Aberdeen, S.D. – The No. 21 Northern State Wolves will open the NSIC regular season this weekend on the road at (RV) Minot State and U-Mary. Tip-off for the two contests is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Friday in Minot and 6 p.m. on Saturday in Bismarck.
The Wolves moved up four spots to No. 21 nationally following a 2-0 weekend from the Sanford Pentagon Classic with wins over Missouri Southern and New York Institute of Technology, and a win over Black Hills State last Monday. NSU shot 45.6 percent from the floor, 38.0 percent from the arc, and 61.8 percent from the foul line in the three wins, averaging 76.0 points, 42.3 rebounds, 19.3 assists, 11.3 turnovers, 6.7 steals, and 4.7 blocks per game. On the season, the Wolves are shooting 46.8 percent from the floor, 35.6 percent from the 3-point line, and 67.5 percent from the charity stripe, while averaging 72.1 points, 38.3 rebounds, 15.0 assists, 12.7 turnovers, 6.6 steals, and 4.9 blocks per game. The Wolves are also averaging 6.9 made 3-pointers per game with 48 total this season.
Ian Smith is leading the team averaging 11.9 points per game, while
Carter Evans is leading the team off the bench averaging 11.7 points per game. Smith is also leading the team with 27 assists, averaging 3.9 per game, while Evans is shooting a team leading 69.1 percent from the floor. Logan Doyle was a monster on the boards last weekend with 22 total. He is now averaging a team leading 8.1 per game.
Darin Peterka notched the 1,000th point of his career versus Missouri Southern, making him the 53rd member of the NSU 1,000 point club.
About the Beavers
• Minot State is 7-0 on the year and currently receiving votes in the NABC Top-25 Poll.
• The Beavers are shooting 48.0 percent from the floor, 38.8 percent from the 3-point line, and 77.0 from the foul line, while averaging 86.4 points, 42.1 rebounds, 15.3 assists, 9.9 turnovers, 6.7 steals, and 3.0 blocks per game.
• Tyler Rudolph leads the team averaging 23.9 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 62.9 percent from the floor.
• Russ Davis is second on the team averaging 11.1 points per game, while David Akibo is averaging 7.0 rebounds per game.
• Minot State is led by head coach Matt Murken in his sixth season at the helm.
Last Match-Up
• The Wolves swept the Beavers 91-87 and 94-88 in 2016-17.
• Logan Doyle led the team in the game one win with 23 points, as the Wolves shot 49.0 percent from the floor.
• Doyle and
Carter Evans led the team in the road victory with 17 points each, with the Wolves shooting 57.4 percent from the floor.
• Northern is 45-18 all-time against Minot State and 10-0 since the Beavers joined the NSIC.
About the Marauders
• U-Mary enters the weekend with a 1-3 record overall and 0-1 mark in the NSIC after a loss to Minot.
• The Marauders are shooting 45.2 percent from the floor, 36.5 percent from the 3-point line, and 71.1 percent from the foul line, while averaging 75.5 points, 30.0 rebounds, 10.0 assists, 12.0 turnovers, 7.5 steals, and 2.3 blocks per game.
• Trevor Zacher is leading the team averaging 13.8 points per game, while Wyatt Carr is shooting a team leading 66.7 percent from the floor.
• Matthew Kreklow is averaging a team leading 5.5 rebounds per game, while Jaylan White has a team leading 14 assists in 2017-18.
• Mary is led by head coach Joe Kittell in his third season at the helm.
Last Match-Up
• Northern and U-Mary split their two contests in 2016-17 with each team taking the road victory.
• NSU gave up 14 points off turnovers and 14 point off free-throws in the home loss (77-75), as
Mack Arvidson led the team with 18 points.
• Logan Doyle led the team in the win with 25 points and 11 rebounds, while
Ian Smith tallied 16 points and 11 rebounds.
• The Wolves are 24-13 all-time against the Marauders, splitting the last three seasons.
