Aberdeen, S.D. – I Hate Winter weekend is upon us, and the Northern State men's basketball team will face off versus Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday in the MidcoSN Game of the Week, and 6 p.m. on Saturday. The full I Hate Winter schedule and information release can be found HERE.
 
Quick Hits on the Wolves
                • The Northern State men enter the weekend with a 17-5 record overall and 13-3 mark in the league.
                • NSU is shooting 49.2 percent from the floor, 41.8 percent from the 3-point line, and 73.9 percent from the foul line this season.
                • They are averaging 79.1 points, 37.6 rebounds, 15.2 assists, 10.6 turnovers, 3.7 steals, and 3.1 blocks per game; out-scoring their opponents by 10.4 points and out-rebounding their opponents by 7.5 boards per game.
                • Northern ranks in the top-15 nationally in rebounding margin and top-10 in 3-point field goal percentage, heading into the final three weeks of the regular season.
                • The Wolves lead the NSIC in scoring margin and assists per game.
                • Ian Smith leads four Wolves averaging double figures, notching 13.9 points per game. The senior recently broke into the top-25 in all-time scoring at NSU and is just two points away from 1,300. He leads the team with 109 assists this season, averaging 5.5 per game.
                • Bo Fries is averaging 10.0 points, as well as a team leading 6.0 rebounds per game.
                • Parker Fox and Justin Decker led the Wolves shooting 56.9 and 54.3 percent from the floor respectively. Fox is averaging 11.1 points and 5.8 rebounds off the bench, while Decker is averaging 11.7 points and 4.4 rebounds.
                • Andrew Kallman has hit a team leading 40 made 3-pointers on the year and is shooting 44.9 percent from beyond the arc.
 
About the Cougars
                • Sioux Falls heads to Aberdeen with a 15-7 record overall and 10-6 mark in the NSIC.
                • The Cougars are shooting 44.9 percent from the floor, 36.2 percent from the 3-point line, and 72.9 percent from the foul line this season.
                • They are averaging 79.2 points, 42.2 rebounds, 11.8 assists, 12.3 turnovers, 6.3 steals, and 4.2 blocks per game; out-scoring their opponents by 8.3 points and out-rebounding their opponents by 10.8 boards per game.
                • USF leads the NSIC in field goal percentage defense, rebounding margin, offensive rebounds, and defensive rebounds.
                • Trevon Evans and Drew Guebert lead the team averaging 22.3 and 20.2 points per game respectively. Evans leads the Cougars with 65 made 3-pointers and 60 assists, while Guebert is pulling down a team best 6.0 rebounds per game.
                • Pal Teathloach is shooting a team high 55.4 percent from the field, followed by Justin Taylor with a 53.2 field goal percentage.
                • Guebert has been the most efficient for the Cougars from beyond the arc, with a 42.9 3-point field goal percentage.
                • Sioux Falls is led by head coach Chris Johnson in his 11th season at the helm.
 
Last Match-Up
                • The Wolves defeated the Cougars 97-76 a season ago.
                • Northern is 71-23 all-time versus Sioux Falls, winning the last nine match-ups which dates back to 2004-05.
 
About  the Mustangs
                • Southwest Minnesota State hits the road with a 13-9 overall record and 8-8 NSIC record.
                • The Mustangs are shooting 48.2 percent from the floor, 41.5 percent from the 3-point line, and 81.9 percent from the free throw line.
                • They are averaging 80.7 points, 32.5 rebounds, 12.7 assists, 10.0 turnovers, 6.8 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game.
                • SMSU leads the NSIC in free throw percentage, knocking down 172-of-207 in NSIC contests this season.
                • The Mustangs are led by senior Ryan Bruggeman averaging 25.4 points per game, with a team high 127 assists and 47 steals. He is also second on the team shooting 52.6 percent from the floor and is top-5 in the NSIC shooting 90.9 percent from the foul line.
                • Talyor Schafer and Kenny Byers follow averaging 13.0 and 10.1 points per game respectively.
                • Steven McNease leads the team at the rim, averaging 7.9 rebounds per game. He is also shooting a team leading 60.4 percent from the floor.
                • Schafer leads the squad from the 3-point line with 54 made buckets, while Byers is shooting a team best 45.0 percent from beyond the arc.
                • Southwest is led by head coach Brad Bigler entering his 21st season with the program and tenth at the helm.
 
Last Match-Up
                • The Wolves went 2-1 versus the Mustangs in 2017-18 with 81-68 and 81-75 victories, and a 64-57 loss.
                • Northern is 66-27 all-time versus Southwest Minnesota State.