Men's Basketball | 3/9/2022 9:04:00 AM

The Minnesota State University Moorhead men's basketball team is set to compete in the NCAA Regional Tournament. The Dragons' first round opponent is No. 10-ranked and defending national champion Northwest Missouri State on Saturday at noon at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The Dragons are making their sixth NCAA apperance in Chad Walthall's 12-year tenure as MSUM head coach.

MSUM leads the all-time series, which dates back to 1958-59, with Northwest Missouri State 4-1. The Dragons won four straight meetings before falling in the most recent matchup, on Nov. 9, 2019, by a score of 92-71 at a neutral site at a Missouri tournament.

MSUM beat the Bearcats, 47-42 in the NCAA Central Regional Final on March 17, 2015 -- also at the Sanford Pentagon on its way to the NCAA D2 Elite Eight.

The Dragons are 19-11 on the season after beating St. Cloud State (92-77), No. 5 Augustana (69-53) and No. 12 Minnesota Duluth (81-73) to win their first-ever NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament crown.

Junior Lorenzo McGhee leads the team in points per game with 12.4, followed closely by junior Gavin Baumgartner with 11.8 points per game. Baumgartner also leads the team in assists per game with 3.4. Sophomore Dane Zimmer leads the team in rebounds per game with 6.9.

Walthall is in his 12th season as head coach at MSUM.

About Northwest Missouri State

The Bearcats are 28-5 on the season after defeating Rogers State, No. 21-ranked Fort Hays State, and Washburn University to win the MIAA Tournament Championship last weekend. Junior Trevor Hudgins leads the team in points per game with 23.6 and also leads the team in assists per game with 4.2. Junior Diego Bernard leads the team in rebounds per game with 5.5, followed closely by sophomore Wes Dreamer with 5.4 rebounds per game. Ben McCollum is in his 12th season as head coach at Northwest Missouri State.