Aberdeen, S.D. – The No. 15 Northern State men's basketball team continues their season opening road trip this weekend at the second annual East-West Challenge. The Wolves will face South Dakota Mines at 6:30 p.m. (CT) on Friday and Black Hills State at 8:30 p.m. (CT) on Saturday from Spearfish.
 
QUICK HITS ON THE #15 NORTHERN STATE WOLVES
                • Northern State heads to the second annual East-West Challenge following two losses to Southeastern Oklahoma and No. 9 Southern Nazarene to open the year
                • The Wolves are shooting 40.3% from the field, 22.7% from beyond the arc, and 62.5% from the foul line this season
                • They are averaging 62.5 points, 40.5 rebounds, 12.0 assists, 11.5 turnovers, 4.0 steals, and 5.0 blocks per game; being out-scored by their opponents by 8.5 points and out-rebounding their opponents by 2.0 boards per game
                • Parker Fox leads the team after a career weekend, notching highs in points rebounds and assists; the sophomore is averaging 20.0 points and 13.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 51.4% from the floor
                • Gabe King is second on the team averaging 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, shooting 47.6% from field goal range
                • Mason Stark leads the Wolves off the bench averaging 12.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, while shooting a team leading 60.0% from the floor and 57.1% from the 3-point line
                • Tommy Chatman made the first two starts of his Northern State career, averaging 7.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game with a team high eight assists
 
MATCHING UP WITH THE HARDROCKERS
                • South Dakota Mines enters the weekend with a 1-1 record overall, notching a win over Texas A&M International, 91-66 in the opening weekend of play
                • The Hardrockers are shooting 47.1% from the field, 45.9% from the 3-point line, and 69.2% from the foul line this season; averaging 80.0 points, 39.5 rebounds, 16.0 assists, 16.5 turnovers, 3.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game
                • Mines is out-scoring their opponents by 12.0 points and out-rebounding their opponents by 11.0 boards per game
                • Jack Fiddler leads the team overall and off the bench averaging 16.0 points per game, shooting 66.7% from the floor and 80.0% from the 3-point line
                • Wilfred Dickson and Troy Brady lead the starters averaging 15.0 and 10.5 points per game respectively, both shooting above 50.0% from the field thus far
                • Logan Elers leads the team on the glass averaging 8.0 rebounds per game, as well as 7.0 points per game with a 60.0 field goal percentage
                • The Hardrockers are led by head coach Eric Glenn in his second season with the program
 
LAST MATCH-UP
                • The Wolves defeated the Hardrockers 75-67 from the inaugural challenge
                • Gabe King led the team with 17 points, as the Wolves shot 51.9% from the floor and 50.0% from the 3-point line
                • NSU tallied 30 points in the paint and 25 points off the bench in the win
                • Northern is 60-21 all-time versus the South Dakota School of Mines
 
MATCHING UP WITH THE YELLOW JACKETS
                • Black Hills State hosts the East-West Challenge this year and holds a 1-1 record overall with an opening weekend victory over Tarleton State, 78-75
                • The Yellow Jackets are shooting 54.0% from field goal range, 51.5% from beyond the arc, and 74.3% from the foul line this season
                • They are averaging 75.5 points, 25.5 rebounds, 11.5 assists, 15.5 turnovers, 5.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game; being out-scored by 3.0 points and out-rebounded by 1.5 boards per game
                • Stefan Desnica leads the team averaging 18.0 points per game, shooting 66.7% from the floor and the 3-point line
                • Tyler Oliver and Joel Scott follow notching 13.5 and 13.0 points per game respectively
                • Oliver and Desnica are each recording a team best 6.5 rebounds per game, with Oliver tallying a team high ten assists
                • The Yellow Jackets are led by head coach Ryan Thompson in his second season at the helm
 
LAST MATCH-UP
                • The Wolves defeated the Yellow Jackets 82-50 from the East-West Challenge in 2018
                • Parker Fox led the team with 13 points off the bench and eight rebounds
                • NSU notched 37 points off the bench, 34 points in the paint, and 23 points off turnovers in the game
                • Northern is 62-20 all-time versus Black Hills State