• THE MINNESOTA CROOKSTON women's basketball team enters the final weekend of the regular-season with a 9-17 (6-14 NSIC) mark. Minnesota Crookston is looking to clinch a spot in the NSIC Tournament for the second-consecutive season and snap an 11-game losing streak. The Golden Eagles come into the weekend in a four-way tie for 10th place in the NSIC standings with the University of Sioux Falls, Augustana University, and Minot State University. Minnesota Crookston is also looking for their first back-to-back 10-win season since 2014-15 and 2015-16. The Golden Eagles are averaging 64.3 points per game, and allowing 73.7 points per tilt to their foes. Minnesota Crookston comes in shooting 37.3 percent from the field, 33.0 percent from beyond the arc, and 70.0 percent from the stripe. They are being outrebounded 46.4-40.0. 

• 70 OR UNDER. Minnesota Crookston has been a better team this season when they are keeping their opponents to 70 points or less. Defense has been crucial this season, and will continue to be the rest of the way for U of M Crookston. The Golden Eagles are 9-4 when they hold their foes to 70 or fewer points, and are 0-13 when they allow 70 or more points to their opponents. Minnesota Crookston is holding their opponents to 61.1 points per game in their wins, and they are allowing 80.3 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 116 assists to 147 turnovers. In their losses, they have 164 assists to 310 turnovers for a 0.53 assists/turnover ratio. 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 nine wins, Miller has 36 assists to 32 turnovers, for a ratio of 1.13 In their 17 losses, she has 45 assists to 66 turnovers, for an assist/turnover ratio of 0.68. 

• STOPPING THE OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS. During the recent 11-game losing streak, Minnesota Crookston has struggled to prevent their opponents from getting offensive rebounds. In the last 11 games the Golden Eagles are allowing 18.3 offensive rebounds per game. In Minnesota Crookston's losses this season, they are allowing 17.3 offensive rebounds allowed per game. In their nine wins this season, the Golden Eagles are allowing just 13.9 offensive boards per game allowed. Protecting the glass will be crucial in the final regular-season weekend for Minnesota Crookston.

• MILLER TIME. 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 in December and continues to have a strong season for Minnesota Crookston. Miller comes into the week averaging 17.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. Miller is shooting 35.0 percent from beyond the arc this season. She comes into the week with 975 points in her career. She needs 25 points to reach 1,000 points and become the 13th player in school history to score 1,000 points or more. She would need to score 12.5 points per game in Minnesota Crookston's four remaining guaranteed games. She would become the fastest player to reach 1,000 points. Miller scored 19 points against Augustana. She has had seven games with 20 or more points. She would become the first player since Isieoma Odor to reach 1,000 points.

• A LITTLE HOPE. Redshirt freshman guard Hope Dudycha, a native of Austin, Minn., has started 21-of-25 games this season. Hope Dudycha is averaging 7.8 points and 2.9 boards per game. Dudycha is shooting 34.9 percent from beyond the arc, and 81.6 percent from the charity stripe. Dudycha is coming off 20 points against Augustana. She was 7-of-15 from the field, and 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. The 20 points was a career high for the Golden Eagles. Dudycha has six double-figure games this season. 

• BACK AT IT. Janie Tormanen returned to the lineup for the Golden Eagles last week after missing games due to injury. Tormanen is averaging 12.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Tormanen is shooting 47.6 percent from the field. Tormanen had a double-double of 20 points and 10 boards against Augustana Friday. Tormanen will graduate early and was honored on Senior Day. She is down to her final games in the maroon and gold. Tormanen has had 446 points and 211 rebounds in her two years with the Golden Eagles. Tormanen has three double-doubles this season. 

• NIKKI ON THE GLASS. Redshirt junior Nicole Hernandez has been key this season on the glass for the Golden Eagles. Hernandez comes into the weekend averaging a team-high 7.1 rebounds per game. She has six games this season with 10 or more rebounds for Minnesota Crookston, including 12 rebounds versus Wayne State, Minnesota State, and Minnesota Duluth. Hernandez has three double-doubles this season. In addition to her boards, she comes in averaging 6.2 points per game. Hernandez averaged 7.5 rebounds per game against Augustana and Wayne State. She has 11 games with seven or more rebounds this season. 

• ALL ABOUT AINSLEY. Freshman Ainsley McLain has made an impact since returning from injury. McLain is averaging   4.2 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. McLain is shooting 46.4 percent from the field, and 50.0 percent from beyond the arc. McLain had six points against Wayne State last Saturday. In addition, she had eight points versus Northern State, and 13 points against St. Cloud State. 

MINNESOTA STATE. Minnesota State University is 21-5 on the 2023-24 season. As a team, Minnesota State averages 80.3 points per game, 41.3 rebounds, 17.1 steals and 1.5 blocks. Natalie Bremer, Destinee Bursch and Joey Batt are all players to watch for on Minnesota State. Bremer leads all Minnesota State players in points on the season with 392 while being the only player to start all 26 games. Bursch has 80 assists to lead Minnesota State while also leading in field goals made with 152. Batt averages the most minutes per game with 28.4 while being third on Minnesota State in points with 324. The Mavericks are ranked No. 22 in the WBCA poll. The Mavericks picked up a 100-49 win over the Golden Eagles January 13. 

UP TO BATT.  Joey Batt has started all 21 of her games played while being leading in minutes per game with 28.4 and being third on Minnesota State in points with 324. Batt has 63 rebounds, 49 assists and 79 steals. Joey Batt leads the NSIC with 3.6 steals per game. Batt had 18 points and seven steals in the first game against Minnesota Crookston. 

NOTHING BUT NATALIE. Natalie Bremer leads Minnesota State players in points on the season with 392 while having the best free throw percentage going 79 for 89 with a 88.8%. Bremer also has a field goal percentage of 45.9% while going 151 for 329 and she has 103 rebounds, 28 assists, 64 steals and four blocks on the season. Bremer has 22 double-figure scoring games. Bremer averaged 18.5 points per game in the last two tilts against Augustana and Northern State.

MAKE YOUR OWN DESTINEE. Destinee Bursch is second on Minnesota State in points with 373 while leading in field goals made and attempted going 152 for 338 and assists with 80. Bursch  also has 94 rebounds, 41 steals and one block. Bursch is averaging 14.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Bursch had 24 points versus Augustana February 10. 

WINONA STATE. Winona State University is 8-17 on the 2023-24 season coming into the week. As a team Winona State averages 56.8 points per game, 35.2 rebounds, 5.4 steals and 1.4 blocks. Some players to watch for on Winona State are Gamoke, Dornfeld and Carpenter. Gamoke leads Winona State in points with 231 while averaging the most minutes with 30.4. Dornfeld has 209 points on the season while leading Winona State in rebounds with 176. Carpenter is third on Winona State in points with 196 while leading in steals with 19. The Warriors picked up a win February 10 against Wayne State, while they fell 61-47 to Northern State. 

MATCHING UP WITH EMMA.  Emma Carpenter is the only player besides Gamoke to start all 25 games played this season. Carpenter is third on Winona State in points with 196 while having the most three pointers attempted with 118 and most steals with 19. Carpenter also has 57 rebounds, 33 assists and one block. Carpenter played three seasons for the Golden Eagles before transferring to Winona State. 

LIV. Olivia Gamoke leads Winona State in points with 231 while having the most field goals made and attempted going 84 for 236. Gamoke also has 68 rebounds, 34 assists, 15 steals and six blocks. She has averaged 6.3 points per game. Gamoke had 19 points February 2 against Sioux Falls, and 13 versus COncordia-St. Paul. 

ALL ABOUT ALEX. Alex Dornfeld is second on Winona State in points on the season with 209 with a field goal percentage of 36.9%. Dornfeld leads Winona State in rebounds with 176 while also having 27 assists, 17 steals and six blocks.

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON AT MINNESOTA STATE
DATE: Friday, February 23
TIME: 5:30 p.m.
SITE: Mankato, Minn.
ARENA: Taylor Center
LIVE STATS: https://msumavericks.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
LIVE VIDEO: https://nsicnetwork.com/msumavericks/
TWITTER: @UMNCrookstonATH/@UMNCrookstonWBB

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON AT WINONA STATE
DATE: Saturday, February 24
TIME: 3:30 p.m.
SITE: Winona, Minn.
ARENA: McCown Gymnasium 
LIVE STATS: https://winonastatewarriors.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
LIVE VIDEO: https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/
TWITTER: @UMNCrookstonATH/@UMNCrookstonWBB


WEEKLY SNAPSHOT

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON
Projected Starters
So. PG 1 Emma Miller (5-1, Albertville, Minn.) 17.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.1 APG
R-Fr. SG 2 Hope Dudycha (5-5, Austin, Minn.) 7.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG
Jr. 3G 24 Lily Orazem (5-9, Onamia, Minn.) 1.4 PPG, 1.3 RPG
So. PF 15 Janie Tormanen (6-0, Menahga, Minn.) 12.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG
R-Jr. C 4 Nicole Hernandez (6-2, Oak Creek, Wis.) 6.2 PPG, 7.1 RPG
Bench
Fr. F 31 Olivia Walsh (5-10, Austin, Minn.) 7.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG
R-Fr. G/F 30 Riley Jenkins (5-10, Galesburg, Ill.) 3.5 PPG, 3.9 RPG
Fr. F/C 14 Rayna Klejeski (6-0, Barnum, Minn.) 4.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG
So. G 11 Natalie Mikrot (5-6, Willow River, Minn.) 3.5 PPG, 1.2 RPG
Fr. G 13 Ainsley McLain (5-8, Grafton, N.D.) 4.2 PPG, 1.9 RPG


MINNESOTA STATE
Projected Starters
PG 1 Joey Batt (5-5, New Ulm, Minn.) 15.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, 3.6 APG
SG 14 Destinee Bursch (5-7, Chaska, Minn.) 14.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.2 APG
3G 5 Natalie Bremer (5-11, Lake City, Minn.) 15.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG
SF 40 Emily Herzberg (6-0, Melrose, Minn.) 8.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG
PF 30 Emily Russo (5-11, New Prague, Minn.) 4.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG
Bench
G 20 Hannah Herzig (6-0, Lino Lakes, Minn.) 8.7 PPG, 2.8 RPG
G 22 Mackenzie Schweim (5-10, Mankato, Minn.) 5.3 PPG, 2.4 RPG
F 33 Ava Stier (5-11, Waconia, Minn.) 5.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG
F 13 Grace Mueller (5-11, Mequon, Wis.) 3.3 PPG, 2.0 RPG
G 34 Bailey Conrad (5-7, Tea, S.D.) 1.3 PPG, 1.9 RPG

WINONA STATE
Projected Starters
Jr. G 0 Olivia Gamoke (5-5, Onalaska, Wis.) 9.2 PPG, 2.7 RPG
Jr. G 5 Mattie Schimenz (5-7, Milwaukee, Wis.) 6.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG
Sr. G 2 Emma Carpenter (5-9, Eagan, Minn.) 7.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG
Sr. F 10 Alex Dornfeld (5-11, Markesan, Wis.) 9.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG
Sr. F 15 Ava Sergio (6-1, Geneva, Ill.) 5.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG
Bench
So. G 11 Hailey Markworth (5-9, LaGrange, Ill.) 6.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG
Fr. F 22 Vivica Bretton (5-9, Rochester, Minn.) 5.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG
Jr. G 20 Kaitlyn Schrimpf (5-9, Oregon, Wis.) 3.0 PPG, 1.7 RPG
Jr. G 3 Lindsey Hahn (5-8, Western Springs, Ill.) 2.4 PPG, 1.3 RPG
Jr. F 30 Vanessa Alexander (5-11, St. Michael, Minn.) 1.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG

KEYS TO THE WEEKEND

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

- Can the Golden Eagles end their losing streak?

- Can the Golden Eagles keep their opponents off the offensive glass?

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

- Will the Golden Eagles limit turnovers this week?

- Who will step up off the bench for Minnesota Crookston?

- Can Minnesota Crookston reach 10 wins for the second-consecutive season?