(goldeneaglesports.com) – The University of Minnesota Crookston men’s basketball team earned a dominant 84-54 win over Valley City State University Sat., Nov. 17 at Lysaker Gymnasium. The tilt was the first game for Minnesota Crookston in the Golden Eagle Basketball Classic.

The win moves Minnesota Crookston out to a 3-1 mark, their best start since the 2010-11 season, in which the Golden Eagles also started out 3-1 on the season. Valley City State drops to 1-6 with Saturday’s loss.

The Golden Eagles overcame a tough first half where they owned a narrow 36-29 edge going into the break. Minnesota Crookston was able to take control of the game with an energetic start to the first on both ends of the court. The Golden Eagles opened the second frame on a 13-0 run to widen the gap to 49-29 with 16:21 remaining in the game. Minnesota Crookston’s defense was able to stop the Vikings on their first six possessions of the second stanza.

Minnesota Crookston was propelled by the play of 2017-18 D2CAA All-America Honorable Mention pick Harrison Cleary (Jr., G, Oak Creek, Wis.). Cleary struggled in the first half going just 3-of-11 from the field for seven points. He turned it around in the second half as Cleary tallied 15 points on 6-of-8 from the field and 3-of-3 from beyond the arc to finish with 22 points and five assists.

Ben Juhl (So., G, Clive, Iowa) chipped in 14 points on 6-of-12 from the field and 2-of-2 from distance. Josh Collins (Sr., F, Minneapolis, Minn.) added 10 points, as did Brian Sitzmann (R-Fr., G, Savage, Minn.). Chase Knickerbocker (Sr., G/F, Annandale, Minn.) and Gable Smith (R-Sr., F/C, Lodi, Wis.) each added eight points, while Smith tallied six rebounds, three blocks, and five steals.

The Golden Eagles were 35-of-70 from the field for 50.0 percent. Minnesota Crookston shot 9-of-23 from beyond the arc for 39.1, and 6-of-8 for 62.5 percent from the stripe. The Golden Eagles and Vikings both tallied 33 rebounds on the game.

Minnesota Crookston moved the ball around well on the night with 11 assists to just four turnovers.

Valley City State looked to Logan Nelson, who notched 13 points on 6-of-9 from the field. Michael Cornelious added 11 points and four boards, while Connor Entzi came off the bench for seven points.
The Vikings were 20-of-46 from the field for 43.5 percent. Valley City State shot 6-of-18 from beyond the arc and 8-of-11 from the foul line. The Golden Eagle defense turned the Vikings over 22 times on the night.

Valley City State jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first four minutes Saturday ignited by back-to-back triples from Nelson and Hunter McCalla. The Vikings pushed out to a 17-9 lead on a Chris Morgan bucket.
Minnesota Crookston responded with a 16-0 run propelled by four points apiece from Collins, Smith, and Sitzmann. The rally moved the Golden Eagles out to a 25-17 lead with 6:34 left in the half.
Three-consecutive treys from Knickerbocker, Juhl, and Cleary widened the gap to 34-19 with 4:02 left in the frame.

Valley City State came back with a strong final four minutes of the stanza. The Vikings went on a 10-0 run to cut the deficit to 34-29 with 25 seconds remaining in the frame. Valley City State was lifted by six points by Cornelious. Cleary ended the frame for the Golden Eagles with a bucket to move Minnesota Crookston into a 36-29 advantage going into the locker room.

Minnesota Crookston built on Cleary’s bucket as they opened the second half on a 13-0 run propelled by six points from Collins to make it a 49-29 game with 16:21 remaining.

The Golden Eagles were able to push their lead out to 33 points at 82-49 on a Demarion Bariffe-Smith (Fr., G, Skokie, Ill.) jumper with 2:40 remaining. Minnesota Crookston’s play in the second half would help them prevail 84-54 as the final buzzer sounded.

Minnesota Crookston will wrap up their play at the Golden Eagle Basketball Classic Sun., Nov. 18 at 4 p.m. against Concordia College. The Cobbers beat Oak Hills Christian College Saturday 79-60. U 54