In the zone…on fire…the hot hand…in a rhythm…locked in…going off…feeling it – or my personal favorite, “dare I say en fuego”, the phrase coined by legendary ESPN broadcaster, Dan Patrick – all common basketball lexicon that can be used to describe the greatest scoring performances in Minnesota basketball history. In this article we will pay tribute to the players who hold the single-game scoring records across all levels of play from high school to the pros.
High School
Boys Cash Eggleston (Minnesota Transitions) 90
Girls Gianna Kneepkens (Duluth Marshall) 67
- Cash Eggleston was certainly “money” on February 2, 2005 when he scored an incredible 90 points, including 20 three-pointers, in a 153-69 victory over Community of Peace Academy. This shattered the previous 47-year-old state record of 70 points set by Foley’s Norm Grow. Other members of the boys’ basketball 70-point club include Bjorn and Anders Broman of Lakeview Christian Academy and Jordan Borowicz of Roseau.
- Not only is Bjorn Broman a member of the exclusive 70-point club, he is also the only Minnesota high schooler to ever lead the nation in scoring, doing so in back to back seasons, averaging 41.0 ppg in 2014 and an astonishing 49.6 ppg the following year.
- Duluth Marshall’s Gianna Kneepkens set the girls record with a 67-point performance against Providence Academy in the 2021 state tournament. She, of course, was part of UCLA’s national championship team this past season and was one of five Bruins selected in the first round of the WNBA draft. Kneepkens is joined in the girls’ 60-point club by McKenna Hofschild of Prior Lake, Karly Jusczak of Pine City, Grace Heins of Oglivie, Rylie Cother of Jackson County Central, and Maddyn Greenway of Providence Academy.
- Deron Russell of Waseca tied Cory Mountain’s (Albrook) single-game state tournament scoring record this past season with 51 points in a quarter-final loss to Minnehaha Academy.
Small College – Division III
MIAC |
Men |
Women |
| Gustavus | Seth Anderson – 45 | Mikayla Miller – 34 |
| St. John’s | Bill Sexton – 49 | — |
| St. Olaf | Geoffrey McCray – 46 | Karen Stromme – 34 |
| Concordia-Moorhead | Dick Peterson – 49 | JoDee Bock – 37 |
| Carleton | Tom Klimisch – 48 | Lizzy Krohn – 38 |
| Augsburg | Devean George – 52 | Anja Smith – 39 |
| Bethel | Dale Turnquist – 49 | Gwen Uhlenhopp – 39 |
| Hamline | Brad Cimperman – 51 | Pam Summers – 47 |
| St. Scholastica | Derek Johnson – 44 | Jackie Plesha – 37 |
| Macalester | Caleb Williams – 51 | Leslie Plettner – 39 |
| St. Mary’s | Ken Jansen – 46 | Mary Schultz – 42 |
| St. Ben’s | — | Jennifer Nash – 39 |
| St. Kate’s | — | Jenna Martin – 34 |
UMAC
|
Men |
Women |
|
| North Central | Nathan Roeder – 51 | Naomi Hagstrom – 40 | |
| Minnesota Morris | Roger Schnaser – 51 | Malinda Berglund – 42 | |
| Bethany Lutheran | Andy Wills/ Jeff Zimmerman – 39 |
Hanna Geistfeld – 38 | |
| Crown | Cade Carroll – 45 | Dominque Urbina – 45 | |
| Martin Luther | Todd Brassow – 45 | Emily Witkowski – 37 | |
| Northwestern | Melvin Mobley – 46 | Dena Sorensen – 42 | |
- Devean George of Augsburg holds the MIAC record with 52 points. He is joined in the league’s 50-point club by Macalester’s Caleb Williams and Hamline’s Brad Cimperman. George, of course, went on to become the only Division 3 player to ever be chosen in the first round of the NBA draft when the Lakers selected him with the 23rdpick in 1999. He helped the Lakers win 3 championships during his career. After a brilliant career at Macalester, Caleb Williams used his final year of eligibility to make the leap to the D1 level and play for the University of Minnesota. Williams made quite an impression on the Gopher coaching staff the prior season when he scored 41 points for the Scots in an exhibition game against Minnesota at Williams Arena. Brad Cimperman’s historic night included a three-point buzzer beater that propelled the Pipers to an 85-82 win over Gustavus.
- With 47 points, Hamline Hall of Famer Pam Summers has held the MIAC women’s scoring record for 40 years.
- Nathan Roeder of North Central and Roger Schnaser are the only players from current UMAC schools to be in the 50-point club. Roeder is the all-time leading scorer for the Rams and Schnaser had one of the greatest scoring weekends in Minnesota collegiate history. He scored 41 points on Friday against Jamestown College followed by his record-setting 51 points on Saturday against Ellendale College – a record that has stood for 60 years.
- Bethany Lutheran’s Hanna Geistfeld set the school single-game scoring record not once but twice. She was a first-team D3 All-American who finished second in the nation in scoring at nearly 26 ppg during her senior season.
Small College – Division II
NSIC
|
Men |
Women |
| UMD | Jerry Meyer – 47 | Dina Kangas – 44 |
| MSU Moorhead | Brett Beeson – 54 | Renee Olson – 38 |
| Bemidji State | John Pecarich – 47 | Amy Lawson – 39 |
| Minnesota Crookston | Harrison Cleary – 52 | Emma Miller – 41 |
| St. Cloud State | Izzy Schmeising – 56 | Lexy Petermann – 49 |
| Concordia St. Paul | Matt Cadwell– 46 | Lydia Haack – 44 |
| SW State | Ryan Bruggeman – 49 | Julie Thein– 47 |
| Minnesota State | Jon Hagen – 50 | Lynn Peterson – 43 |
| Winona State | Herschel Lewis – 51 | Abby Busch – 39 |
- 1966 St. Cloud State All-American Izzy Schmeising holds the men’s NSIC single game record with 56 points, he is joined in the 50-point club by fellow Huskie, Joel McDonald, MSU Moorhead’s Brett Beeson and Mike Polumny, Minnesota Crookston’s Harrison Cleary, Minnesota State’s Jon Hagen, and Winona State’s Herschel Lewis. Beeson was one of the most prolific scorers in conference history, he was named the D2 National Player of the Year in 1995-96 and led the nation in scoring at 33.3 ppg.
- Lexy Petermann of St. Cloud State has the highest scoring game on the women’s side, falling just a single point shy of the 50-point mark against Mayville State in 2014. She went 20-22 from the floor and 7-7 from beyond the arc. Dare I say en fuego!!
- Not only do UMC Crookston standouts Harrison Cleary and Emma Miller hold the single-game scoring records for the Golden Eagles, they are also the all-time leading scorers in NSIC history (conference games only.)
Division I
Men |
Women |
||
| Minnesota | Ollie Shannon/ Eric Magdanz– 42 |
Rachel Banham – 60 | |
| St. Thomas | Nolan Minessale/ Nick Janowski/ Parker Bjorklund/ Raheem Anthony– 32 |
Jade Hill – 35 | |
- Remarkably, the Gopher men’s record has stood for 55 years despite rule changes that have been implemented to increase scoring such as the 3-point field goal and 30-second shot clock. Despite not eclipsing the 40-point mark in college, four former Gophers enjoyed 50-point games in the NBA – Kevin McHale, Ray Williams, Willie Burton, and Lou Hudson.
- Rachel Banham’s 60-point outburst against Northwestern (and current Lynx starter, Nia Coffey) in 2016 set the school and Big Ten single game scoring records while tying the NCAA mark held by Cindy Brown of Long Beach State. Nicknamed the Maroon Mamba, in a tribute to her favorite basketball player, Kobe Bryant, Banham received a shout out on social media from the Laker legend following her record-setting performance. Banham and Brown’s record was later broken in 2022 when Kansas State center Ayoka Lee scored 61 points against Oklahoma. Oh, by the way, Lee is also a Minnesota native who played her high school basketball for Byron.
- The Tommies are relative newcomers to the D1 ranks but it is worth noting that two of the individuals that share the men’s single game scoring record, Parker Bjorklund and Raheem Anthony did so after making the jump from the D3 level.
- The St. Thomas single game record holders at the D3 level are Karnell James on the men’s side with 47 points and Laurie Trow with 42 on the women’s side. Trow led the Tommies to a national championship and is universally regarded as one of the greatest players in D3 women’s basketball history.
Professional
| Minneapolis Lakers | Elgin Baylor – 64 |
| Minnesota Muskies | Mel Daniels – 44 |
| Minnesota Pipers | Connie Hawkins – 57 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | Karl-Anthony Towns – 62 |
| Minnesota Fillies | Brenda Chapman – 43 |
| Minnesota Lynx | Maya Moore – 48 |
- Elgin Baylor set the NBA single-game scoring record when he erupted for 64 points in a win over the Boston Celtics on November 8, 1959. Baylor’s record, of course, was later broken by Wilt Chamberlain. Baylor is joined in Minnesota’s 60-point club by Laker legend George Mikan and former Timberwolves standout Karl-Anthony Towns (for Wolves fans the “former” part is particularly painful after KAT helped lead the Knicks to this year’s NBA title). KAT is also one of just 4 players in NBA history to score 50 or more points in the All-Star game, joining Jayson Tatum, Anthony Davis, and Steph Curry.
- Six Minnesota Timberwolves players have had a 50-point game in the NBA: KAT, Anthony Edwards, Kevin Love, Mo Williams, Derrick Rose, and Corey Brewer – yes Corey Brewer, he of the 8.7 ppg career scoring average. Dare I say….Miracle?
- The Lynx have had 3 players score 40 or more points in a game: Maya Moore – 48, Katie Smith – 46, and Napheesa Collier – 42. Collier’s 42 tied the WNBA’s single-game playoff scoring record in a 101-88 victory over the Phoenix Mercury. Collier also holds the single-game scoring record in the WNBA All-Star game when she registered 36 points in last season’s game on her way to earning MVP honors.
The Best of the Best
So, who stands out from all the rest? Is it Cash Eggleston’s record-shattering 90-point performance? Or Izzy Schmiesing’s NSIC record that has stood for 60 years? Or Napheesa Collier’s WNBA playoff and All-Star Game milestones?
While all worthy candidates, my choice for the “best of the best” is Rachel Banham’s 60-point performance. At the time it set the Gopher, Big Ten, and NCAA single-game records. She still holds the school and conference marks and is one of only 3 women in NCAA D1 history to have a 60-point game. In addition, she is the only woman, college or pro, in Minnesota history to score 50 or more points in a game, and she did it twice. In addition to her record-setting game against Northwestern, she torched Michigan State for 52 points.
Maroon Mamba Out!
About the Author
As Hoop Habits’ media contributor, Roger Johnson brings decades of basketball expertise to his articles. Having served as a marketing executive at Wells Fargo & Company and a content writer for Ultimate Hoops, Roger’s true passion has always been basketball. With experience as a collegiate player at Moorhead State University, coach, and parent of successful players, Roger offers unique insights into the game. His dedication shows through his Minnesota Timberwolves season tickets, University of Minnesota basketball support, and attendance at over 3,000 basketball games throughout his lifetime.