Aberdeen, S.D. – The No. 6 Northern State University men's basketball team will tip-off with St. Cloud State tomorrow at 5 p.m. in the NCAA Central Region Tournament semifinal from Maryville, Mo. The NSU Foundation and Alumni Association will also host a pre-game gathering at Carson's Sports Grill (310 N Main St., Maryville, MO) beginning at 3 p.m.
 
The Wolves enter the NCAA Central Region Tournament  semifinal with a 32-3 record overall and a 91-75 victory over Washburn in the opening round. NSU opened the week with a No. 6 ranking in the NABC Top-25 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. They also grabbed their first NSIC/Sanford Health Basketball Tournament title since 2004-05 with an 81-75 win over Southwest Minnesota State.
 
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). The Wolves are shooting 51.1 percent from the floor, 40.0 percent from the arc, and 75.0 percent from the foul line this season. They are averaging 80.3 points, 36.8 rebounds, 16.1 assists, 11.3 turnovers, 5.2 steals, and 4.2 blocks per game, while out-scoring their opponents by 14.5 points and out-rebounding their opponents by 8.3 boards per contest.
 
DJ Pollard and Darin Peterka lead five Wolves in double figures, averaging 12.8 and 12.5 points per game. Ian Smith and Logan Doyle are each notching 11.9 points per game, while Carter Evans rounds out the pack averaging 10.4. Doyle leads the team averaging 7.0 rebounds per game and shooting 67.2 percent from the floor. Smith has dished out a team leading 151 total assists, averaging 4.3 per game, and grabbed a team high 44 steals. Peterka leads the team from the 3-point, hitting 62 long range buckets and shooting 43.1 percent from beyond the arc.
 
About the Huskies
                • The Huskies enter the semifinal match-up after an 81-68 win over Southern Nazarene.
                • SCSU is 24-8 overall this season and earned the No. 6 seed in the NCAA Central Region Tournament.
                • St. Cloud State is shooting 50.4 percent from the floor, 38.5 percent from the 3-point line, and 71.9 percent from the foul line, while averaging 78.3 points, 33.6 rebounds, 17.0 assists, 10.2 turnovers, 6.4 steals, and 4.5 blocks per game this season.
                • Gage Davis is leading four Huskies in double figures, averaging 19.4 points as well as a team second best 7.6 rebounds per game.
                • Sean Smith leads the team averaging 7.9 rebounds per game adn is fourth on the team notching 11.2 points per contest.
                • Smith is also shooting a team high 64.0 percent from the floor, while Jon Averkamp leads the team shooting 53.0 percent from the 3-point line.
                •  Adam Heede-Anderson has dished out a team high 104 total assists, while Brindley Theisen has knocked down a team leading 85 made 3-pointers.
                • St. Cloud State is led by head coach Matt Reimer in his fourth season with the program.
 
Last Match-Up
                • The Wolves are 1-1 this season against the Huskies, falling 76-61 on the road and winning 83-63 at home in NSIC play.
                • Carter Evans led the team with 12 points, while DJ Pollard, Logan Doyle, and Cole Dahl each tallied
ten points, as Northern shot 43.4 percent from the floor, however gave up 13 points off of 13 turnovers.
                • Evans again led the team in game two with 20 points and 15 rebounds, as the Wolves shot 51.5 percent from the floor.
                • The Wolves are 14-28 all-time against St. Cloud State.