• THE MINNESOTA CROOKSTON women's basketball team enters the opening week of 2024 with a 7-5 (4-2 NSIC) mark. The Golden Eagles are 3-1 in their last four games. Minnesota Crookston is off to their best start since the 2018-19 season. Minnesota Crookston is set to face Wayne State College and Augustana University on the road and take positive momentum moving into the 2024 portion of their slate. The Golden Eagles were able to come out with two crucial victories against Northern State University and Minnesota State University Moorhead, clinching both games late. Minnesota Crookston is outscoring foes 70.1-67.3. They are shooting 40.9 percent from the field, and 35.3 percent from beyond the arc. They are being outrebounded this season 44.1-42.3. The Golden Eagles are notching 10.9 assists per game, and 17.6 turnovers per tilt. 

• STRONG START. Natalie Moynihan is off to the best start of any full-time Minnesota Crookston women's basketball coach since Janna Hjelseth during the 1989-90 season. Moynihan has the Golden Eagles off to a 7-5 start overall, and a 4-2 start in league play following wins over MSU Moorhead and Northern State. Moynihan has a young team, but a team that gained a lot of experience last season. She took over for long-time Golden Eagle Head Coach Mike Roysland, who retired prior to the 2023-24 season. 

• 70 OR UNDER. Minnesota Crookston has a fast-paced, high-scoring offense, but this season it is their defense that has helped them to their victories. The Golden Eagles are 7-1 when they hold their foes to 70 or fewer points, and are 0-4 when they allow 70 or more points to their opponents. Minnesota Crookston is holding their opponents to 60.7 points per game in their wins, and they are allowing 76.6 points per tilt in their losses. 

• ASSISTS TO TURNOVERS. The closer Minnesota Crookston is to a 1.00 assist/turnover ratio, the more success they are finding. Their average assist to turnover in their wins is 0.79 with 91 assists to 115 turnovers. In their losses, they have 40 assists to 115 turnovers for a 0.35 assists/turnover ratio. With their fast-paced offense it is crucial to keep this number as close to one as they can. In addition to looking at the full-team, it is also crucial Emma Miller keeps her assist/turnover ratio above one or as close to one as she can. In Minnesota Crookston's seven wins, Miller has 33 assists to 23 turnovers, for a ratio of 1.43 In their seven losses, she has 14 assists to 28 turnovers, for an assist/turnover ratio of 0.50. 

• PLAYER OF THE WEEK. Minnesota Crookston sophomore guard Emma Miller has been a swiss army knife for the Golden Eagles this season, doing a little bit of everything and doing it well. Miller was named NSIC Player of the Week after two crucial wins over MSU Moorhead and Northern State. Miller comes into the New Year averaging 17.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. She comes in shooting 39.8 percent from the field, 40.0 percent from beyond the arc, and 84.4 percent from the foul line. Miller had crucial plays in both wins including a last-second shot to end the third quarter against Northern State, and crucial three-pointers in the fourth quarter of both tilts. Miller is fourth in the NSIC in scoring, fourth in rebounding, and third in assists. She will be crucial moving forward for Minnesota Crookston. 

• GET IT TO JANIE. Sophomore Janie Tormanen has been a key player for Minnesota Crookston. The Menahga, Minn., native is averaging 12.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Tormanen comes in shooting 47.7 percent from the field. Tormanen is coming off one of her best games on the hardwood, notching 23 points on 6-of-11 from the field in the win over Northern State. Tormanen has eight double-figure games, and two games with double-doubles. It is important to get the ball continually to 
Tormanen. 

• A LITTLE HOPE. Redshirt freshman guard Hope Dudycha, a native of Austin, Minn., has started 10-of-12 games this season. Hope Dudycha is notching 6.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. Dudycha was crucial last weekend, altering her role a bit and taking the ball up the court and helping facilitate the Golden Eagle attack. Dudycha comes in shooting 38.2 percent from beyond the arc. Hope Dudycha had a great game against MSU Moorhead with 10 points. Against Northern State, she notched seven points and seven boards. 

• OFF THE BENCH. Sophomore Natalie Mikrot, a native of Willow River, Minn., had a major role off the bench in both wins against MSU Moorhead and Northern State. Mikrot tallied six points versus MSU Moorhead, and had seven points against Northern State. Mikrot was 2-of-2 from deep in the win over the Dragons, and was 5-of-5 from the foul line in the win over 
Northern State. 

• HEY NIKKI. Redshirt junior forward/center Nicole Hernandez (Oak Creek, Wis.) comes in averaging 6.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per tilt. Hernandez had a double double of 10 points and 14 boards in a win over Minot State University November 21. Hernandez has been crucial on the boards this season. She has nine games with five or more rebounds this season. Hernandez had a big week against Northern State and MSU Moorhead. She had nine points and six boards in the win over the Dragons, and seven points and nine rebounds versus Northern State. 

WAYNE STATE. Wayne State College comes in with a 4-6 (1-6 NSIC) mark. The Wildcats fell 70-68 to the University of Sioux Falls to close out the 2023 portion of their schedule. Their lone win in the NSIC came against Augustana 
December 13. Wayne State is scoring 66.0 points per game, and allowing 64.6 points per tilt. The Wildcats are shooting 41.2 percent from the field, 31.1 percent from beyond the arc, and 76.5 percent from the foul line. Wayne State is in their sixth year under the leadership of Brent Pollari. 

BRITNEY BRINGING IT. Britney Ho, a six-foot transfer from Newman University, has been crucial for the Wildcats this season. Ho is averaging 12.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. She is shooting 47.7 percent from the field. She has seven double-figure scoring games this season. Ho has had two games with 19 points, scoring the total against Bellevue and Southwest Minnesota State.  

HECKERT OFF THE BENCH. Jordon Heckert, another Newman University transfer, has been crucial off the bench this season for Wayne State. Heckert is tallying 11.1 points per game. Heckert is shooting 41.5 percent from the field. She has seven double-figure scoring games. Her best game came with 22 points against Minnesota State University December 9. 

FITZ. Maya Fitzpatrick is averaging 9.3 points per game for the Wildcats. Fitzpatrick is shooting 32.0 percent from
 beyond the arc. She has three double-figure scoring games. Fitzpatrick is coming off a 22-point scoring performance against Sioux Falls December 19. 

AUGUSTANA. Augustana University comes in with a 1-9 (1-6 NSIC) mark. The Vikings have lost eight-straight games. Their last win came 73-56 over Sioux Falls November 21. They are coming off a non-conference loss 67-63 at a strong Northwest Missouri State University. The Vikings are in a new era under Head Coach Jillian Flores Bennett, after the retirement last season of long-time Head Coach Dave Krauth. They are averaging 60.6 points per game, and allowing 68.7 points per tilt. Augustana comes in shooting 36.5 percent from the field, 29.9 percent from beyond the arc, and 72.4 percent from the stripe. They are being outrebounded 37.9-36.4.

HEY MICHAELA. Michaela Jewett, a six-foot senior from Brookings, S.D., has been a key player for the Vikings. Jewett is notching 16.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. Jewett comes in shooting 36.1 percent from beyond the arc. She has eight gameds with 10 or more points, and one double-double. Jewett had 25 points against Minnesota Duluth December 3. 

I CAN SEES YOU. Lauren Sees has been a crucial player for the Vikings. She is averaging 14.5 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. Sees comes in shooting 44.1 percent from the field, leading the squad. She has seven-consecutive double-figure scoring games. Sees had 27 points versus Minnesota Duluth. She also had six assists against the Bulldogs. 

JUST JENNIFER. Jennifer Aadland is a big piece to the puzzle inside for the Vikings. She comes into the weekend averaging 10.2 points and 8.2 boards per tilt. Aadland is also shooting a team-high 41.7 percent from behind the three-point line. She has six double-figure scoring games, and three double-doubles for Augustana. 

WEEKLY SNAPSHOT

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON
Projected Starters
So. PG 1 Emma Miller (5-1, Albertville, Minn.) 17.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 4.0 APG
R-Fr. SG 2 Hope Dudycha (5-5, Austin, Minn.) 6.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG
Fr. SF 31 Olivia Walsh (5-10, Austin, Minn.) 9.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG
So. PF 15 Janie Tormanen (6-0, Menahga, Minn.) 12.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG
R-Jr. C 4 Nicole Hernandez (6-2, Oak Creek, Wis.) 6.3 PPG, 6.1 RPG
Bench
So. G 3 Taryn Frazer (5-4, Cass Lake, Minn.) 5.8 PPG, 2.0 RPG
Fr. F 14 Rayna Klejeski (6-0, Barnum, Minn.) 4.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG
So. G 11 Natalie Mikrot (5-6, Willow River, Minn.) 4.3 PPG, 1.3 RPG
R-Fr. G/F 30 Riley Jenkins (5-10, Galesburg, Ill.) 3.4 PPG, 2.8 RPG

WAYNE STATE
Projected Starters
Jr. PG 3 Abby Kopecky (5-10, Aberdeen, S.D.) 3.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.1 APG
Jr. 4 Tate Norblade (5-9, Papillion, Neb.) 4.1 PPG, 2.3 RPG
Jr. 3G 12 Carsyn Boswell (5-8, Carlsbad, N.M.) 6.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG
Jr. SF 5 Maya Fitzpatrick (5-10, Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 9.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.1 APG
Gr. PF 42 Britney Ho (6-0, Wichita, Kan.) 12.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG
Bench
Jr. G 35 Jordon Heckert (5-8, Rapid City, S.D.) 11.1 PPG, 2.3 RPG
Jr. G/F 23 Delaney Clark (5-11, Appleton, Wis.) 7.8 PPG, 1.5 RPG
Fr. F/C 30 Brooklyn Kruse (6-3, Wayne, Neb.) 4.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG
So. G 33 Meg Rietz (6-0, Huxley, Iowa) 3.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG
So. F 40 Kylah vanDonkersgoed (6-1, Sioux Falls, S.D.) 2.4 PPG, 2.5 RPG

AUGUSTANA
Projected Starters
Sr. PG 22 Lauren Sees (5-9, Avon, S.D.) 14.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.7 APG
Sr. SG 23 Kenzie Rensch (5-9, Hutchinson, Minn.) 2.0 PPG, 1.8 RPG
Sr. 3G 34 Michaela Jewett (6-0, Brookings, S.D.) 16.2 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.9 APG
Jr. SF 2 Aby Phipps (6-0, Sioux Falls, S.D.) 5.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG
Jr. PF 45 Jennifer Aadland (6-0, Laramie, Wyo.) 10.2 PPG, 8.2 RPG
Bench
So. G 14 Izzy Moore (5-10, Sioux Falls, S.D.) 4.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG
So. G 21 Katie Leisen (6-0, Eden Prairie, Minn.) 2.4 PPG, 2.1 RPG
So. G 24 C.J. Adamson (5-9, Rochester, Minn.) 2.3 PPG, 1.5 RPG

GAMEDAY

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON AT WAYNE STATE
DATE: Friday, January 6
TIME: 7:30 p.m.
SITE: Wayne, Neb.
ARENA: Rice Auditorium
LIVE STATS: https://wscwildcats.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
LIVE VIDEO: https://nsicnetwork.com/wscwildcats/
TWITTER: @UMNCrookstonATH/@UMNCrookstonWBB

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON AT AUGUSTANA
DATE: Saturday, January 7
TIME: 5:30 p.m.
SITE: Sioux Falls, S.D.
ARENA: Elmen Center
LIVE STATS: https://goaugie.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
LIVE VIDEO: https://nsicnetwork.com/goaugie/
TWITTER: @UMNCrookstonATH/@UMNCrookstonWBB

KEYS TO THE WEEKEND

- Can Emma Miller keep her assist/turnover ratio above 1.0?

- Can the Golden Eagles pick up road victories?

- Will Janie Tormanen continue to be a big factor for the Golden Eagles?

- Can Minnesota Crookston's defense keep their foes under 70?

- Who will step up off the bench for the Golden Eagles?

- Can Hope Dudycha continue to step up in a big way?