Statesman

Issue date: 2/18/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Alexander Susuki With their regular season nearing its conclusion, the UMD men's basketball team swept itself two steps closer to a possible postseason berth over the weekend.

With their regular season nearing its conclusion, the UMD men's basketball team swept itself two steps closer to a possible postseason berth over the weekend. Playing first the University of Minnesota-Crookston and then Minnesota State-Moorhead, the Dogs had little difficulty in racking up two crucial Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) victories.

Only three games remain on UMD's regular season schedule. Currently the Bulldogs are ranked 10th in NCAA Division II's Central Region rankings, according to the NSIC Web site. In order to qualify for the 64 team national tournament, the Dogs will need to be ranked at least eighth in the region. Being on the outside looking in has added a new sense of urgency to the remaining games, according to head coach Gary Holquist.

"We know we need to improve our position to get into the tournament. The coaches and the players can all sense it; we know what time of the year it is," he said in advance of the weekend's games. "Twenty wins is typically your benchmark to make the tournament. That means we'll need to win out. It's not going to be easy, but we love that we're controlling our destiny."

Judging by the weekend's results, winning out may be easier than Holquist predicted. Friday saw the Dogs completely dismantle Crookston's Golden Eagles. By applying suffocating defense throughout the game, UMD held Crookston to 39 points; their lowest total of the season. Utilizing their preferred ball-control style of play perfectly, the Dogs scored 65 points and only turned the ball over twice in the win, exactly the type of effort Holquist was looking for.

"If we force teams into our style: into half court scenarios, we can beat anybody," Holquist said. "We've had a lot of trouble finishing games out this year, but if we play smart and with confidence for entire games, we'll start winning those games."

Finishing was not a problem at all Friday. Up only by nine at halftime, the Bulldogs allowed a miniscule 17 points in the second half to pull away for the easy win. Junior Brian Sykora led a balanced UMD scoring attack with a game-high 14 points to go with his eight rebounds, which were also a game high. Seniors John Vaudreuil and Steve Klass were the only others to score double digits with 12 and 11 points respectively.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools