Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University men's basketball team officially opens the 2018-19 season this weekend at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic in St. Joseph, Missouri. Northern will face off against No. 5 Northwest Missouri State on Saturday and No. 7 Queens University on Sunday with tip-off set for 8 p.m. each day.
Quick Hits on the Wolves
• The NSU men's basketball team had a historic season in 2017-18, advancing to the NCAA Elite 8 for just the second time in program history.
• The Wolves not only won the regular season NSIC Championship, North Division Championship, NSIC Tournament Championship, and NCAA Central Region Championships, but also reached the NCAA National Championship game, ultimately falling to Ferris State.
•
Paul Sather was named the NSIC and NCAA Central Region Coach of the Year, as the Wolves finished the season with a school record 36 wins.
•
Ian Smith was named to the NSIC All-Conference first team, while
Darin Peterka,
DJ Pollard, and
Logan Doyle were named to the second team. Smith went on to receive all-region honors from both the D2CCA and NABC.
• The men enter the 2018-19 season with two returning starters in
Ian Smith and
Gabe King, as well as eight returning letter winners from a season ago.
• Five Wolves scored in double figures in their exhibition opener versus Waldorf, led by sophomore
Andrew Kallman with 15 points.
• Northern shot 57.6% from the floor, 69.6% from the arc with 16 made 3-pointers, and 76.0% from the free throw line in the win.
• They tallied 56 points off the bench, 30 points in the paint, 24 second chance points, and 17 points off turnovers, while out-rebounding the Warriors 34-29.
About No. 5 Northwest Missouri State
• The Bearcats open the season at No. 5 in the NABC Preseason Top-25 Coaches Poll.
• Northwest Missouri State was picked second in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll after a 27-4 season in 2017-18.
• NWMSU won the MIAA title and they return one starter and seven letter winners from that squad.
• Joey Witthus, Ryan Welty, and Ryan Hawkins have been tabbed is the key returners in 2018-19.
• Witthus is the lone starter returning, after averaging 11.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per game a season ago. He shot 44.6 percent from the floor and 36.0 percent from the 3-point line.
• Welty and Hawkins averaged 6.7 and 5.4 points per game respectively, each shooting above 40.0 percent from the floor.
• The Bearcats are led by head coach Ben McCollum in his tenth season with the program.
Last Match-Up
• The Wolves fell to the Bearcats 71-60 in the second game of the 2017-18 season.
•
Carter Evans and
DJ Pollard led the team with 14 and 13 points respectively.
• The Bearcats recorded 14 points off turnovers and out-shot the Wolves 57.4-to-46.3.
• Northern is 1-2 all-time against Northwest.
About No. 7 Queens
• The Royals enter the 2018-19 campaign at No. 7 in the NABC Preseason Top-25 Coaches Poll, after the winningest season in program history posting a 32-4 record.
• QU reached the Elite 8 a season ago for just the third time in school history after a win over No. 1 Lincoln Memorial.
• Queens was also picked second in the SAC Preseason Poll, while Shaun Willett and Daniel Carr were named to the preseason all-conference teams.
• Willett appeared in all 36 games and averaged 9.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, while shooting 59.3 percent from the floor.
• Carr also appeared in all 36 games, averaging 7.2 points and 2.6 assists per game, while shooting 52.4 percent from the floor.
• Queens is led by head coach Bart Lundy in his sixth season at the helm.
Last Match-Up
• The two team's first matched up a season ago in the NCAA Elite 8 semi finals.
•
DJ Pollard hit the tying 3-pointer to send the game into double OT, he finished with 17 points.
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Ian Smith led the team with 22 points, as the Wolves shot 55.0 percent from the field and the 3-point line.
• NSU tallied 20 points off turnovers and 18 second chance points in the win.
• The Wolves took the contest 105-99 in double overtime, advancing to the NCAA National Championship game.
