[BasketballAlum] newsletter 2/20

[James Kuronen]

4 IN A ROW!!
We defeated Nebraska-Omaha on Saturday 69-51. Defense was the key as we 
held UNO to 31% shooting for the game. Last week I bragged about having 
5 players in double figure scoring and how rare that has been for our 
program. Saturday you'd have never known it. We scored 69 points with 2 
players in double figures. Bryan Foss (Jr.-Osseo, MN) was 1 point short 
of his career high in scoring 24 and also bringing down 9 rebounds. He 
was 11/16 from the field (which was with missing to bunny's), and 2/3 
from the 3 point line. John Emerson (Sr.-New Richmond) scored 17 as he 
continued his outstanding play. Whenever our opponent mounts a run he's 
the player who steps up for us and makes a big shot. He also has the 
task of guarding the other team's best perimeter player. He's really 
got the mind set and toughness of a BULLDOG.

Bryan Foss was selected as the NCC Player of the Week for his efforts. 
It's the first time in the past 2 season we've had a players receive 
the honor.

UNO was missing some players. Their starting lead guard and leading 
scorer sprained his ankle the previous Saturday at Mankato and was not 
available for the game. Another bench player was at home tending to an 
ill parent. We expect both of those guys to be in the line-up when we 
travel to Mankato Thursday. It will prove to be a very tough game. 
Having to play the same team twice in 5 days is a tall order but one we 
can do nothing about. After the 9 hour ride Wednesday to Omaha we 
travel 8 hours on Friday to Grand Forks, ND for our final regular 
season game.
We are currently tied for 3rd in the NCC with #2, #3, and #4 hosting 
first round games. #1 gets a bye and hosts the semi's and finals.

The standing are:
Mankato         8-2
St Cloud        8-3
UMD             5-5
South Dakota    5-5
Augustana       5-6
North Dakota    3-7
Omaha           2-8

We have the tie breaker over Augustana as a result of beating them 
twice, but South Dakota has the tie breaker over us as a result of us 
splitting the 2 games and them beating Mankato.
First round NCC games will be played Wednesday, March 1st.

Butch Kuronen
Assistant Basketball Coach
University of Minnesota Duluth
218-726-6199 (office)
218-591-7618 (cell)
jkuronen at d.umn.edu