Aberdeen, S.D. – The No. 16 Northern State University men's basketball team begins a 4-game road stretch this weekend at Upper Iowa and Winona State. The Wolves will face off against the Peacocks at 8 p.m. on Friday and the Warriors at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
The Wolves enter the weekend with a 21-3 record overall and 14-2 mark in the NSIC after a 1-1 weekend versus Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State. Northern dropped four spots to No. 16 in the NABC Top-25 Poll after falling to the Mustangs. With three weekends remaining in the regular season, NSU sits first in both the league overall and North Division standings. Ian Smith leads four in double figures averaging 13.0 points per game, while dishing out a team leading 109 assists this season. Logan Doyle is averaging 11.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, while shooting a team leading 64.2 percent from the floor. Carter Evans follows close behind averaging 9.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, with a 62.1 field goal percentage. Gabe King leads the active roster with 34 made 3-pointers, as Andrew Kallman is shooting a team leading 46.0 percent from the arc. Northern is shooting 50.3 percent from the floor, 40.8 percent from the arc, and 74.3 percent from the foul line, while averaging 79.9 points, 35.9 rebounds, 15.7 assists, 11.9 turnovers, 5.6 steals, and 4.1 blocks per game this season. The Wolves currently sit atop the league in scoring defense (68.0), scoring margin (+12.0), and rebounding margin (+7.1).
About the Peacocks
• Upper Iowa enters the weekend with a 13-12 record overall and 6-10 mark in the NSIC.
• Carson Parker leads four in double figures averaging 16.2 points per game, as well as a team second best 5.9 rebounds per game.
• Munachiso Okonkwo leads the team averaging 6.8 rebounds per game and shooting 64.8 percent from the floor.
• Joe Smoldt leads the team from the 3-point line with 72 made attempts this season and a 43.1 shooting percentage.
• The Peacocks are shooting 47.6 percent from the floor, 37.9 percent from the arc, and 74.4 percent from the foul line, while averaging 80.0 points, 33.4 rebounds, 14.6 assists, 12.5 turnovers, 6.0 steals, and 3.0 blocks per game this season.
• UIU is led by head coach Brooks McKowen in his fifth season at the helm.
Last Match-Up
• The Wolves defeated the Peacocks 83-72 from Wachs Arena a season ago.
• Smith led four in double figures with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Doyle also notched a double-double with 15 points and ten boards.
• NSU shot 50.9 percent from the floor and 31.3 percent from the arc, while UIU shot 39.1 percent from the floor and 25.0 percent from the 3-point line.
• Northern is 16-3 all-time against Upper Iowa University.
About the Warriors
• Winona State enters the weekend with a 15-7 record overall and 10-6 mark in league action.
• Corey Jeffs leads four in double figures averaging 12.5 points per game, with Tommy Gathje close behind averaging 12.4 points per game.
• Jeffs is notching a team leading 5.2 rebounds per game, while Caleb Wagner has dished out 104 total assists this season.
• Gathje and Mason Domask are both shooting a team leading 52.5 percent from the floor, while Domask is shooting 50.0 percent from the 3-point line.
• The Warriors are shooting 46.9 percent from the floor, 41.2 percent from the arc, and 73.2 percent from the charity stripe, while averaging 77.2 points, 33.5 rebounds, 14.2 assists, 9.6 turnovers, 6.1 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game this season.
• WSU is led by head coach Todd Eisner in his third season with the program.
Last Match-Up
• The Wolves defeated the Warriors 85-58 in regular season play and 75-56 in the NSIC Tournament opening round in 2016-17.
• Carter Evans led the team in the regular season win with 17 points, as Northern shot 52.6 percent from the floor and 52.2 percent from the 3-point line.
• Logan Doyle notched 22 points in the second match-up, as the Wolves shot 56.0 percent from the field.
• Northern is 43-38 all-time against Winona State.
