETIME FOR PINGEL . Wayne State's Kassidy Pingel comes in notching 9.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. Pingel secured a season-high 18 points against both Augustana and Southwest Minnesota State. She will look to make an impact this weekend for the Wildcats. 

GIVE HUGHES A HAND. Logan Hughes comes into the weekend notching 9.6 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. She is coming off 11 points last Saturday versus UMary. Hughes has scored in double figures in six games, including a season-high 22 versus Concordia-St. Paul.

WEEKLY SNAPSHOT

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON
Projected Starters
Fr. PG 1 Emma Miller (5-1, Albertville, Minn.) 17.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.0 APG
Fr. SG 3 Taryn Frazer (5-4, Cass Lake, Minn.) 6.5 PPG, 2.6 RPG
So. SF 20 Alex Page (6-0, Grand Forks, N.D.) 9.3 PPG, 3.6 RPG
Jr. PF 4 Nicole Hernandez (6-2, Oak Creek, Minn.) 4.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG
R-Sr. C 23 Bren Fox (6-3, Norwood Young America, Minn.) 7.9 PPG, 8.7 RPG
Top Bench Players
So. G 5 Erika Lane (5-10, Breezy Point, Minn.) 6.2 PPG, 2.3 RPG
Fr. F/C 15 Janie Tormanen (6-0, Menahga, Minn.) 3.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG
Fr. G 11 Natalie Mikrot (5-6, Willow River, Minn.) 3.7 PPG, 0.8 RPG
R-Jr. F 21 Abigail Leach (6-0, Wyoming, Minn.) 2.6 PPG, 1.8 RPG

AUGUSTANA
Projected Starters
Jr. PG 22 Lauren Sees (5-9, Avon, S.D.) 14.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.3 APG
Fr. SG 24 C.J. Adamson (5-9, Rochester, Minn.) 6.9 PPG, 1.9 RPG
Jr. 3G 34 Michaela Jewett (6-0, Brookings, S.D.) 12.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG
So. SF 45 Jennifer Aadland (6-0, Laramie, Wyo.) 10.0 PPG, 6.2 RPG
Sr. PF 32 Aislinn Duffy (6-0, Rapid City, S.D.) 16.4 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 4.5 APG
Top Bench Players
So. F 2 Aby Phipps (6-0, Sioux Falls, S.D.) 7.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG
R-Fr. G 14 Izzy Moore (5-10, Sioux Falls, S.D.) 5.3 PPG, 1.9 RPG
Sr. G 23 Kenzie Rensch (5-9, Hutchinson, Minn.) 2.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG

 
WAYNE STATE
Projected Starters
Sr. PG 12 Ashley Gustavson (5-8, North Mankato, Minn.) 2.3 PPG, 1.1 RPG
Jr. SG 21 Annie Guentzel (5-9, Lakeville, Minn.) 7.9 PPG, 2.0 RPG
Sr. 3G 42 Logan Hughes (5-10, Shenandoah, Iowa) 9.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG
So. SF 35 Maya Fitzpatrick (5-10, Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 5.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG
Sr. PF 30 Kassidy Pingel (6-0, Cherokee, Iowa) 9.9 PPG, 3.3 RPG
Top Bench Players
Sr. G 11 Lauren Zacharias (5-6, North Liberty, Iowa) 16.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.0 APG
So. G/F 23 Delaney Clark (5-11, Appleton, Wis.) 4.7 PPG, 1.2 RPG
So. G 3 Abby Kopecky (5-10, Aberdeen, S.D.) 4.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG
Fr. F 31 Rachel Dahlen (6-2, Devils Lake, N.D.) 3.1 PPG, 2.3 RPG
Fr. F 40 Kylah vanDonkersgoed (6-1, Sioux Falls, S.D.) 3.3 PPG, 2.8 RPG

KEYS TO THE WEEKEND

- Continue to play Defense, especially against the three

- Play tough defensively against both Augustana and Wayne State

- Slow down the key players, Aislynn Duffy for Augustana and Lauren Zacharias for Wayne State

- Continue to control the glass

- Bren Fox continues her roll of double-doubles

- Players continue to step up off the bench for UMN Crookston

- Continue to hit free throws