Sioux Falls, S.D. – The No. 11 Northern State University men's basketball team will take on Minnesota State in the semifinal round of the NSIC/Sanford Health Basketball Tournament tomorrow. The Wolves and Mavericks will tip-off at 12 p.m. from the Sanford Pentagon.
 
NSU team enters the semifinal round of the NSIC/ Sanford Health Basketball Tournament with a 29-3 record overall, and a quarterfinal win over Minnesota Duluth. The Wolves opened the week with a No. 11 ranking in the NABC Top-25 Poll and No. 2 ranking in the NCAA Central Region Poll. Head Coach Paul Sather was named the NSIC Coach of the Year, while Ian Smith was named to the NSIC All-Conference first team, and Darin Peterka, DJ Pollard, and Logan Doyle were named to the All-Conference second team. Northern State won both the NSIC Overall and North Division Conference Championships, notching the first overall title since 2002-03 and first division title in program history.
 
The Wolves finished the regular season leading the NSIC in scoring defense (66.8), scoring margin (+14.6), field goal percentage defense (43.5), and rebounding margin (+9.3). DJ Pollard leads four Wolves averaging 12 points or more per game, notching 12.6, with 404 total points in 2017-18. Darin Peterka follows averaging 12.1, while Ian Smith and Logan Doyle are each notching 12.0. Doyle leads the team shooting 67.4 percent from the floor and averaging 7.1 rebounds per game, while Carter Evans is shooting 61.4 percent from the floor and averaging 5.3 boards per game. Ian Smith has dished out a team leading 132 assists, 4.1 per game, and grabbed a team high 42 steals. Darin Peterka leads the team with 52 made 3-pointers this season, shooting 40.6 percent from beyond the arc. Northern enters the match-up with the Mavericks shooting 50.7 percent from the floor, 39.1 percent from the 3-point line, and 74.9 percent from the foul line. The Wolves are averaging 80.0 points, 37.1 rebounds, 16.1 assists, 11.3 turnovers, 5.3 steals, and 4.2 blocks per game this season.
 
About the Mavericks
                • Minnesota State enters the contest with a 22-8 record overall and NSIC Tournament victories over MSU Moorhead and Minot State.
                • The Mavericks earned the No. 2 seed in the NSIC South Division and currently are ranked seventh in the NCAA Central Region.
                • Charlie Brown and Kevin Krieger lead the team averaging 16.5 and 16.3 points per game this season.
                • Chris Kendrix is averaging 12.4 points, as well as a team leading 7.0 rebounds per game.
                • Cameron Kirksey is shooting a team leading 52.5 percent from the floor, while Krieger is shooting a team leading 52.1 percent from the 3-point line.
                • Brown has tallied 118 total assists this season, averaging 3.9 per game.
                • Minnesota State is shooting 47.7 percent from the floor, 42.6 percent from the 3-point line, and 76.2 percent from the foul line this season.
                • MSU is averaging 83.1 points, 36.4 rebounds, 13.0 assists, 10.5 turnovers, 5.2 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game this season.
                • The Mavericks are led by head coach Matt Margenthaler in his 17th season at the helm.
 
Last Match-Up
                • The Wolves defeated the Mavericks 87-84 earlier this season on the road.
                • Logan Doyle led the team with a career high 26 points, hitting 8-of-13 from the floor and 10-of-10 from the foul line. He also notched eight rebounds.
                • Each team scored 34 points in the paint, as the Wolves shot a game high 54.9 percent from the floor.
                • Northern is 9-15 all-time against Minnesota State and 2-5 in the Sather-era.