UMC Men’s Basketball Releases 2014-15 Schedule

CROOKSTON, Minn.- The University of Minnesota Crookston men’s basketball program officially announced their 2014-15 schedule Thursday afternoon. The Golden Eagles’ schedule will feature exhibitions against
Division I foes University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and North Dakota State University, along with non-conference tilts with NCAA Division II power Seattle Pacific University and Central Washington University in Seattle, Wash. In addition, the Golden Eagles will have 22 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) games including 13 regular-season home dates.

“When we put together this schedule, we had a purpose,” said Head Coach Dan Weisse. “We want to expose our players to as high of a level of competition as we can. I feel like our non-conference schedule will prepare us for our league which is second to none in the country. Our guys will have a great experience on the road and will hopefully come together as a unit heading into our difficult NSIC schedule.

We are also excited about the schedule we have at home and hope that the Crookston community will come out and watch our players hard work come together beginning with the first exhibition game against Wisconsin-Superior. I think people will like what they see and I know we are excited to get this journey started.”

The Golden Eagles will open up the 2014-15 slate as they host the University of Wisconsin-Superior Yellowjackets, Nov. 8 at 4 p.m. at Lysaker Gymnasium. Wisconsin-Superior is an NCAA Division III member.

Following their exhibition, the Golden Eagles will play four games in six days to open the season. Minnesota Crookston will commence the regular season as they head to Seattle, Wash. Nov. 14 and 15. The Golden Eagles will play a pair of challenging foes beginning with Central Washington, who went 12-14 last season, Nov. 14 at 5 p.m. UMC will then take on Seattle Pacific, who finished the year ranked 11th in the nation, Nov. 15 at 9 p.m. Minnesota Crookston will then head directly to Milwaukee, Wis. to play an exhibition against NCAA Division I member Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the alma mater of Coach Weisse, at 7 p.m. Nov. 17. UMC will then return home their home non-conference opener as they take on University of Jamestown Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. UMC will wrap up their non-conference slate Nov. 22 at home against Crossroads College at 2 p.m.

UMC will face-off with North Dakota State in one final exhibition tilt Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. The Bison went 26-7 during the 2013-14 season en route to the third round of the NCAA Division I Tournament.

The Golden Eagles will open up an always difficult NSIC slate as they head to Bemidji, Minn. to face Bemidji State University Nov. 29 at 4 p.m. The Beavers shared the NSIC North title last season. UMC will then return to the friendly confines of Lysaker Gymnasium for their NSIC opeoner against University of Minnesota
Duluth Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. UMC will remain home to take on St. Cloud State University Dec. 6 at 6 p.m.

UMC will then hit the road to face-off with Wayne State College (Neb.) in Wayne, Neb. Dec. 12 at 8 p.m. The following day they will take on Augustana College (S.D.) Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. in Sioux Falls, S.D. Minnesota Crookston will wrap up the 2014 portion of their schedule as they host BSU at 6 p.m. Dec. 20.

Minnesota Crookston will open up the new year with home games Jan. 2 against University of Mary at 8 p.m. and Jan. 3 against Minot State University at 6 p.m.

UMC’s first trek of the 2015 portion of their schedule will take them to St. Cloud State Jan. 9 at 8 p.m. and Minnesota Duluth Jan. 10 at 6 p.m.

The Golden Eagles will return home to face Concordia University, St. Paul Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. and Minnesota State University, Mankato Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. The Mavericks won the NSIC South and finished the year ranked No. 9 in the nation and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Minnesota Crookston will hit the road again for a four-game trip beginning with Minnesota State University Moorhead, Weisse’s previous employer where he was assistant coach under Chad Walthall. The Golden Eagles and Dragons will face-off Jan. 23 at 8 p.m. UMC will then take on Northern State University Jan. 24 at 6 p.m. The Golden Eagles will take on Upper Iowa University Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. and then Winona State University Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. The Warriors participated in the NCAA Tournament in 2014-15.

UMC will return home to face University of Sioux Falls Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. and Southwest Minnesota State University Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. They will then hit the road for their final road trip of the season as they take on Minot State Feb. 13 at 8 p.m. and U-Mary Feb. 14 at 6 p.m.

The Golden Eagles will wrap up the year at home as they battle Northern State at 8 p.m. Feb. 20 and MSU Moorhead Feb. 21 at 6 p.m.

UMC is in their first season as Weisse as head coach, taking over for Jeff Oseth. The Golden Eagles currently have a 16-man roster featuring seven seniors. Weisse will be joined on the bench by former Colorado State University player Mike Annese, who has been an assistant at Truman State University and Iowa Lakes Community College, and Bryan Beamish, who played at Wisconsin-Stevens Point and was a graduate assistant at University of Miami (Fla.) and an assistant at Saint Leo University.

Follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook at Golden Eagle Sports and on Twitter at @UMCAthletics.

The University of Minnesota Crookston is an NCAA Division II Institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Golden Eagle Equestrian team is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).

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2014-15 Men’s Basketball Schedule

11/8    Wisconsin-Superior (Exhibition)    Crookston, Minn.    4 p.m.
11/14    vs. Central Washington        Seattle, Wash.        5 p.m.
11/15    at Seattle Pacific            Seattle, Wash.        9 p.m.
11/17    at Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Exhibition)    Milwaukee, Wis.    7 p.m.
11/19    Jamestown                Crookston, Minn.    7 p.m.
11/22    Crossroads                Crookston, Minn    2 p.m.
11/25    at North Dakota State (Exhibition)    Fargo, N.D        7 p.m.
11/29    at Bemidji State            Bemidji, Minn.        4 p.m.
12/5    Minnesota Duluth            Crookston, Minn.    8 p.m.
12/6    St. Cloud State            Crookston, Minn.                    6 p.m.
12/12    at Wayne State (Neb.)        Wayne, Neb.                        8 p.m.
12/13    at Augustana (S.D.)            Sioux Falls, S.D.                    6 p.m.
12/20    Bemidji State                Crookston, Minn.                    6 p.m.
1/2    U-Mary                Crookston, Minn.                    8 p.m.
1/3    Minot State                Crookston, Minn.                    6 p.m.
1/9    at St. Cloud State            St. Cloud, Minn.                    8 p.m.
1/10    at Minnesota Duluth            Duluth, Minn.                        6 p.m.
1/16    Concordia-St. Paul            Crookston, Minn.                    8 p.m.
1/17    Minnesota State            Crookston, Minn.                    6 p.m.
1/23    at MSU Moorhead            Moorhead, Minn.                    8 p.m.
1/24    at Northern State            Aberdeen, S.D.                    6 p.m.
1/30    at Upper Iowa                Fayette, Iowa                        8 p.m.
1/31    at Winona State            Winona, Minn.                        6 p.m.
2/6    Sioux Falls                Crookston, Minn.                    8 p.m.
2/7    Southwest Minnesota State        Crookston, Minn.                    6 p.m.
2/13    at Minot State                Minot, N.D.                       8 p.m.
2/14    at U-Mary                Bismarck, N.D.                       6 p.m.
2/20    Northern State            Crookston, Minn.                   8 p.m.
2/21    MSU Moorhead            Crookston, Minn.                   6 p.m.