COLD SHOOTING COSTS UMC MEN’S BASKETBALL IN LOSS TO DULUTH

The University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC) Men’s Basketball team scored just 19 points in the first half, and their second-half comeback fell short in a 78-64 lead against Minnesota Duluth in an NSIC game played at Romano Gymnasium in Duluth.

FIRST HALF –
Minnesota Duluth opened the game with a 5-0 lead before Brian Sitzmann (R-Soph., Savage) scored a lay-up trimming UMD’s lead to 5-2 with 18:25 to play in the half. Another 5-0 run by the Bulldogs extended their lead to 10-2 before Malcolm Cohen (R-Sr., Detroit, MI) scored two straight baskets bringing the Golden Eagles within 10-6. A pair of Harrison Cleary (Sr., Oak Creek, WI) free-throws cut Minnesota Crookston’s deficit down to 22-14 with 6:10 to play in the half, before Minnesota Duluth went on a 7-0 run increasing their lead to 29-14. UMD extended their lead to 20 before Harrison Cleary made a three-pointer for the last basket of the first half as UMC went into the locker room down 36-19 at halftime. “We had to find energy,” said UMC head coach Dan Weisse. “We were in the game for a long time, and then the wheels fell off. There were a few different reasons for that, but that’s on us. We’ve got to have a different energy about us.”

SECOND HALF –
Minnesota Duluth opened the second half with a 6-0 run taking a 42-19 lead with 18:57 to play. Minnesota Crookston answered with their own 6-0 run with 17:57 remaining. Trailing 51-31 with 14:08 to play, Reed Miller (Fr., Appleton, WI) made a three-pointer followed by a Chase Johnson (R-Jr., La Crosse, WI) lay-up sparking a 7-0 run bringing the Golden Eagles within 51-38 with 10:47 to play. Trailing by 14 with 3:41 to play, Brian Sitzmann scored three straight points opening a quick 5-0 run cutting UMD’s lead down to 72-63 with 3:08 to play. That was the closest Minnesota Crookston’s comeback bid encroached on UMD’s lead as the Bulldogs hung on for a 78-64 win. “I am happy with the way our guys handled the second half; however, that’s to be expected,” added Weisse. “To battle. We’ve got to change a few things up. I think we have to start pushing the ball more. Malcolm Cohen and Brian Sitzmann need to be more aggressive going to the rim. Harrison (Cleary) can’t just be a one-man show. We need some other guys to step up to put pressure on the defense. Minnesota Duluth is a very good team, but we’re disappointed. We did not shoot the ball in either game this weekend, and we need guys to step up. We’ve got to handle things a lot better. We defended pretty well this weekend, but our offense was not very good.”

Minnesota Crookston falls to 7-7 overall and 3-5 in NSIC play. The Golden Eagles return to the court on Friday when UMC hosts Northern State at 7:30 P.M. Minnesota Duluth improves to 11-3 overall and 6-2 in conference play.