Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University men's basketball team opens the 2017-18 regular season this Friday and Sunday from the Missouri Western Classic in St. Joseph. The Wolves will tip with Washburn at 11 a.m. on Friday and No. 1 Northwest Missouri State at 12 p.m. on Sunday. The games will be streamed live however fans will be required to pay a subscription fee.
The NSU men are coming off a double overtime loss to Arizona State (98-90) in exhibition play. The Wolves shot 50.0 percent from the floor, 35.7 percent from the arc, and 94.1 percent from the foul line. They out-rebounded the Sun Devils 50-36 in the game, however suffered 33 turnovers and 31 fouls which resulted in 57 ASU points.
Ian Smith led the team with 22 points, while Logan Doyle tallied a double-double with 18 points and ten rebounds.
Northern opens the regular season as the No. 1 pick in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll, while Doyle nabbed as the team's player to watch. The Wolves return four starters for a season ago and one from the 2015-16 season, giving them a wealth of experience in 2017-18. As a team the Wolves sat second in scoring offense (83.6), fourth in scoring margin (+6.8), fourth in field goal percentage (48.6), fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (40.5), fifth in free throw percentage (73.8), third in offensive rebounds (10.6), second in defensive rebounds (27.9), and first in rebound margin (+6.9) in the league a season ago. Smith and Doyle are the leading returners for the Wolves averaging 14.6 and 14.4 points per game respectively.
About the Ichabods
• Washburn enters the 2017-18 season after a No. 3 pick in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• The Ichabods finished the 2016-17 season with a 20-10 record overall, and will return all five starters from a season ago.
• Brady Skeens led the team averaging 11.2 rebounds and added 14.2 points per game last season, and was named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year.
• Cameron Wiggins was the leading scorer for the Ichabods averaging 12.3 points per game, with a team high 72 made 3-pointers.
• The Ichabods also return honorable mention honoree Javion Blake who averaged 12.2 points per game, starting all 30 games as a sophomore.
• Randall Smith led the team with 107 assists, sitting sixth overall in the MIAA.
• Washburn shot 49.1 percent from the floor, 38.6 percent from the arc, and 65.8 percent from the foul line, while averaging 77.9 points, 38.0 rebounds, 15.4 assists, 11.7 turnovers, 5.2 steals, and 5.3 blocks per game in 2016-17.
• WU is led by head coach Brett Ballard in his first season at the helm.
Last Match-Up
• The Wolves and Ichabods have not face each other in the history of either program.
About the Bearcats
• Northwest Missouri State won the NCAA Division II National Championship a season ago, and open the 2017-18 season as the top pick in the NABC Top-25 Poll.
• The Bearcats were also picked as the favorite in the MIAA, after a 35-1 record in 2016-17.
• Senior guard, Justin Pitts, returns for Northwest after being named the NABC Player of the Year (2016-17) and the MIAA Player of the Year (2015-16, 2016-17).
• Pitts led the team averaging 20.9 points per game, while shooting 49.7 percent from the floor and recording a team leading 183 assists.
• Chris-Ebou Ndow led the team with 222 rebounds, averaging 6.7 per game. Ndow was also second on the team averaging 12.5 points per game.
• In 2016-17, the Bearcats shot 51.4 percent from the floor, 41.3 percent from the arc, 68.6 percent from the foul line, and averaged 78.4 points, 33.0 rebounds, 13.2 assists, 8.8 turnovers, 5.9 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game.
• Northwest is led by head coach Ben McCollum in his ninth season at the helm, holding a career record of 176-71.
Last Match-Up
• Northern is 1-1 all-time against the Bearcats with a 79-69 win in 2005-06 and 88-60 loss in 2006-07.
