CROOKSTON,
Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston men’s basketball team
officially announced their 2018-19 schedule Wed., Aug. 22. The Golden Eagles
will play a 31-game regular-season schedule, as well as one exhibition game.
Minnesota Crookston will play nine non-conference tilts and 22 Northern Sun
Intercollegiate Conference games. 15 of the 31 games will be played at the
friendly confines of Lysaker Gymnasium. In addition, a big change to the
conference schedule is moving the standard game times to 7:30 p.m. on Friday
and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.
“We
are very excited about our 2018-19 schedule,” said Head Coach Dan Weisse. “The
non-conference slate will be very challenging and we are confident that it will
help us prepare for an always tough NSIC slate. We are also excited about the
NSIC schedule we have this year. Our fans will be able to see some great games
at Lysaker Gymnasium.”
Minnesota
Crookston opens the 2018-19 season with an exhibition game Sat., Nov. 3 at 6
p.m. against University of Northwestern St. Paul. The Eagles went 14-13 last
season, including an 11-5 record in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference
(UMAC). The game will be played at Lysaker Gymnasium in Crookston, Minn.
The
Golden Eagles will commence their non-conference schedule with two tough games
against Great American Conference (GAC) foes. Minnesota Crookston will play
Arkansas Tech University Sat., Nov. 10 at 12 p.m. at the Gangelhoff Center in
St. Paul, Minn. Arkansas Tech went 18-11 on the 2017-18 season. Minnesota
Crookston wraps up the weekend Sat., Nov. 11 at 12 p.m. versus the University
of Arkansas-Monticello. The game will also be played in St. Paul, Minn.
Arkansas-Monticello finished the season with a 19-12 record. The Boll Weevils
lost in the Championship Game of the GAC Tournament.
The
Golden Eagles will open their regular-season home slate Wed., Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.
against Oak Hills Christian College out of Bemidji, Minn. The Wolfpack went
10-19 last season.
Minnesota
Crookston will then open up their first home tournament of the Dan Weisse era
as they host the Golden Eagle Basketball Classic which will also include Oak
Hills Christian, Valley City State University, and Concordia College (Minn.).
The Golden Eagles will play Valley City State Sat., Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. at
Lysaker Gymnasium. The Vikings went 14-16 last season under former Bemidji
State University assistant coach Ryan Montgomery.
Minnesota
Crookston will continue play at the Golden Eagle Basketball Classic Sun., Nov.
18 at 4 p.m. versus Concordia College (Minn.). The Cobbers posted a 6-19 mark
on the 2017-18 season.
The
following week Minnesota Crookston will embark for the Caribbean as they head
to Puerto Rico for the Puerto Rico Basketball Classic. The Golden Eagles will
play three games over three days during Thanksgiving week. Minnesota Crookston
will open up the tournament against Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto
Rico, who is a NCAA Division II affiliate. The game will take place in San
Juan, Puerto Rico Wed., Nov. 21 at 1 p.m. C.S.T./3 p.m. A.S.T.
Minnesota
Crookston continues play at the Puerto Rico Basketball Classic Thurs., Nov. 22
at 11 a.m. C.S.T. /1 p.m. A.S.T. as they take on Missouri Southern State
University in a Thanksgiving excursion. The Lions went 20-10 on the 2017-18
season, including a berth in the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament.
The
Golden Eagles will conclude their trip to Puerto Rico Fri., Nov. 23 against
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras at 9 a.m. C.S.T./11 a.m. A.S.T. The
Jerezanas are also a NCAA Division II affiliate.
Minnesota
Crookston opens up NSIC play Sat., Dec. 1 at 3:30 p.m. at Bemidji State
University in Bemidji, Minn. The Beavers went 12-16 on the 2018 season. The
Golden Eagles went 2-0 against Bemidji State during the 2017-18 campaign.
The
Golden Eagles will make their NSIC home debut Fri., Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. against
Minnesota State University Moorhead. MSU Moorhead is coming off a 7-22 mark
last season. Minnesota Crookston split with the Dragons in 2017-18.
Minnesota
Crookston will continue their home weekend Sat., Dec. 8 at 5:30 p.m. versus
defending NCAA Division II runner-up Northern State University. The Wolves went
36-4 last season. They swept the two meeting with the Golden Eagles on the
2017-18 season.
The
Golden Eagles will hit the highway the following weekend as they face Augustana
University (S.D.) Fri., Dec. 15 at 4 p.m. in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Vikings went
16-14 last season, but are only three seasons removed from a NCAA Division II
title following the 2015-16 season. The Golden Eagles picked up a victory over
Vikings last season in their one tilt with their conference foe.
Minnesota
Crookston wraps up their weekend excursion Sat., Dec. 16 at 2 p.m. versus Wayne
State College (Neb.) in Wayne, Neb. The Wildcats posted a 14-17 record on the
2017-18 season. The Golden Eagles fell to Wayne State in their one meeting last
season.
Minnesota
Crookston will play their second game of the season against Bemidji State Sun.,
Dec. 30 at 4 p.m. at Lysaker Gymnasium as they wrap up the 2018 calendar year.
The
Golden Eagles will open up 2019 at home against St. Cloud State University
Fri., Jan. 4 at 7:30 p.m. at Lysaker Gymnasium. The Huskies went 24-9 last
season, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division II Central Region
Tournament. St. Cloud State swept the season series during the 2017-18 slate.
Minnesota
Crookston will remain at home Sat., Jan. 5 as they take on University of
Minnesota Duluth at 5:30 p.m. at Lysaker Gymnasium. The Bulldogs posted a 12-18
mark last season. They are in their first season under Head Coach Justin Wieck,
who was most recently an assistant coach at MSU Moorhead. Minnesota Crookston
split with Minnesota Duluth during the 2017-18 season.
The
Golden Eagles will hit the road Fri., Jan. 11 for a 7:30 p.m. meeting with
Northern State, for the second meeting of the season between the two schools.
Minnesota Crookston will then head over to MSU Moorhead Sat., Jan. 12 for a
5:30 p.m. tip against the Dragons.
The
Golden Eagles will play their final non-conference game of the season Tues.,
Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. against University of Jamestown. The Jimmies went 20-10 on
the 2017-18 season.
Minnesota
Crookston returns to conference play Fri., Jan. 18 at 7:30 p.m. against Winona
State University at Lysaker Gymnasium. The Warriors went 19-10 last season.
Winona State won the lone game with the Golden Eagles during the 2017-18
season.
The
Golden Eagles will then host Upper Iowa University Sat., Jan. 19 for a 5:30
p.m. meeting at Lysaker Gymnasium. The Peacocks finished with a 17-15 mark.
Minnesota Crookston won the lone game with Upper Iowa during the 2017-18
season.
Minnesota
Crookston will then embark on a four-game NSIC excursion. The Golden Eagles
will head to Bismarck, N.D. to face University of Mary Fri., Jan. 25 at 7:30
p.m. The Marauders went 6-21 last season. U-Mary swept the season series with
Minnesota Crookston.
The
Golden Eagles will continue their road trip Sat., Jan. 26 at 5:30 p.m. against
Minot State University in Minot, N.D. The Beavers finished with a 20-10 record
during the 2017-18 slate. Minot State picked up the season sweep of Minnesota
Crookston.
Minnesota
Crookston will remain on their road excursion as they travel to Marshall,
Minn., to face Southwest Minnesota State University Fri., Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m.
The Mustangs finished last season with a 25-9 mark. The Mustangs won the lone
meeting between the two institutions last season.
The
Golden Eagles will conclude their road trip Sat., Feb. 2 at University of Sioux
Falls in Sioux Falls, S.D. at 5:30 p.m. The Cougars went 20-10 during the
2017-18 season. The Cougars and Minnesota Crookston met three times on the
season with Sioux Falls winning the series 2-1.
Minnesota
Crookston will then return home for a four-game home stand beginning Fri., Feb.
8 with Minnesota State University, Mankato. The Golden Eagles will take on the
Mavericks at 7:30 p.m. at Lysaker Gymnasium. The Mavericks went 24-10 during
the 2017-18 season. Minnesota State won the lone meeting with the Golden
Eagles. Minnesota Crookston junior guard Harrison Cleary (Oak Creek, Wis.) has
averaged 44.0 points per game in two games with the Mavericks in his career.
The
Golden Eagles will remain at home Sat., Feb. 9 as they host Concordia
University-St. Paul. The Golden Bears went 5-24 during the 2017-18 season.
Concordia-St. Paul won the only game the two teams played in 2017-18.
Saturday’s game will also be the Alumni Game for Minnesota Crookston men’s
basketball.
Minnesota
Crookston will continue their home slate Fri., Feb. 15 as they take on Minot
State at home at 7:30 p.m. The Golden Eagles will play their final
regular-season home game Sat., Feb. 16 against U-Mary at 5:30 p.m. at Lysaker
Gymnasium. The game against U-Mary will also serve as Senior Night for the
Golden Eagles.
The
Golden Eagles will finish out their season on the road Fri., Feb. 22 and Sat.,
Feb. 23. Minnesota Crookston will face Minnesota Duluth Friday at 7:30 p.m. in
Duluth, Minn. Their final regular-season game will pit them against St. Cloud
State Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
The
conference playoffs will open up at home sites Wed., Feb. 27. The final three
rounds of the tournament will then take place at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux
Falls, S.D. March 2-5.
Minnesota
Crookston is coming off their best season in program history with a 10-19 (7-15
NSIC) record in 2017-18. The Golden Eagles enter their fifth season under Head
Coach Dan Weisse in 2018-19. Minnesota Crookston returns four starters and
seven of their top contributors from the 2017-18 season. The Golden Eagles
welcome back 10 letter winners from the 2018-19 roster. Cleary leads the way
for Minnesota Crookston as the All-NSIC First Team pick and D2CCA Academic
All-America Honorable Mention picks returns for his junior year. Cleary
averaged 24.2 points per game on his sophomore season.
In
addition, Gable Smith, last year’s NSIC Defensive Player of the Year, returns
after leading NCAA Division II in blocked shots for the majority of the season.
Ben Juhl (So., G, Clive, Iowa) and Chase Knickerbocker (Sr., G/F, Annandale,
Minn.) also return as starters. The Golden Eagles also added three newcomers,
and have three players who redshirted last season who will look to contribute
this season.
2018-19
Men's Basketball Schedule
Non-Conference
11.3
- Northwestern (Exh.) - 6 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
11.10 - vs. Arkansas Tech - 12 p.m. - St. Paul, Minn.
11.11 - vs. Arkansas-Monticello - 12 p.m. - St. Paul, Minn.
11.14 - Oak Hills Christian - 7 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
Golden Eagle Basketball Classic
11.17 - Valley City State - 6 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
11.18 - Concordia (Minn.) - 4 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
Puerto Rico Basketball Classic
11.21 - vs. Pontifical Catholic (Puerto Rico) - 1 p.m. C.T. - San Juan,
Puerto Rico
11.22 - vs. Missouri Southern State - 11 a.m. C.T. - San Juan, Puerto Rico
11.23 - vs. Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras - 9 a.m. C.T. - San Juan, Puerto Rico
NSIC Schedule
12.1 - at Bemidji State - 3:30 p.m. - Bemidji, Minn.
12.7 - MSU Moorhead - 7:30 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
12.8 - Northern State - 5:30 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
12.15 - at Augustana - 4 p.m. - Sioux Falls, S.D.
12.16 - at Wayne State - 2 p.m. - Wayne, Neb.
12.30 - Bemidji State - 4 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
1.4 - St. Cloud State - 7:30 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
1.5 - Minnesota Duluth - 5:30 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
1.11 - at Northern State - 7:30 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
1.12 - at MSU Moorhead - 5:30 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
Non-Conference
1.15 - Jamestown - 7 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
NSIC Schedule
1.18 - Winona State - 7:30 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
1.19 - Upper Iowa - 5:30 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
1.25 - at U-Mary - 7:30 p.m. - Bismarck, N.D.
1.26 - at Minot State - 5:30 p.m. - Minot, N.D.
2.1 - at Southwest Minnesota State - 7:30 p.m. - Marshall, Minn.
2.2 - at Sioux Falls - 5:30 p.m. - Sioux Falls, S.D.
2.8 - Minnesota State - 7:30 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
2.9 - Concordia-St. Paul - 5:30 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
2.15 - Minot State - 7:30 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
2.16 - U-Mary - 5:30 p.m. - Crookston, Minn.
2.22 - at Minnesota Duluth - 7:30 p.m. - Duluth, Minn.
2.23 - at St. Cloud State - 5:30 p.m. - St. Cloud, Minn.
2.27 - 3.5 - NSIC Basketball Tournament (First round - home sites, last three
rounds - Sanford Pentagon, Sioux Falls, S.D.)
