Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University men's basketball team opens the 2016-17 NSIC regular season this Saturday from Wachs Arena. The Wolves will face off against MSU Moorhead at 6 p.m. following the women's match-up.
 
The Wolves enter NSIC play on a 3-game win streak over non-conference opponents and a 4-2 record overall, after an 81-59 victory over Mayville State on Tuesday. Northern is shooting 50.9% from the floor, 40.2% from the arc, and 70.8% from the foul line through the first six games of the season. They are also averaging 83.2 points, 36.7 rebounds, 13.5 assists, 15.5 turnovers, 3.7 steals, and 2.8 blocks per game. Mack Arvidson is leading the team in points (103), scoring average (17.2), field goals made (30), 3-point field goals made (22), and steals (9). Logan Doyle has been a beast on the boards for the Wolves leading the team averaging 9.5 rebounds per game, including 2.8 offensive boards and 6.7 defensive boards. As the conference season opens, Northern will look to regain their health with both Michael Schreiber and Bo Fries missing the opening weeks due to illness and injury. In 2015-16 the Wolves went 9-2 at home in NSIC contests, and went on an 8-game home win streak through the final stretch of the season. NSU finished 13-9 overall in the league a season ago.
 
About the Dragons
                • MSU Moorhead enters the weekend with a 4-1 record overall, and their only loss coming to Southern Nazarene just one day after the Wolves defeated the Crimson Storm.
                • The Dragons are shooting 54.2% from the floor, 49.6% from the arc, and 80.5% from the foul line, while averaging 94.4 points, 33.6 rebounds, 15.0 assists, 7.4 turnovers, 4.0 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game.
                • Ayob Ayob is coming off an NSIC North Division player of the week honor, as he leads the team averaging 21.8 points per game. He is also shooting 62.9% from the floor and 57.1% from the arc.
                • Three Dragons are averaging over 4.0 rebounds per game, while another three are notching over 3.0 rebounds per game.
                • Tanner Kretchman has 31 assists this season, and is also recording 15.0 points per game, proving he can dish it out and make things happen on his own.
                • MSUM is led by head coach Chad Walthall in his sixth season with the program with a career record of 131-51 through the first five.  
 
Last Match-Up
                • Northern fell to MSU Moorhead in both match-ups in 2015-16 with scores of 71-65 and 82-71.
                • The Wolves are 62-36 all-time versus the Dragons, and 0-4 in the last two seasons.