Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University men's basketball team will travel down to the Sanford Pentagon this Friday and Saturday for the East-West Challenge. The Wolves will face off against Black Hills State at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and South Dakota School of Mines at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets for the games can be purchase through the
Sanford Pentagon Ticketmaster page or at the box office.
Quick Hits on the Wolves
• The Wolves enter the weekend on a week of rest, after going 1-1 from the SCB Hall of Fame Classic versus No. 5 Northwest Missouri State and No. 7 Queens.
• NSU took the No. 5 Bearcats to overtime, falling 72-70, and defeated the No. 7 Royals by 13 points.
• Northern is averaging 78.5 points, 41.0 rebounds, 14.0 assists, 12.0 turnovers, 4.5 steals, and 5.0 blocks per game, while shooting 47.4 percent from the floor, 41.7 percent from the 3-point line, and 69.0 percent from the foul line.
• They are out-scoring their opponents by 5.5 points and out-rebounding their foes by 1.5 boards per game.
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Ian Smith leads four averaging double figures, notching 14.5 points per game, as well as a team high 7.0 assists per game.
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Parker Fox is leading the team off the bench notching 12.5 points per game, and a team high 8.0 rebounds per game. He tallied career highs in points (14) and rebounds (12) versus NWMSU.
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Andrew Kallman was potent from beyond the arc in the season opening weekend, shooting 85.7 percent with a team high six made 3-pointers.
About the Yellow Jackets
• Black Hills State will open the season on Friday versus the Wolves after a 15-12 record in 2017-18. They went 12-10 in RMAC play finishing the year eighth in the league standings.
• The Yellow Jackets return all five starters from a season ago, including their leading scorer Fraser Malcom who averaged 14.2 points per game. Malcolm also led the team averaging 7.3 rebounds per game with 196 total on the year.
• In 2017-18, BHSU averaged 72.5 points, 33.0 rebounds, 11.7 assists, 10.9 turnovers, 5.2 steals, and 2.7 blocks per game, while shooting 45.8 percent from the floor, 35.6 percent from the 3-point line, and 74.9 percent from the foul line.
• Black Hills also returns Dez Stoudamire and Makaleb McInnis who averaged 11.4 and 11.2 points per game respectively.
• The Yellow Jackets are led by head coach Ryan Thompson in his first season at the helm and fourth overall with the program.
Last Match-Up
• The Wolves defeated the Yellow Jackets 68-46 from Wachs Arena a season ago.
• Four Wolves tallied a team high 11 points in the win, including returner
Gabe King.
• NSU shot 40.7 percent from the floor, 38.7 percent from the 3-point line, and 60.0 percent from the foul line in the game.
• Defensively, the Wolves forced 18 turnovers which resulted in 18 points, while also adding 15 points off 12 offensive rebounds.
• Northern is 60-20 all-time against Black Hills State, and 9-0 dating back to the 1978-79 season.
About SD Mines
• The Hardrockers enter the East-West Challenge with a 2-0 record on the year, notching wins over Texas A&M Kingsville (80-71) and Texas A&M International (68-42).
• Mines is averaging 74.0 points, 29.5 rebounds, 14.5 assists, 15.5 turnovers, 10.5 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game to open the season.
• They are shooting 46.5 percent from the floor, 37.8 percent from the 3-point line, and 71.4 percent from the foul line.
• Jake Heath leads three in double figures, averaging 15.5 points per game.
• Allec Williams is second on the team averaging 14.0 points per game, while leading the starters with a 56.3 field goal percentage.
• Mitchell Sueker leads the team at the rim averaging 6.0 rebounds per game, followed by Logan Elers notching 5.5.
• SD Mines is led by head coach Eric Glenn in his first season at the helm, but 14th overall with the program.
Last Match-Up
• The Wolves are 59-21 all-time against the Hardrockers, with the two team's last meeting in 1986-87.
