Setting the Stage: After splitting its weekend homestand with Wayne State and #16 Augustana last weekend, Northern State (6-2, 2-2 NSIC) turns its attention to Bemidji State and Minnesota-Duluth in the final weekend of play in the 2011 calendar year.  The Wolves are looking to take some momentum into the Christmas holiday break, but must go through a pair of teams with similar resumes as the Wolves themselves.  All three teams sport 2-2 records in NSIC play and were middle-of-the-back picks in the preseason coaches' poll.  NSU goes into the weekend without starting point guard Tydan Storrusten, who is out for the season with a knee injury, but hopes to have Collin Pryor back to full speed by the weekend.  Pryor was limited last weekend with a bruised hip.

Last Time Out:  NSU battled back from an early 16-10 deficit - after opening the game with a 10-0 run - to take a 57-41 win over Wayne State on Friday despite a limited performance from an injured Collin Pryor.  Fellow junior Dustin Tetzlaff picked up the slack with an 18-point effort, while Alex Thomas added 13 points and four steals.  Thomas and Pryor also helped keep the Wolves close on Saturday, combining for 29 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots, but it wasn't close enough against No. 16 Augustana.

About BSU: The Beavers, picked to finish 7th in the preseason poll, are riding the tails of the conference's leading scorer in James Ellisor and are 7-3 overall and 2-2 heading into Friday's showdown with the Wolves.  Ellisor has led the team in scoring in all but two games this season and in rebounds all but one.  Most recently, sophomore James Schalow led the way with 21 points in BSU's 70-60 win over Upper Iowa last Saturday.  BSU's three losses have come to Metro State (RMAC favorite in season-opener), MSU Moorhead and Winona State.

Last Season: In the two meetings between the teams in 2010-11, NSU and the Beavers were whistled for a combined 117 fouls and shot a total of 168 free throws.  Eight players fouled out of the two contests and each team took home a win on the road.

About UMD: The Bulldogs were picked to finish ninth in the preseason coaches' poll, one spot ahead of NSU's 10th place selection, and are off to a 5-3 start to their season and 2-2 in the league.  Like their travel-partner Beavers, UMD has suffered losses to MSU Moorhead and Winona State in conference play.  The Bulldogs feature eight freshmen and sophomores on their 14-man roster and rely heavily on lone senior and leading scorer Ryan Rasmussen.

Last Season: NSU and the Bulldogs split their two meetings last season with each team winning on the road.  NSU's win over the Bulldogs came on Jan. 28 and sparked a four-game win streak for the Wolves.