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Dominating play by Van De Griend, leadership from Mogen earn honors

Junior forward Caleb Van De Griend proved to be an unstoppable force for the Minot State University (MSU) men’s basketball team in December while senior guard Emma Mogen proved to be a team leader for the MSU women’s basketball team.

Both turned in outstanding efforts during the final month of 2024 as Van De Griend was named the Male Athlete of the Month for December, the second straight month he has earned the honor, while Mogen was named Female Athlete of the Month for December.

Mogen led the way for the Beaver women’s basketball team in December averaging a team-best 11.4 points per game while adding 3.8 rebounds per game, 11 assists, and 6 steals as Minot State picked up a pair of NSIC wins and went 2-3 for the month.

Mogen stepped up big on the road before Christmas with 15 points, including the final six points of the game for Minot State in a 65-62 overtime road upset at Minnesota State Moorhead on December 20. She then turned in the second-best scoring night of her collegiate career with 17 points on December 21 at Northern State.

The senior from Watford City, North Dakota also led the Beavers with an outstanding 52.6 field goal percentage, hitting 20-of-38 shots from the field, which included 4 3-pointers, in December.

As for Van De Griend, he backed up an outstanding first month of action on the hardwood by twice being named NSIC Player of the Week and leading Minot State to a 6-0 record in December, helping the Beavers climb to a program-best No. 5 national ranking.

One rebound shy of recording a double-double in all six games, Van De Griend was named NSIC Player of the Week on December 2 then once again on December 23. He earned the second Player of the Week honor after grabbing a career-high 18 rebounds in the Beavers’ 64-58 win at Northern State on December 21. Van De Griend also scored 24 points in the victory for his fourth consecutive double-double and his 11th this season.

The junior from Bridgetown, Australia averaged 19.2 points and 13.2 rebounds for the month while adding 6 blocked shots. He also shot 79.7 percent from the field, hitting 51-of-64 shots including 4-of-5 3-pointers, and leads the nation in field-goal percentage shooting 77.6 percent (117-of-154) this season.

The MSU women’s (3-10 overall, 2-4 NSIC) and No. 5 men’s basketball (15-0, 6-0) teams return to the court this weekend after taking two weeks off for the holidays as the Beavers hosted Winona State on Friday and defending women’s and men’s national champions Minnesota State, Mankato on Saturday.

Saturday, MSU hosts the reigning champs at 3:30 p.m. for the women’s game and at 5:30 p.m. for the men’s game.

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