WHAT'S AHEAD
MOORHEAD, Minn.--After two weeks away from home, the Minnesota State University Moorhead men's basketball team (20-1, 11-1 NSIC) will return to Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse this weekend, looking to build on an already historic season. The Dragons will host Minnesota Crookston on Friday and Bemidji State on Saturday in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games.
After two more victories on the road over Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State, the Dragons vaulted to No. 8 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II poll. The Dragons were ranked No. 12 in the previous poll. MSUM holds a two game lead over Northern State (9-3) atop the NISC North Division and is tied with Augustana for the best record in the conference at 11-1. In addition, the Dragons are ranked No. 2 in the latest edition of the Bennett Rankings.
Both games will be televised love on WDAY'Z Xtra, which is channel 6.3 over the air. The channel can be found on Midcontinent Communications cable channel 596 and Cable One Channel 29. Live stats, live online video stream, and audio can be found at msumdragons.com. Dragon broadcaster Steve d'Eustachio will have the call for both games.
Starting off, MSUM will host Minnesota Crookston at 8 p.m. Friday following the completion of the women's game. Friday will be the 32nd match up between the two programs, with MSUM holding a 24-7 advantage in the all-time series. The Dragons have won the last nine of 10 games over the Golden Eagles dating back to Jan. 2010. The lone UMC win in recent history came on Jan. 28, 2012 when the Golden Eagles snuck away with an 82-79 victory in Crookston. Last season, the Dragons defeated UMC by more than 20 points in both games.
This season, Minnesota Crookston has drastically improved since its 2013-14 campaign, posting a record of 6-10 and 4-8 in the NSIC so far. Heading into the weekend, the Golden Eagles are currently on a five game losing streak, dropping games against Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota State Mankato last week. Junior guard Derrick Redd Jr. leads the team in scoring, averaging 12.5 points per game.
Next, Bemidji State visits Moorhead on Saturday evening. Tip off is scheduled for 6 p.m. following the completion of the women's game. The all-time series between the two schools has been extremely tight with the Dragons holding a slight 85-83 advantage. The Dragons have won seven of the last 10 games between the two schools dating back to Feb. 2010. Last season, the Dragons got the better of the Beavers on Dec. 13, 2013 in Moorhead 77-69, before the Beavers took the game in Bemidji on Jan. 17, 2014, 77-71.
This season, the Beavers won five straight to start the season before dropping seven of their last nine games. The 7-9 Beavers have lost five straight heading into this weekend, dropping games to Minnesota State Mankato and Concordia-St. Paul last week. Senior guard Brock Lutes is leading the team in scoring with 16.3 points per game.
A LOOK BACK AT LAST WEEK
MSUM earned two more victories last weekend on the road over Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State, improving its record to 20-1 and 11-1 in the NSIC.
On Friday night, the Dragons utilized a 21-4 run in the second half to secure an 81-65 win over Sioux Falls. The Cougars led 52-48 early in the second half when the Dragons began the run, holding the lead for good after that point.Â
Senior guard Jordan Riewer led the team in points, rebounds, and assists with 23, eight, and seven, respectively. Senior guard Prescott Williams scored a season high 20 points in the win.
On Saturday, MSUM took an 8-6 lead over Southwest Minnesota State early and never relinquished the lead for the duration of the game. The Dragons went on to win 79-57, shooting 48.4 percent (31-of-64) from the field and 45 percent (9-of-20) from the three-point line.Â
Junior forward Isaac Sevlie scored a career high 26 points in the game on 10-of-13 shooting from the field. The win was MSUM's 20th of the season, marking the ninth time in school history the Dragons have hit the 20-win mark.
A CLOSER LOOK AT MSUM...
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THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE
•Junior forward Isaac Sevlie has stepped up for the Dragons over the last three weeks, averaging 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game in his last six games.
•In wins over Winona State and Upper Iowa, Sevlie set career highs in rebounds, offensive rebounds, and free throws made, earning him NSIC North Division Player of the Week honors. The Red Wing, Minn. native scored 18 points in the win over Upper Iowa. In the win over Winona State, the 6-foot-9 power forward set career highs in rebounds (eight), offensive rebounds (five), minutes (28), free throws made (11), and free throw attempts (13). In arguably his best night as a Dragon, Sevlie scored 21 points, blocked two shots and grabbed a steal as well.
•Sevlie scored 11 points, grabbed five rebounds, and blocked two shots in MSUM's victory over Mary, then scored 20 points in the win over Minot State.
•Sevlie hit the 20 point mark for the third time this season, scoring a career high 26 points on 10-of-13 shooting in win over Southwest Minnesota State on Jan. 16.
•For the season, Sevlie is averaging 12.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Sevlie ranks sixth in the NSIC in field goal percentage at 58.7 percent and second in blocked shots per game at 1.6.
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20-WIN MARK
•With MSUM's win over Southwest Minnesota State, the Dragons reached the 20 win mark for the ninth time in school history and the third time in the last four seasons.
•Head Coach Chad Walthall has guided MSUM to three 20-win seasons during his tenure at the helm of MSUM, trailing only Dave Schellhase for most 20-win seasons in school history with four. In 2011-12, Walthall led the Dragons to a 21-10 record on the way to an appearance in the NCAA Regional. Last season, the Dragons went 21-8 and won the NSIC North Division.
•Other MSUM coaches to lead the Dragons to 20-win seasons include Larry MacLeod, Marv Skaar, and Schellhase. MacLeod led the Dragons to a 21-2 record in 1964-65. Skaar led MSUM to a 24-2 record in 1970-71. Schellhase had four 20-win seasons in five seasons, leading the Dragons to a 20-9 record in 1977-78, 21-9 in 1979-80, 23-6 in 1980-81, and 24-7 in 1981-82.
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RIEWER REACHES MILESTONES
•Senior guard Jordan Riewer reached two milestones this season that will cement his place in Dragon history forever.Â
•The Dragon point guard surpassed 1,000 points in his career on Jan. 2 in the win over Upper Iowa. Riewer is the 27th player in Dragon history to reach the 1,000-point club and the first since Alex Novak entered the exclusive club in 2013 with 1,219 points. Through Saturday, Riewer now has 1,087 career points.
•The 6-2 guard passed Ralph Western's school record of 339 assists on Jan. 3 in the win over Winona State. Riewer dished out a career high nine assists on Jan. 2 and followed it up with eight on Jan. 3. Riewer now has 369 career assists.
•For the season, Riewer is eighth in the NSIC in scoring at 16.1 points per game, first in three-point field goals made per game at 2.9, second in assists per game at 5.7, and first in assist to turnover ratio at 4.3.
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DRAGONS RANKED FIRST IN SIX NSIC CATEGORIES
•Scoring margin: +20.1. Highlighted by a 71-point victory over Presentation College on Dec. 2 where the Dragons won 111-40. MSUM has won 18 games by 11+ points and nine by 20+ points.
•Field goal percentage: .502. The Dragons have outshot their opponents in 18 out of 21 games this season, shooting a team-best 69 percent (40-of-58) in the Upper Iowa victory. Isaac Sevlie leads the team in shooting at .587 (88-of-150).
•Three-point field goal percentage: .435. Jordan Riewer is 53.1 percent from beyond the three-point line after hitting 60-of-113 three-pointers.
•Three-point field goals made per game: 10.9. Four Dragons players (Jordan Riewer, Aaron Lien, Tyler Vaughan, and Ngijol Songolo) have hit at least 33 three-pointers. Riewer leads the way with 60.
•Free-throw percentage: .768. Five players are better than .800 and eight players are better than .600 from the line, highlighted by Jordan Riewer at .939 (62-of-66).
•Assists to turnover ratio: 2.0. The Dragons have recorded 350 assists this season compared to only 175 turnovers.
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SEASON HIGH FOR WILLIAMS
•Senior guard Prescott Williams scored a season-high 20 points and set or tied career highs in steals, free throws made, and free throws attempted in the win over Sioux Falls last weekend.Â
•The Akron, Ohio native grabbed three steals in the game, the sixth time in his career he reached that mark. Williams set career highs in free throws made with five and free throw attempts with seven in the game.
•Williams has started all 50 games he has played as a Dragon. This season, the senior guard is averaging 6.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
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10 IN 10
•The Dragons rank in the top-10 in the nation as a team in 10 different categories:
•1st in Total Three-Point Field Goals Made: 229. Jordan Riewer leads the team with 60 while Tyler Vaughan has 42.
•1st in Turnovers per game: 8.3. The Dragons have turned the ball over eight or fewer times eight times this season.
•1st in Total Assists: 350. Jordan Riewer has 120 assists this season.
•1st in Assist to Turnover Ratio: 2.0. Jordan Riewer ranks second in the nation with a mark of 4.29.
•3rd in Total Rebounds: 764. Jordan Riewer leads the team with 100 rebounds, Aaron Lien has 99.
•4th in Total Three-Point Field Goal Attempts: 527. On average, the Dragons shoot 25.1 three-pointers per game.
•4th in Scoring Margin: 20.1. MSUM has won 18 games by 11 or more points and nine by 20 or more points.
•4th in Three-Point Field Goal Percentage: .435. Jordan Riewer is shooting 53.1 percent (60-of-113) on the season.
•7th in Three-Pointers Made per game: 10.9. The Dragons have made 10 or more three-pointers in 15 of 21 games this season.
•10th in Free Throw Percentage: .768. The Dragons shot 93.8 percent (15-of-16) in the win over Minot State on 12/5/14.
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A LOOK AT THE OPPONENT... MINNESOTA CROOKSTON
Record: 6-10, 4-8 NSIC
Last Game: The Minnesota Crookston men's basketball team has had an up and down season under first year head coach Dan Weisse. Formerly a part of head coach Chad Walthall's coaching staff, Weisee has lead the Golden Eagles to a 6-10 record and a 4-8 record in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. A little more than halfway through the season, both of these marks are already better than the 4-23 and 1-21 conference record set by the Golden Eagles in 2013-14. On Nov. 25, the Golden Eagles gave Division-I North Dakota State a run for their money in an exhibition game, falling by just one point, 64-63. Minnesota Crookston's four conference wins came over St. Cloud State, Wayne State, Bemidji State, and Mary.
•Junior guard Derrick Redd, Jr. has lead the Golden Eagles in scoring this season, averaging 12.5 points per game while grabbing 4.1 rebounds and dishing out 1.9 assists per game. Redd is currently tied for fifth in the conference in free throw percentage at 83.7 percent.
•Senior forward Tyler West has been the go-to guy in the post for the Golden Eagles this season, averaging 10.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. The 7.6 rebounds per game marks West at fourth in the NSIC. His 5.9 defensive rebounds per game is the top mark in the NSIC.
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A LOOK AT THE OPPONENT... BEMIDJI STATE
Record: 7-9, 3-9 NSIC
Last Game: After starting the season on a five game winning streak, the Bemidji State men's basketball team has cooled off since December. The Beavers have won just two games since Dec. 5, dropping nine games in the process, including five straight. The 7-9 Beavers are just ahead of Mary in the NSIC North Division with a 3-9 conference record. Last week, BSU dropped home games to Minnesota State Mankato and Concordia-St. Paul. The Beavers conference wins came against Minnesota Crookston, Wayne State, and Minot State.
•NSIC Preseason North Division Player of the year Brock Lutes has proven to be one of the top scoring threats in the conference, averaging 16.3 points per game, ranked seventh in the NSIC. Lutes has scored 20 or more points five times this season, including a season high 29 points on Nov. 11 against Mayville State. The senior guard also leads the team in assists with 3.1 per game.
•Sophomore forward Shane White leads the team in rebounding with 5.2 per game while averaging 6.4 points per game.
•As a team, Bemidji State ranks third in the NSIC in steals per game at 7.3 and eighth in scoring at 74.8 points per game.
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