2008 Woodie Awards
MSU looks to get back on winning track against struggling Minnesota-Duluth
by Chris Jagerson
Issue date: 2/7/08
Section: Mens Sports
The Minnesota State men's basketball team has gone on three winning streaks this season and followed the first two with a pair of consecutive losses. Coming off an 80-61 loss Saturday to South Dakota, the Mavericks are going to make sure they don't have a misstep tonight against Minnesota-Duluth for their second loss in a row.
"We basically just have to show up every night," sophomore forward Curt Greeley said. "Every team in the conference can beat anybody on any night. That's the way the NCC is."
That couldn't be any more evident by UMD knocking off Nebraska-Omaha in a recent meeting, which is Duluth's lone win in its past 11 games. The favored Mavericks took care of the Bulldogs in a 92-72 victory in the conference opener for both teams January 10th in Duluth.
Junior Jake Morrow scored a career-high 32 points in the game, which was the most for a Maverick in more than three years. Morrow was 12-of-16 from the floor and 5-of-5 from 3-point range. In MSU's most recent loss to USD, Morrow struggled, making just one basket.
"Jake struggled to hit his perimeter jumpers," said guard Jesse Clark, who is Morrow's roommate. "He got fouled pretty hard in the first half, which limited his athleticism."
The Mavericks will try to avoid another two-game losing streak, which would be their third of the season. Minnesota State (16-5, 5-1 NCC) won its first four games before losing to Michigan Tech and Adams State.
The Mavericks then won five in a row before losing twice to Winona State, before beginning a season-best, seven-game winning streak that ended Saturday to the Coyotes.
Apparently, the Mavericks couldn't have caught the Bulldogs at a better time as UMD enters Thursday's game with an 8-13 record overall and 1-5 record in the NCC, which puts them in last place in the conference. Jordan Nuness is averaging an NCC-best 19.2 points per game for the Bulldogs.
Brian Sykora is second on the team and fourth in the NCC, with an average of 16.4 ppg. Sykora is also averaging 8.1 rebounds per game, which is good enough for third in the league.
"Nuness can really score in so many ways," Greeley said. "He can shoot the three and he's a strong guard, so he can post up. He loves to post up. When you can do all those things, it can be difficult to defend him."
Morrow averages a team-high 15.1 ppg, followed by Atila Santos at 15.0 ppg. Santos is coming off a game in which he grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds, averaging a league-best 9.7 rpg. Clark is fourth in the NCC, with an average of 4.1 assists per game and first in the league, with a 3.58:1 turnover-to-assist ratio.
The Mavericks return home for Thursday's 8 p.m. tip-off after playing their past three games on the road. MSU will then travel to St. Cloud to play the Huskies at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Chris Jagerson is a Reporter staff writer
"We basically just have to show up every night," sophomore forward Curt Greeley said. "Every team in the conference can beat anybody on any night. That's the way the NCC is."
That couldn't be any more evident by UMD knocking off Nebraska-Omaha in a recent meeting, which is Duluth's lone win in its past 11 games. The favored Mavericks took care of the Bulldogs in a 92-72 victory in the conference opener for both teams January 10th in Duluth.
Junior Jake Morrow scored a career-high 32 points in the game, which was the most for a Maverick in more than three years. Morrow was 12-of-16 from the floor and 5-of-5 from 3-point range. In MSU's most recent loss to USD, Morrow struggled, making just one basket.
"Jake struggled to hit his perimeter jumpers," said guard Jesse Clark, who is Morrow's roommate. "He got fouled pretty hard in the first half, which limited his athleticism."
The Mavericks will try to avoid another two-game losing streak, which would be their third of the season. Minnesota State (16-5, 5-1 NCC) won its first four games before losing to Michigan Tech and Adams State.
The Mavericks then won five in a row before losing twice to Winona State, before beginning a season-best, seven-game winning streak that ended Saturday to the Coyotes.
Apparently, the Mavericks couldn't have caught the Bulldogs at a better time as UMD enters Thursday's game with an 8-13 record overall and 1-5 record in the NCC, which puts them in last place in the conference. Jordan Nuness is averaging an NCC-best 19.2 points per game for the Bulldogs.
Brian Sykora is second on the team and fourth in the NCC, with an average of 16.4 ppg. Sykora is also averaging 8.1 rebounds per game, which is good enough for third in the league.
"Nuness can really score in so many ways," Greeley said. "He can shoot the three and he's a strong guard, so he can post up. He loves to post up. When you can do all those things, it can be difficult to defend him."
Morrow averages a team-high 15.1 ppg, followed by Atila Santos at 15.0 ppg. Santos is coming off a game in which he grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds, averaging a league-best 9.7 rpg. Clark is fourth in the NCC, with an average of 4.1 assists per game and first in the league, with a 3.58:1 turnover-to-assist ratio.
The Mavericks return home for Thursday's 8 p.m. tip-off after playing their past three games on the road. MSU will then travel to St. Cloud to play the Huskies at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Chris Jagerson is a Reporter staff writer
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