St. Cloud, Minn. – Minnesota Crookston had a three point lead at the half and made a late second half push, but it wasn't enough as St. Cloud State won their NSIC opener, 64-60.
Minnesota Crookston falls to 3-4 (0-2 NSIC), while SCSU improves to 4-1 (1-0 NSIC).
The Huskies would get off to a blazing fast start, taking an 8-0 lead just five minutes into the game.
Much like he has all season,
Peter Fuchs, Jr. (R-Fr., G, Wausau, Wis.) would provide a punch off the bench and would connect on a three for the first bucket of the game for Minnesota Crookston.
Moments later,
De'Antray Hughes (R-Sr., F, New Orleans, La.) would finish in the paint to cut the deficit to 8-5.
SCSU would continue to extend their lead. The Huskies would lead 22-15, but an
Aguek Deng (R-Jr., F, Des Moines, Iowa) three would cut the lead to four.
Blaize Sagna (Jr., G, London, England) would bury a three to get the Golden Eagles within a bucket, the closest they had been in the first half.
A pair of Sagna free throws would tie it and then with one second left in the half, Fuuchs, Jr., would steal the ball and finish through contact for the old-fashioned three point play and a three point halftime lead.
The second half would not start the way the maroon and gold wanted it to start. SCSU would go on a 15-0 run in the first three and a half minutes for a 12 point lead. That run would be halted by another Fuchs, Jr., three ball.
Minnesota Crookston would eventually get to as close as two and eventually just down by a point after a mid-range jumper from
Reid Grant (Jr., G, Johnston, Iowa).
The Huskies would go on a back breaking 7-0 run later in the half, putting the game out of reach and to get the four point victory.
Minnesota Crookston was led by Deng, who had a career day. The Des Moines native finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and a career-high five blocks. Grant added 14 points and eight assists, a career-high as a Golden Eagle. Sagna finished with 13 points. Fuchs, Jr., finished with a career-high nine points, while Hughes added six points and 10 rebounds.
Once again, the Golden Eagles were outstanding defensively, holding the Huskies to shoot just 37.3 percent from the field and 32.1 percent from deep.
What's Next
The Golden Eagles will look for their first conference win tomorrow afternoon at Bemidji State. Tip-off is set for 3:30 PM with the Beavers, in Bemidji.
