Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State men's basketball team is set for the first full weekend of NSIC action this Friday and Saturday on the road. The Wolves will face off against Bemidji State at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Minnesota Crookston at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Quick Hits on the Wolves
• The Wolves enter the first full weekend of the NSIC slate with a 5-2 record overall and 1-0 mark in the NSIC following a 16-point victory over MSU Moorhead last Saturday.
• Northern is shooting 45.5 percent from the floor, 42.1 percent from the arc, and 66.4 percent from the foul line this season, averaging 72.7 points, 39.9 rebounds, 14.3 assists, 11.4 turnovers, 3.7 steals, and 4.1 blocks per game.
• They are out-scoring and out-rebounding their opponents by 9.9 points and 14.3 boards per game.
• Defensively the Wolves are holding their opponents to just 4.6 made 3-pointers per game and a 29.4 3-point field goal percentage.
• NSU is averaging 4.5 more made 3-pointers and 1.5 more blocks per game than their opponents.
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Ian Smith leads three in double figures, averaging 12.4 points per game, as well as a team high 7.0 rebounds per game. The senior has 39 assists this season as well to lead the Wolves.
•
Justin Decker is notching 11.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, with a 51.7 field goal percentage.
• Redshirt freshman
Parker Fox leads the team off the bench averaging 10.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, while shooting a team high 52.7 percent from the floor.
•
Andrew Kallman has been potent from the perimeter thus far this season with 12 made 3-pointers and a 54.5 field goal percentage from beyond the arc.
• Kallman is closely followed by
Bo Fries and
Gabe King with 11 and ten made 3-pointers respectively.
About the Beavers
• Bemidji State enters the weekend with a 4-1 record overall and 1-0 mark in the NSIC.
• The Beavers are shooting 53.1 percent from the floor, 41.9 percent from the 3-point line, and 72.1 percent from the foul line, averaging 88.0 points, 44.4 rebounds, 18.0 assists, 16.0 turnovers, 5.0 steals, and 3.0 blocks per game.
• They are out-scoring their opponents by 14.2 points, and out-rebounding their foes by 15.6 boards per game this season.
• Derek Thompson and Logan Bader lead the team averaging 17.2 and 16.4 points per game, with Thompson also grabbing a team best 8.8 rebounds per contest.
• Thompson is shooting a team high 66.7 percent from the floor, while Jacob Hoffman leads the Beavers with a 56.8 3-point field goal percentage.
• Ja Morgan sits atop the team with 39 total assists, shooting 53.1 percent from the floor and averaging 8.2 points per game.
• BSU is led by head coach Mike Boschee in his seventh season at the helm.
Last Match-Up
• Northern swept Bemidji State in 2017-18 with game scores of 75-54 and 104-76.
• The Wolves are 64-26 all-time versus Bemidji State and 11-5 in the Sather-era.
About the Golden Eagles
• Minnesota Crookston enters the weekend with a 6-3 overall record and 0-1 mark in the league after an overtime loss to Bemidji State.
• The Golden Eagles are shooting 46.8 percent from the floor, 41.5 percent from the arc, and 70.1 percent from the foul line, while averaging 79.2 points, 38.9 rebounds, 14.6 assists, 10.8 turnovers, 6.4 steals, and 5.0 blocks per game this season.
• They are out-scoring their opponents by 15.1 points and out-rebounding their opponents by 3.2 boards per game.
• Harrison Cleary leads three averaging double figures, notching 18.2 points per game this season and shooting a team high 91.2 percent from the free throw line and 48.9 percent from the arc.
• Chase Knickerbocker is second on the team averaging 13.4 points per game, while leading UMC averaging 5.0 rebounds per game.
• Josh Collins is shooting a team high 60.9 percent from the field, and is averaging a team second best 4.8 rebounds per game.
• UMC is led by head coach Dan Weisse in his fifth season at the helm.
Last Match-Up
• The Wolves defeated the Golden Eagles 76-64 and 81-50 a season ago.
• Northern is 36-2 all-time against Minnesota Crookston and 15-1 under the direction of Sather.
