MOORHEAD, Minn. – The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference playoffs are five days away and with two games left on the Minnesota State University Moorhead basketball schedule, the playoff picture is starting to take shape. The Dragons men (18-6, 14-6 NSIC) will host a playoff game and the women (14-10, 11-9 NSIC) wil be on the road when post-season action begins on Wednesday, Feb. 29.
The Dragons men and women finish the regular season at home on Feb. 24 and 25 to decide their final NSIC standings. The men currently sit a half-game back of St. Cloud State for first in the conference while the women are currently seventh, a half-game behind Minnesota State Mankato.
The men clinched a home playoff game last weekend while spliting games against previously ranked No. 3 Winona State and Upper Iowa. MSUM is currently tied for second in the conference with Bemidji State. Owning the tiebreaker over BSU, MSUM would either win or share the NSIC Championship with two wins, over Augustana and Wayne State, regardless of how BSU finishes. With two wins and a loss from St. Cloud State, MSUM will win the outright NSIC Championship. Also if the Dragons win both games this weekend, it would be the first time since 1981-82 that they would at least share a NSIC Championship.
The women don't have the luxury of hosting a playoff game. The highest the Dragons can finish is fifth due to a tiebreaker owned by Winona State, but they could also stay at seventh with two losses. Of the current possible playoff matchups, MSUM has faced only Wayne State in previous post-seasons and has a record of 1-3 against them. The Dragons are guaranteed a finishing record of at least .500 for the 12th consecutive season under head coach
Karla Nelson. The post-season play has been common for the Dragons throughout Nelson's career and before. They have clinched a playoff spot in all 13 NSIC tournaments. The only two teams to also accomplish this feat are Winona State and Wayne State.
The MSUM men and women close out regular season play on Friday and Saturday against Augustana and Wayne State. The Dragon women open action in Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse at 6 p.m. on Friday and 4 p.m. on Saturday with the men to follow both.
Men's NSIC Standings Women's NSIC Standings
Men's NSIC Weekly Release No. 14 Women's NSIC Weekly Release No. 14
NSIC Men's Basketball Tournament Update
