Aberdeen, S.D. – The No. 15 Northern State University men's basketball team opens the 2019-20 campaign this Friday and Saturday from Bethany, Oklahoma. The Wolves will face Southeastern Oklahoma State at 3:30 p.m. on Friday and the host No. 9 Southern Nazarene at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.
 
QUICK HITS ON THE #15 NORTHERN STATE WOLVES
                • Northern State opens the 2019-20 season under the direction of a new head coach in Saul Phillips
                • The Wolves went 26-7 overall a season ago winning back-to-back NSIC Overall and Tournament Championships, while also qualifying for their second straight NCAA Tournament
                • NSU kicks off the season ranked No. 15 in the NABC Top-25 after a 2018-19 final ranking of No. 19
                • The Wolves were picked fourth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll, while Sophomore Parker Fox was tabbed as the team's player to watch this season
                • Northern returns ten from the 2018-19, including starters Andrew Kallman and Gabe King, as well as key bench players Mason Stark, Parker Fox, Jordan Belka, and Cole Dahl
                • King returns for his senior season after an All-Conference honorable mention performance a year ago, where he averaged 11.5 points per game and led the team with 54 made 3-pointers
                • Fox averaged 10.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, leading the Wolves shooting 57.4% from the floor, with a team high 47 blocks, averaging 1.42 per game
                • In addition to the returners, Northern welcomes four freshman to the program in Jaylen Robinson, Tommy Chatman, Jaden Graham, and Austin Holt
 
MATCHING UP WITH THE SAVAGE STORM
                • Southeastern Oklahoma opened the year with an exhibition contest at Oklahoma University, falling 89-76
                • The Savage Storm were picked as the favorite to win the Great American Conference after going 23-8 a season ago and reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament
                • SEOK returns four of their five starters from a season ago, including GAC Player of the Year and All-American Kevin Buckingham
                • Buckingham averaged 21.6 points and 9.5 rebounds per game a season ago, and opened the year with 25 versus the Sooners
                • The Savage Storm is led by head coach Kelly Green in his ninth season at the helm
 
LAST MATCH-UP
                • The Savage Storm defeated the Wolves 115-103 in the opening round of the Central Region Tournament a season ago
                • Gabe King and Andrew Kallman tallied 11 and nine points respectively, as the Wolves shot 52.1% from the floor and 55.9% from the arc
                • Northern suffered 13 turnovers, giving up 23 total points in the overtime loss
                • The Wolves are 0-1 all-time versus Southeastern Oklahoma
 
MATCHING UP WITH THE #9 STORM
                • Southern Nazarene opened the season at the SCB Hall of Fame Classic, going 1-1 versus Missouri Western (W, 96-74) and No. 1 Northwest Missouri State (L, 100-88)
                • The Storm opened the season ranked No. 9 in the NABC Top-25 Coaches Poll after going 29-6 overall in 2018-19 and a run to the second round of the NCAA Tournament
                • SNU was picked second overall in the GAC Preseason Poll, just behind the Wolves season opening opponent Southeastern Oklahoma
                • Through the first two games of the season, the Storm is averaging 92.0 points, 31.0 rebounds, 15.5 assists, 9.0 turnovers, 7.5 steals, and 5.0 blocks per game
                • They are shooting 51.9% from the floor, 50.0% from the 3-point line, and 75.0% from the foul line
                • Jhonathan Dunn and Micah Speight lead the team averaging 31.0 and 23.0 points per game, with Dunn also notching a team high 5.5 rebounds per game
                • Morris Wilson II is grabbing a team high 5.5 boards per game as well, while averaging 10.5 points
                • In addition, Dunn leads the team shooting 64.7% from the floor and 66.7% from the 3-point line
                • SNU is led by head coach Adam Bohac in his 12th season at the helm
 
LAST MATCH-UP
                • The Storm and Wolves last faced off in 2016, with Northern grabbing a 91-88 victory
                • Gabe King and Cole Dahl each appeared in the game for NSU, playing a combined 14 minutes
                • Northern shot 51.9% from the field and 41.2% from the arc, notching 32 points in the paint and 20 points off turnovers
                • NSU is 1-0 all-time versus SNU with 2016 as the only meeting thus far