The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Men’s Basketball team led by 11 points in the first half, but couldn’t hold on as the St. Cloud State Huskies came back to win 76-71, killing any playoff hopes for the Eagles.
Both teams would trade baskets up until the first media timeout of the game.
The Huskies would lead 10-7, but Ethan Channel (R-Jr., G, Beaverton, Ore.) would score five straight points to knot things up at 12 at the first timeout.
With the Golden Eagles trailing 17-16, Minnesota Crookston would look to Marcus Thompson (R-Jr., F, Brooklyn, N.Y.). Thompson would score four straight points to give the Golden Eagles a 20-17 lead.
Minnesota Crookston would score seven in a row, using a Ron Kirk, Jr., (Fr., G, Milwaukee, Wis.) jumper and five-straight from Zach Westphal (R-Sr., G, West Fargo, N.D.) to help stretch their lead to eight.
Kirk, Jr., and Westphal would team up again a few moments later. Kirk, Jr., would steal the ball and Westphal would finish on the other end to give the Golden Eagles their largest lead of the game at 36-25. The Huskies would finish the half on a 12-4 run to head into the halftime break down just three, at 40-37.
Westphal would lead the way in the first 20, scoring 10 points. Powell finished the half with eight, while Uzo Dibiamaka (R-So., G, Adelaide, South Australia) and Thompson finished with seven and six, respectively. The Golden Eagles shot 50 percent from the field in the first half.
In the second half, the Huskies would go on a 13-4 run through the first seven and a half minutes, forcing a Golden Eagle timeout.
Minnesota Crookston would cut into one, after Dixon would bury a three and Thompson would finish through contact, but couldn’t convert on the three-point play.
Trailing 61-58, Minnesota Crookston would answer with a right corner three from Westphal, but the Huskies would score the next six to take a 67-61 lead.
Leonard Dixon (R-Jr., F, Demascus, Ore.) would bury a three to cut the lead to three, but the Huskies would make some big plays down the stretch to escape with the victory.
The Golden Eagles would have four scorers in double-figures, led by Powell’s 16 on 7-13 shooting from the field. Westphal would finish with 13, while Dixon and Thompson would each finish with 12 in the game. The Golden Eagles shot 44.6 percent from the field and under 31 percent from deep.
All five Huskies starters finished in double-figures.
The Golden Eagles have been eliminated from the NSIC Playoffs and will finish up their season at home on Senior Day against Nationally ranked Minnesota Duluth on Saturday. The Golden Eagles will honor three seniors: Westphal, Brian Sitzmann (R-Sr., G, Savage, Minn.) and Silas Xia (Sr., G, Guangzhou, China). Tip-off is set for 3 P.M.
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| UMC | 40 | 31 | 71 |
| St. Cloud State | 37 | 39 | 76 |
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