Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University men's basketball team will open the 2016-17 season this Friday and Saturday from Bethany, Oklahoma. The Wolves will tip-off with host Southern Nazarene on Friday at 6 p.m., and match-up against Harding University at 3 p.m. on Saturday in a neutral site game.
 
The Northern State University men's basketball team enters the 2016-17 season with 11 returners and six new faces. The Wolves finished 18-12 a season ago ultimately falling to Winona State (70-68) in the quarterfinal round of the NSIC Tournament. NSU returns a great deal of experience this season with four starts from 2015-16 and fifth year seniors Mack Arvidson and Michael Schreiber. Arvidson was nabbed as Northern's player to watch averaging 9.5 ppg off the bench last season. He also shot a team leading 45.0% from the arc. The Wolves also return two players who averaged double-digit points in DJ Pollard (10.7) and Carter Evans (11.1). Evans led the team shooting 63.5% from the floor and also averaged 6.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. The Wolves will have a bit of a different look on the sidelines with eight of their 17 players over 6-foot-5. Northern was picked seventh overall and third in the NSIC North Division to kick off the 2016-17 season.
 
About the Crimson Storm
• SNU went 13-16 overall and 12-10 in the Great American Conference a season ago.
• The concluded their season at the GAC Championships, falling to Ouachita Baptist 64-59.
• The Crimson Storm were picked to finish fourth in the GAC this season, returning three of their leading scorers in LB Willis (15.7), Deshon Portley (10.9) and C.J. White (9.8).
• SNU averaged 74.9 points, 36.5 rebounds, 12.8 assists, 5.7 steals, 2.8 blocks and 12.8 turnovers a game last season, while shooting 43.5% from the floor and 36.9% from the arc.
• Southern Nazarene is led by head coach Adam Bohac in his ninth season with the program where he holds a career record of 155-94.
 
Last Match-Up
• The Wolves and Crimson Storm have not faced off in the history of either program.
 
About the Bison
• HU went 20-11 overall and 17-5 in the GAC in 2015-16, entering this season with the third pick in the GAC preseason poll.
• Will Francus and Stefan Andelkovic return for Harding after averaging 13.6 and 10.5 ppg.
• The Bison averaged 80.3 points, 34.9 rebounds, 16.5 assists, 5.1 steals, 1.6 blocks, and 11.5 turnovers, while shooting 47.2% from the floor and 39.6% from the arc in 2015-16.
• Harding is led by head coach Jeff Morgan in his 24th season with the program where he has tallied a career record of 415-272.
 
Last Match-Up
• The Wolves defeated the Bison 73-67 in the second game of the season in 2015-16.
• Mack Arvidson and DJ Pollard were two of the NSU returners in double-digits with 12 and ten points respectively.
• Northern shot 45.6% from the floor and 43.5% from the 3-point line with 12 assist, six steals, and one block.