Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University men's basketball team continues non-conference play this week with two games against Southwest Minnesota State and Jamestown. The Wolves will travel to Marshall on Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. match-up with the Mustangs, and return home on Friday for a 7 p.m. contest with the Jimmies on Friday.
 
The Wolves enter the week with a 1-1 record overall, defeating Washburn and falling to No. 1 Northwest Missouri State. NSU tallied six made 3-pointers in each game, shooting a weekend high 46.3 percent from the floor against Northwest. Defensively they nabbed 13 steals and forced 22 turnovers against the Ichabods, resulting in 21 points in the win. As a team, NSU is shooting 44.0 percent from the floor, 36.7 percent from the arc, and 81.5 percent from the foul line, while averaging 64.5 points, 30.5 rebounds, 11.0 assists, 13.5 turnovers, 4.0 blocks, adn 6.5 steals per game. Four Wolves are averaging double figures led by DJ Pollard with 23 points, averaging 11.5 per game. Carter Evans is leading the team off the bench, averaging 11.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Ian Smith and Darin Peterka are each averaging 10.0 points per game, while Peterka is nearing 1,000 career points with 968 currently. Logan Doyle is shooting a team leading 70.0 percent from the floor, while Pollard is leading the team shooting 66.7 percent from the 3-point line.
 
About the Mustangs
    • Southwest enters the match-up with a 1-1 record overall, defeating Emporia State last weekend.
    • The Mustangs are shooting 47.3 percent from the floor, 35.5 percent from the arc, and 65.6 percent from the foul line, while averaging 68.0 points, 28.5 rebounds, 14.0 assists, 14.5 turnovers, 6.5 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game.
    • Carter Kirk is leading the team averaging 18.5 points and shooting 62.5 percent from the floor.
    • SMSU is led by head coach Brad Bigler in his 19th season with the program and ninth season at the helm. Bigler holds a career record of 136-101.
 
Last Match-Up
    • The Wolves and Mustangs split their two contests in 2016-17 with Southwest taking the non-conference match-up, 83-82, and Northern nabbing the league game, 96-86.
    • Pollard led the team in the game one loss with 20 points, followed by Doyle with 19.
    • Smith and Doyle led the team in the victory with 21 and 20 points respectively.
    • NSU shot a combined 58.4 percent from the floor in the two games and out-rebounded the Mustangs 71-55
    • Northern is 64-25 all-time against the Mustangs and 6-5 in the Sather-era.
 
About the Jimmies
    • Jamestown enters the match-up with a 6-2 record overall, after a recent exhibition win over the University of Mary 86-76.
    • The Jimmies are shooting 54.5 percent from the floor, 45.5 percent from the arc, and 73.1 percent from the foul line this season, while averaging 101.5 points, 40.6 rebounds, 18.1 assists, 13.3 turnovers, 7.8 steals, and 3.4 blocks per game.
    • Leighton Sampson is leading four in double figures averaging 20.1 points per game. He is also pulling down a team leading 7.9 rebounds per game.
    • Ben Weisbeck leads the team shooting 64.7 percent from the floor, while Sam Johnson is leading the team shooting 54.3 percent from the arc.
    • UJ is led by head coach Danny Neville in his third season at the helm.
 
Last Match-Up
    • The two teams last faced off in 2015-16 with the Wolves defeating the Jimmies 87-83.
    • Ian Smith and Carter Evans led the returners with 17 points each off the bench, with Evans notching a team leading nine rebounds.
    • Northern shot 52.8 percent from the floor, 36.8 percent from the arc, and 68.6 percent from the foul line.
    • The Wolves are 71-30 all-time against Jamestown and on a 31-game win streak.