Golden Eagles Head to Minot State for Non-Conference Affair in Final Game before 2024


#TIDBITS

Golden Eagle men's basketball will be back in action after a two week hiatus on the road for a single game at Minot State. The Golden Eagles last win against Minot State came in the Minot State Dome in 2020. The Golden Eagles are coming off of their best win of the season last Saturday, when they held Northern State to just 1-22 shooting from behind the arc and held the Wolves 15 points below their season average. Minnesota Crookston has been outstanding defensively this season, ranking in the top half of the NSIC in points allowed per game.

·   NO EASY LOOK FOR OPPONENTS. Minnesota Crookston has been outstanding defensively this season, especially forcing opponents into taking extremely tough looks. The Golden Eagles have held opponents to less than 30 percent from deep in four straight games and they have also won or tied the rebounding battle in each of those games. The Golden Eagles held NSU to 1-22 shooting from the field, something they also did last season against Winona State, allowing the Warriors to make just one make from deep. Defense wins games and it proved to be the case yet again last weekend against Northern State.

• J-CLUTCH. With De'Antray Hughes not able to suit up last weekend due to an injury, that meant it was next man up for the maroon and gold. Thankfully for the Golden Eagles, that next man up was redshirt junior Jordan Mitchell. The Columbus, Ohio native was outstanding, averaging 13 points and seven rebounds, as well as 2.5 assists per game against the Dragons and Wolves. It was the first time this season that Mitchell has scored in double-figures in back-to-back games and he made huge plays down the stretch against Northern State.

·  BUILT DENG TOUGH. Speaking of the next man up mentality, that was at the forefront on Saturday afternoon. Aguek Deng came down awkwardly early in the game and missed much of the first half. Deng used the halftime break and eventually did play 24 minutes. He hit the two biggest shots of his career, burying a pair of three's from each wing to help the Golden Eagles extend their lead and eventually put the Wolves away. Minnesota Crookston has gotten outstanding play this season from Deng and he continued to add to that playing through an injury in the Golden Eagles win.

·   BIG SHOTS FOR THE GENERAL.  We might have a new nickname for Reid Grant. After fouling out midway through the second half against MSU Moorhead and scoring in single figures for the first time all season, Grant bounced back in a big way and was huge down the stretch. Grant finished with 14 points from the field and 5-8 from the field, but hit two big shots in the final four minutes of the game to help the Golden Eagles to a monster win. Those shots are the kind of shots Grant loves to take and he buries them more often than not.

·    FINISH THE POSSESSION. The Golden Eagles and head coach Bryan Beamish will more than likely emphasize one word this week at practice: REBOUND. The last time these two teams met was in late November and the Beavers pulled down 19 offensive rebounds, the most the Golden Eagles have allowed to an opponent this season by a pretty wide margin. The Beavers shot just 41 percent from the field, but scored 16 second chance points and were hurt by seven offensive rebounds from Caleb Van De Griend. If the Golden Eagles pull down defensive rebounds, they have to love their chances on Saturday to get a win in the Magic City.

·   NO, YOU'RE NOT SEEING DOUBLE. Myles and Mario Adams, twin brothers and freshmen from Rosemount, Minn., played in their first minutes of the season and were thrown into the fire against a pair of really good programs in the NSIC. No worries though, because that didn't seem to bother the brothers. Both played quality minutes and were solid on the defensive end. Myles pulled down a career-high four rebounds against MSU Moorhead, while Mario played 15.5 minutes per game, averaging two points and 2.5 rebounds per game, while also collecting a career-high four rebounds against the No. 2 team in the nation, MSU Moorhead. Minnesota Crookston might have found two more rotational pieces as the season goes along.

• NO STOPPING SAGNA. Blaize Sagna loves playing at home and he loves playing schools in the NSIC. Sagna has scored over 30 points in all but one home game this season and finished with 23 points in the win against Northern State. Sagna is averaging 25.5 points per game in six conference games, as well as 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. In NSIC play, Sagna is shooting over 46 percent from the field and over 40 percent from three. This past weekend, he averaged 29.5 points per game and finished with a career-high 36 points against MSUM. Sagna and Grant make for one of the best backcourt duos in the NSIC and are averaging just under 40 points per game on the season.


Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles
Head Coach: Bryan Beamish
Record at UMC: 7-32 Season at UMC: Eighth Season (Second as Head Coach)


Minot State Beavers
Head Coach: Matt Murken
Record at MSU: 148-144  Season at MSU: 11th Season


Minnesota Crookston @ Minot State
Non-Conference Game
Date: Saturday, Dec. 30
Time: 3 P.M.
Place: Minot, N.D. / Minot State Dome
Watch: https://nsicnetwork.com/msubeavers/
Live Stats: https://msubeavers.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Series Record: Minot State leads 20-3
Last Meeting: 79-67 victory earlier this year in NSIC opener in Crookston
Officials: Chad Bjornson, Perry Olson, Reid Flaagan


Weekly Snapshot

Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles (4-7)
Projected Starters
Jr. G 3 Reid Grant (6-3, Johnston, Iowa) 16.6 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 4.4 APG
Jr. G 1 Blaize Sagna (6-3, London, England) 20.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG
R-Jr. F 13 Aguek Deng (6-9, Des Moines, Iowa) 8.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG
R-Sr. F 2 De'Antray Hughes (6-7 New Orleans, La.) 5.4 PPG, 6.7 RPG
Jr. F 33 Ben Hoverson (6-6, Grand Forks, N.D.) 6.2 PPG, 1.9 RPG
Top Bench Players
R-Jr. F 10 Jordan Mitchell (6-8, Columbus, Ohio) 2.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG
R-Fr. G 12 Peter Fuchs, Jr. (6-4, Wausau, Wis.) 5.7 PPG, 1.3 RPG
Minot State Beavers (8-3)
Projected Starters
Sr. G 2 Khari Broadway (6-1, Brooklyn Center, Minn.) 14.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG
Sr. G 3 Ben Bohl (6-3, Minot, N.D.) 10.7 PPG, 2.4 RPG
Sr. G 4 Michael Jok (6-5, Pakenham, Australia) 9.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG
Jr. F 23 Connor Hallenbeck (6-3, Rapid City, S.D.) 10.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG
Jr. G 24 Jaxon Gunville (6-0, Minot, N.D.) 10.5 PPG, 1.7 RPG
Top Bench Players
Jr. G 1 Kameron Givens (6-2, Minneapolis, Minn.) 5.2 PPG, 1.1 RPG
R-So. F 12 Dylan Gichaba (6-6, Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 4.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG
Jr. G 21 Jalen Cook (6-5, Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 7.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG


#HEADLINES


1. Held Northern State to 1-22 from deep

2. Golden Eagles finally got a bounce in win over NSU

3. Non-Conference game against Minot State

4. Looking to flip script on 12 point loss to Beavers earlier

5. Defense, defense and more defense


KNOW THE OPPONENTS

Minot State. Minot State is off to a really good start, sitting at 8-3 before Christmas and will host the Golden Eagles in a non-conference affair at the Minot State Dome. The Beavers are back at home following a split in Minot the week before Christmas with a five-point victory in overtime over Northern State and a three-point loss to MSU Moorhead. Minot State will look for the season sweep of the Golden Eagles for the fourth consecutive season.

GRIEND AWAY. Minnesota Crookston was in prime position to knock off Minot State at home the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, but  sophomore center Caleb Van De Griend had other thoughts. The Australian finished with a double-double, scoring 14 points on 14 rebounds, seven of those rebounds were offensive. Minnesota Crookston is going to have to keep the sophomore off the boards this Saturday, something that is easier said than done against a guy with a pair of double-doubles this season.

ANOTHER BIG ADVANTAGE. One advantage the Beavers had against the Golden Eagles the last time these two programs met was at the free throw line. The disparity wasn't in free throw attempts, as the Beavers shot 21 compared to 19 from the Golden Eagles. The big difference was the makes. Minot State was 18-21 at the free throw line, while the Golden Eagles were 11-19. The charity stripe will be something to watch for this Saturday.

LET IT FLY FROM DEEP. Jaxon Gunville is one of the best shooters in the NSIC. Gunville currently ranks in the top-100 nationally in a number of categories, including three-point percentage, attempts, makes and makes per game. Gunville has just one game this season with less than five attempts from deep. That game? Earlier this season against Minnesota Crookston, where he finished with just two attempts from deep. It was his lowest total attempts since February of last season when he had zero against Northern State. Of his 104 field goal attempts, 80 have been from long range.

SHOULD WE GO DOWN BROADWAY? Khari Broadway is really good for the Beavers. Broadway is averaging 14.9 points per game and 4.0 rebounds per game and is the straw that stirs the drink offensively for Minot State. Broadway finished with 20 points, three rebounds and five assists, which was a season-high. Broadway has just two games this season with less than 10 points.