MOORHEAD, Minn. -- MSU Moorhead men's basketball will begin their quest for a NCAA Division II Elite Eight berth on Saturday, March 16 as the Dragons take on the Pittsburg State Gorillas in the NCAA Central Region Tournament. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. inside the Taylor Center in Mankato, Minn. 

Live stats and video will be available on msumdragons.com. Please note that NCAA Central Region Tournament games will be behind a paywall on both the NSIC Network and NCAA.com. The Moorhead Buffalo Wild Wings will be hosting a watch party for the game on Saturday evening free of charge with patrons getting free chips and salsa for supporting the Dragons. The contest will also be broadcast live over the airwaves on AM 1100/FM 92.3. 

Opening Tip

Quick Hits...MSUM has not matched up against Pittsburg State since March 14, 2015 when the Dragons handled the Gorillas in the NCAA Central Region Tournament, 80-68. That was the same season MSUM eventually advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the first time in program history. The Dragons and Gorillas also met up in the regional quarterfinals that season. That 2015 matchup is the only meeting between the two programs all-time. 

Dragons At The NCAA Tournament...Since moving up to Division II in 1994-95, MSUM has qualified for the NCAA Central Region Tournament on eight occassions with the Dragons having qualified for the national tournament the last four seasons. MSUM first made the tournament during the 2011-12 season which saw them defeat Southwest Minnesota State before falling to Colorado School of Mines in the regional semifinals. MSUM made tourney trips in 2014-15, 2015-15 and 2016-17 with the Dragons making the Elite Eight in 2014-15. In total, MSUM is 4-6 in NCAA Tournament games with the last win in an NCAA Central Region game coming on March 13, 2021 in an 84-72 victory over Wayne State in the regional quarterfinals. MSUM has only played in one regional final, a 47-42 win over Northwest Missouri State on March 17, 2015. 

All-Conference Dragons...Juniors JaMir Price, Jacob Beeninga and Ja'Kair Sanchez as well as senior Dane Zimmer were all named to the All-NSIC team on Thursday. Sanchez and Zimmer were named to the Second Team while Price and Beeninga earned First Team distinction. Price was also named the NSIC's Newcomer of the Year, becoming the third player in program history to earn the honor, alongside Lorenzo McGhee and Justyn Burgess. The junior averaged a collegiate best 14.2 points per game for the Dragons including a 14.9 scoring average in NSIC play. Beeninga scored a team-best 17.1 points per game for MSUM. Sanchez averaged 13 points per game for the Dragons and really exploded in conference games, netting 13.5 points per game in NSIC play. Zimmer averaged 9.4 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest this season with the senior ending up second in the NSIC in both rebounds per game and total rebounds (259).

Check Out The Big Brain On Cob....Junior guard Jacob Beeninga was named the NSIC Elite 18 award winner for the third consecutive season as part of MSUM's visit to the NSIC Tournament. Beeninga became the first men's basketball student-athlete to win the award three consecutive seasons. The Maple Grove, Minn., native holds a 4.0 cumulative GPA at MSUM as an accounting and finance major. The NSIC Elite 18 Award was instituted to recognize the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the NSIC Championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers.

Flipping The Floor...MSUM continues to be one of the best in the country in forcing turnovers while also taking care of the ball on offense. The Dragons offer up the 21st-best turnover margin (plus-3.2) in the country this season. Pitt State has a turnover margin of minus-3.7 as the Gorillas average 14.3 giveaways a game

The Price You Pay...Junior guard JaMir Price's success has directly correlated with MSUM's overall success this season. When the NSIC Newcomer of the Year scores 20 or more points, the Dragons are 6-0 this season. When Price scores in double figures, MSUM is 17-2 this season with those two losses coming to Winona State (NSIC Tournament) and Augustana (2/17/24).

Sweeping The Board...Senior Dane Zimmer collected his 1,018th rebound against Winona State on March 3. That snare put Zimmer in sole possession of the second-most rebounds in program history as he entered the contest tied alongside Walt Whitaker (1978-82). The all-time rebounds record stands at 1,054 by Alex Novak (2009-13). Zimmer and Novak are the only two players in school history to accrue over 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 100 blocks. 

Wherefore Art Thou, Kinsey...Sophomore Logan Kinsey has shown up in crucial moments for the Dragons all season, but was limited to just four points in the loss to Winona State on March 3. In all five of MSUM's losses this season, Kinsey has averaged just 9.2 points per game with a 37.7 percent field goal rate (17-45). In Dragon wins this season, Kinsey is scoring 11.5 points per game with a 51.8 field goal success rate. 

Ja Being Ja...Junior Ja'Kair Sanchez has blossomed in the last 10 games for MSUM, averaging 17.7 points per game with 46.7/44.4/83 shooting splits. This includes 49 made free throws in that 10-game span.

What They Do Well...The Gorillas are the best in the country when it comes to defending the three-point line. Pitt State has held opponents to just a 28.6 percent success rate from long range, a mark that is number one in the country. The Gorillas also rebound the ball well, pulling down 28.8 defensive boards a game, which is seventh-best in the nation. Pitt State was second to only Washburn in the MIAA in combined rebounds per game this season (36.1). They are also top-25 nationally in field goal percentage, making 48.8 percent of attempts.

Tim Bergstraser is in his second season as MSUM's head men's basketball coach. Bergstraser enters the game with 49 career victories in 61 games coached at MSU Moorhead.