MCAC-Region 13 Men's Basketball Tournament

The 2013 Minnesota College Athletic Conference-NJCAA Region 13 Tournament is scheduled for March 1-3 at Anoka Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. The Raider men's basketball team (two seed North) will face the tournament host, Anoka Ramsey (three seed South) at 5 pm on Friday, March 1. The winner of this matchup will play again on Saturday, March 2 at 4 pm.

Rochester Community College is the number one seed from the South and Vermilion Community College is the top seed from the North. For more information on game matchups and times click on this link: Tournament Bracket

Raider Basketball Teams Finish Strong

The Raider men's basketball team finished their regular season with a decisive victory over the Northland Pioneers 83-62 at home on Saturday, February 23. The victory was the tenth straight win for  the Raider men's team. Their last loss was against Vermilion on January 19. The Raiders enter the post season with a record of 19 wins and just 7 losses.

The Raider women's team lost their final game against Northland by a score of 58-77. The women's team had a slow start to the season with a record of 1-11 through mid-January. They finished the season with momentum by winning 9 of their final 13 games and ended their season and with a record of 10-15.

CLC upsets No. 2 Vermilion

The Central Lakes College men's basketball team upset second-ranked Vermilion, 81-73, Saturday, Feb. 16 in Brainerd to complete a sweep begun by the Raider women, who came from behind to win over the visitors, 76-68. The Vermilion men (23-2) had held the NJCAA Division III ranking for several weeks and lead the Northern Division of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference. CLC shot 51.5% in the second half and made 17 of 25 free throws in one of the best efforts of the 17-7 season.

Men win, women lose

The Central Lakes College men's basketball team won its seventh straight game Wednesday, Feb. 13 at Grand Rapids, defeating Itasca for the second time this season, 97-51. But the Raider women, who had defeated Itasca 81-54, on Jan. 26 in Brainerd, went cold in the second half and were upset, 62-48, by Coach John Bauer's Vikings. The CLC men got 41 bench points and blistered the nets for 63% shooting from the field and 85% at the line. They led, 53-28, halfway and didn't let up, outscoring the hosts, 44-23 in the final 20 minutes. Leaders were Brandon Davis (shown) with 14 points, Andre Thomas and Kahreem Horsley with 12 apiece, John Jedneak with 11, and Bryan Gichaba 10 for the 16-7 Raiders (9-2 in Northern Division). The CLC women got 19 points from Lindsay Monson, 11 from Taalyr Egeness, with Carlie Sweet continuing her tough play underneath for 9 rebounds. The Raiders hot just 19% in the last half to lose their 28-24 halftime edge. They are now 9-13, 8-3 in the Division. Next: Vermilion at CLC, Saturday, Feb. 16, women at 1, men at 3.

Player of Week

Carlie Sweet, a 5-11 Central Lakes College forward from Brainerd, was named Northern Division Player of the Week in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference for the week ending Feb. 9. Carlie tallied a double-double for the Raiders (9-12 overall, 8-2 in the Division) in a win over Hibbing. She scored 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds while shooting 50%. She also had 3 assists and 3 steals. Carlie was also a two-year volleyball standout for CLC.

Raiders defeat Hibbing

In Northern Division basketball from the Minnesota College Athletic Conference Sat., Feb. 9, Central Lakes College defeated Hibbing  in the Brainerd campus gymnasium. The CLC women won, 81-67, and the Raider men triumphed, 80-56, to avenge their 54-53 loss at Hibbing Jan. 12. The scoring leaders for the women were Carlie Sweet had 15 points, Lindsay Monson 17 and Jalynn Lamb 22 (shown). Top scorers for the men: Andre Thomas with 18, Kevin Kuefler 15, Brandon Davis 14, and Bryan Gichaba 10. CLC led by 33-31 at the half before outscoring the Cardinals by 18 in the last half. The men, winning their sixth straight, moved their Division record to 8-2 and overall mark to 15-7. The Raider women, after getting a win by forfeit vs. Fond du Lac Feb. 6, are now 9-12 overall and 8-2 in the Division. They have won eight of their last nine games. Next: CLC at Itasca (Grand Rapids), Wed., Feb. 13, women at 6, men at 8.

Men win 14th

The Central Lakes College men's basketball team broke loose from a two-point halftime lead to escape Fond du Lac, 75-62, in Northern Division play Wednesday, Feb. 6 at Cloquet. Bryan Gichaba (shown) scored a team-high 17 and snared eight rebounds to lead the Raiders to their fifth straight win and a 14-7 record (7-2 in Division). A nice run with about five minutes left lifted CLC, which committed just 10 turnovers to 22 by the Thunder. The Raiders also cashed in at the line, making 18 of 28 free throws, while FDL managed 6 of 10. Brandon Davis added 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Benji Subah had 10 points and five assists. CLC is in second place in the Division. Next: Hibbing at CLC, Sat., Feb. 9, women at 1, men at 3.

Player of Week

Andre Thomas, a 5-foot, 8-inch Central Lakes College play-maker from Chicago, is the Northern Division Co-Player of the Week in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference for the week ending Feb. 2. Andre averaged 17 ppg, 5 rpg, 4.5 apg and 3.5 spg for the 2nd place Raiders while shooting 60% from the field and 50% beyond the arc. Andre is fifth in Division shooting from beyond the arc, making 39% of his shots for the season (35 of 90). He shared the recognition with Bacarius Dinkins of Mesabi Range, a three-time honoree this season. Dinkins leads the Division in scoring with a 20.3 average.

Raiders win

The Central Lakes College women's basketball team on Sat., Feb. 2 avenged an earlier loss to Rainy River by winning, 63-56, in the Brainerd gym. Lindsay Monson finished with 19 points, while Ashley Arneson provided outside punch with 12 points. Jalynn Lamb (shown) scored 10 points as the Raiders won for the sixth time in seven games and upped their Northern Division record to 6-2 in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference. Lindsay also collected eight rebounds and just two personal fouls in 32 minutes of play. With the win the Raiders and Rainy River are tied for second place in division play with six games remaining. Division: 6-2. All: 7-12. Next: CLC at Fond du Lac 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Men win

The Raider men waltzed past the Voyageurs, 50-56. They led, 42-30 at the half and shot 49% for the game (34-69) while holding Rainy to 32%. Scoring leaders were Andre Thomas (16, plus four assists), Tyler Flugum (12), Kevin Kuefler (11), and Bryan Gichaba (11). The Raider bench outscored the visitors, 36-7, with 10 players scoring for CLC. Brent Koehler came off the bench to score four points and snare five rebounds in 10 minutes. Division: 6-2. All: 13-7. Next: CLC at Fond du Lac 8 p.m. Wednesday.