The Golden Eagles look to grab a pair of wins as they conclude the home portion of their schedule.
The Scoop
The University of Minnesota Crookston women’s basketball team will close out their 2017-18 home slate Fri., Feb. 9 and Sat., Feb. 10 against Northern State University and Minnesota State University Moorhead. Saturday will mark senior day for seniors Micaela Noga and Emily Gruber, who will both play their final home games at Minnesota Crookston this weekend.
Previewing the Golden Eagles
Minnesota Crookston lost a pair last weekend at home against the top NSIC South teams in Augustana and Wayne State. This weekend they take on the top two NSIC North teams in Northern State and MSU Moorhead. The Golden Eagle women’s basketball team looks to redshirt junior post Isieoma Odor to lead the way. Odor is averaging 13.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Senior Micaela Noga has also been a key cog for the Golden Eagles. The 1,000 point scorer is tallying 12.2 points per game on the season. Her backcourt mate Caitlin Michaelis is tallying 11.4 points per game. Noga’s fellow senior Emily Gruber is averaging 9.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Gruber notched 21 points on 8-of-19 from the field last Saturday against Wayne State. Gruber needs just 70 points to become the 12th player in school history to notch 1,000 points. She would join her teammate Micaela Noga. Odor is also closing in on 1,000 points as she needs just 92 points to join the club.
In addition, Abby Guidinger has been strong over the last month for the Golden Eagles. The freshman from Waukesha, Wis., is tallying 11.9 points per game for the Golden Eagles since Jan. 12. Guidinger looks to continue to come into her own for Minnesota Crookston.
The Golden Eagles come into the weekend averaging 63.8 points per game. Defensively, they are giving up 68.8 points per contest. Minnesota Crookston is shooting 39.0 percent from the field and 29.2 percent from beyond the arc. The Golden Eagles have been strong from the charity stripe where they are shooting 80.0 percent.
Previewing the Wolves
Northern State enters the week with a 20-4 (15-3 NSIC) mark. The Wolves are No. 2 in the NSIC North coming into the weekend. Northern State has a strong post presence led by Miranda Ristau’s 19.3 points per game. Jill Conrad enters the weekend averaging 11.9 points per game. In addition, Jessi Marti comes in averaging 7.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, while Brianna Kusler is averaging 7.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Kusler has been the top outside shooter for Northern State as she comes into the weekend shooting 46.0 percent from distance.
The Wolves are shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from beyond the arc. Almost 79 percent of the shots Northern State takes are from inside the three-point arc as they especially try to get the ball into the post. In addition, the Wolves come in shooting 73.8 percent from the foul line.
Previewing the Dragons
MSU Moorhead currently leads the NSIC North with a 19-3 (16-2 NSIC) mark. The Dragons are led by Jacky Volkert’s 13.9 points per game, while post player Drew Sannes is averaging 13.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. In addition, Megan Hintz has also been strong in the post with 12.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Cassidy Thorson enters the weekend tallying 10.5 points per game. The top player off of the bench for MSU Moorhead is Kiley Borowicz, who is averaging 8.0 points per game. The top outside shooter for the Dragons is Sannes at 39.2 percent, while Thorson is shooting 33.5 percent.
MSU Moorhead is averaging 73.1 points per game, while giving up 61.0 points per contest to their foes. The Dragons are shooting 41.7 percent from the field, 32.8 percent from beyond the arc and 76.9 percent from the charity stripe.
#5StoryLines
1. Can the Golden Eagles have strong shooting from beyond the arc?
2. Can Minnesota Crookston be physical defensively with Miranda Ristau and Jill Conrad in the post?
3. Can the Golden Eagles make Drew Sannes of MSU Moorhead have to work for her points like they did in Moorhead?
4. Can the Golden Eagles continue to have strong production from their starting five?
5. Will the Seniors make a major impact in their final home games?
#GetItToThePot