(Crookston, Minn.)- The University of Minnesota, Crookston (UMC) men’s and women’s basketball teams return home to Lysaker Gymnasium this Friday and Saturday following a two week road trip. The teams host MSU Moorhead on Friday, February 1 and Concordia- St. Paul on Saturday, February 2. Game times on both nights are scheduled for 6:00 p.m. for the women and 8:00 p.m. for the men.
The Golden Eagle women are 6-14 overall and 2-9 in the NSIC. The team is coming off of an NSIC weekend split. Minnesota, Crookston defeated SW Minnesota State on Friday, January 25, 75-71. The team fell to Wayne State College on Saturday, January 26. Jamie Zelinsky (Fr, G, Brooklyn Park, Minn.) continues to lead the Golden Eagles offensively. She is averaging 16.6 points per game through 20 games this season which is good for the fifth spot in the NSIC. She is second on the team in steals with 30 and second in assists with 63. Zelinsky scored 16 points and dished five assists in the team’s win over SW Minnesota State. Katie Cheline (So, F, Mondovi, Wis.) had a solid weekend offensively for the Golden Eagles. She averaged 11.5 points over the course of the two games this weekend. On the season, she is averaging 10 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game.
The MSU Moorhead women earned a split in NSIC action this past weekend. The team fell to Wayne State College 72-70 in an overtime thriller. The Dragons rebounded to shock Concordia- St. Paul 73-62 to hand the Golden Bears the team’s first loss of the season. MSU Moorhead is led by the tandem of Allison Swenson and Jessica Fesenmaier. Swenson averages 15.5 points per game and lead the team in rebounding with 7.8 rebounds per game. Fesenmaier averages 16.6 points per game, is second on the team in rebounds, averaging 6.2 per game and leads the team with 42 blocked shots. #2 Concordia- St. Paul is also coming off a weekend split, defeating SW Minnesota and then falling to MSU Moorhead. The Golden Bears are led by the NSIC leading scorer Amanda Behnke who is averaging 17.6 points per game through 19 games. Katie LaViolette and Candace Olstad are averaging just over 11 points per game to round out the top Golden Bear scorers.
The Golden Eagle men are 4-16 overall and 1-10 in the NSIC. The teamed played consistent basketball over the weekend but the injury bug has hampered the team’s chemistry. Minnesota, Crookston is led by 2006-07 NSIC Co-Newcomer of the Year, Bryce Cummings (So, G, Mukwonago, Wis.). He is averaging 10.5 points per game through 20 games and is second on the team in assists with 46. Eli McVey (Sr, G, Princeton, Minn.) picked up his game this weekend scoring 10 points against SW Minnesota State. He followed that performance up by scoring a career high 15 points against Wayne State College. He shot 55 percent from the field, 50 percent from the three-point line and averaged 12.5 points per game. McVey is averaging 7.3 points per game through 20 games.
The Dragons are 12-7 overall and 5-5 in the NSIC. The team fell to St. Cloud State on January 22 but came back to defeat Concordia- St. Paul on January 26. MSU Moorhead has three players averaging double-digits in points per game. Justyn Burgess leads the charge, scoring 14.7 points per game. He is followed by Blake Strouth (11.4 ppg), Lee Isaacson (10.2 ppg) and Jamal O’Neal (10.0 ppg). MSU- Moorhead is ranked third in the NSIC in scoring offense. The Golden Eagles look for the season sweep of the visiting Golden Bears this weekend. UMC defeated Concordia-St. Paul on December 7, 78-67 in St. Paul, Minn. The Golden Bears are led by the NSIC’s third leading scorer in Craig Heiman who is averaging 17.1 points per game. Defensively he is second on the team in rebounds with 90 (4.7 rpg).
All weekend games will be aired on KROX-1260 AM and web streamed through the UMC website at http://www.umcrookston.edu/people/services/MediaServ/stream.htm. All NSIC games can be viewed live through NSIC TV and Penn Atlantic at http://www.northernsun.tv/.
Following this weekend’s contests the Golden Eagles take to Lysaker Gymnasium again on Friday, February 9 to host Bemidji State University. Game times are set for 6:00 pm for the women and 8:00 pm for the men.
For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at: www.goldeneaglesports.com
The University of Minnesota, Crookston is a NCAA Division II Institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Golden Eagle Hockey is a member of the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association (MCHA). The Golden Eagle Equestrian team is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).
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