THIS WEEK: After opening the season with two games on the road, the University of Mary are home for Thanksgiving. The Marauders open the holiday week when former foe Minot State University comes to town on Tuesday, November 22. On the Saturday following Thanksgiving, November 26, the Marauders welcome Montana State University-Billings. Both non-conference games tip off at 7 PM in the McDowell Activity Center.
RADIO: Listen to Marauders men's and women's basketball live on ESPN 710 AM as Rick Anthony, the Voice of the Marauders, and Jeff Groseclose brings you all the game action. You can also listen live online at www.espn710am.com. Click the "Listen Live" link to stream the game in real time.
VIDEO: Video streaming of U-Mary home and all NSIC contests are available online. Access the FREE Internet broadcasts, providing both video and audio, at:
http://nmtvsports.com/
LIVE STATS: Live stats are available for all Marauders home basketball games at http://www.umary.edu/sports/LiveStats.php?teamasketball_men
THE RECORDS / LAST WEEK: The Marauders are 1-1 this season after defeating Chadron State College 73-72 on a three-pointer from Josh Turner with two seconds remaining in the game... The Beavers are 0-4. Last weekend in Winona, MN, Minot State suffered a 79-38 loss to Upper Iowa and host Winona State defeated the Beavers 98-76... MSU-Billings is 2-2, winning two at home and losing two on the road. The Yellowjackets suffered an 81-70 loss at Dixie State College and a 63-60 loss at Southern Utah. MSUB hosts Colorado Christian on Tuesday night.
LAST YEAR: U-Mary finished 23-6 overall and placed second in the Northern Sun at 18-4. The Marauders qualified for the NCAA tournament... Minot State went 13-17 overall and had no conference affiliation as the Beavers transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division II ... MSU Billings finished 8-18 and 6-12 in the GNAC.
HISTORY / LAST MEETING:
U-Mary vs. Minot State: Former foes in the NDCAC and the DAC, the Marauders and Beavers last met February 17, 2006, when the Beavers nipped the Marauders 81-80 at MSU. In the last meeting at the McDowell Activity Center, Minot State once again ground out a one point win, 70-69 on December 3, 2005. The Beavers own a four game winning streak. U-Mary last defeated MSU 79-69 on December 9, 2004, with the win coming at the MAC.
U-Mary vs. MSU Billings: In a series that started during the 1979-80 season, the Yellowjackets hold a 4-3 edge. U-Mary has won the last two meetings and three of the last four.
DATE RESULT GAME LOCATION
Dec. 14, 1979 MSUB 83-74 (W) Bismarck, ND
Jan. 16, 1984 MSUB 77-65 (W) Billings, MT
Nov. 26, 2008 MSUB 70-67 (W) OT Billings, MT
Dec. 1, 2008 U-Mary 83-72 Bismarck, ND
Nov. 21, 2009 MSUB 72-68 Billings, MT
Dec. 30, 2009 U-Mary 76-62 Bismarck, ND
Nov. 16, 2010 U-Mary 70-68 Billings, MT
A PAST AND FUTURE FOE: Longtime foes when both were members of the North Dakota College Athletic Conference (NDCAC) and the Dakota Athletic Conference (DAC), U-Mary and Minot State haven't met on the basketball court since February 17, 2006. The following season U-Mary began playing in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference while completing the transition to NCAA Division II. Now with Minot State transitioning into NCAA D2 also, the two in-state rivals are once again squaring off. Next season, the Beavers will begin play in the NSIC and the two teams will begin playing each other in a home and home series. The two schools have also been designated travel partners on NSIC weekends.
FIRST: Jevin Budde picked up his first collegiate head coaching win when the Marauders defeated Chadron State College 73-72 on November 15. DOMINATING DAMON: Damon Smith registered his second career double double in the Marauders win at Chadron State College. The senior forward paired his career-high total of 22 points with 10 rebounds. Smith was 8-of-11 from the field, making both trey attempts and all four free throw. He also had three assists and played 37 minutes.
GAME-WINNER: In his second game for the Marauders, JR G/F Josh Turner created a lasting image, nailing a three-pointer with two seconds left in the game to lift the Marauders over Chadron State 73-72. The transfer from Lamar Community College finished the game with 18 points as he hit 7-of-11 shots, including two treys, and made both free throw attempts.
FAST START: Darius Robinson is off to a fast start for the Marauders. The team's leading scorer after two games, he is the only U-Mary player to strike for double digits in both games (16 at UW-Green Bay, 19 at Chadron State). He leads the Marauders in scoring (17.5 points per game), three pointers (6), and shooting percentage (54.5 per cent). The guard from McCook (NE) Community College averages 3.5 assists and is 6-of-10 on trey attempts.
WELCOME BACK! Damon Smith is the lone returning Marauders starter. A senior from Milwaukee, WI, the 6-7 forward joined U-Mary last year and helped the Marauders post one of the best seasons in school history. A transfer from Ellsworth Community College, Smith started all 29 games and averaged 6.7 points per game and 4.0 rebounds and shot 60 per cent from the field in 2010-11. Alex Dorr, Jalen Jaspers and Baley Johnson all played key roles for the Marauders last season. A 6-6 junior forward, Dorr averaged 4.4 points and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 62 per cent from the field in his first season at U-Mary after transferring from Iowa State. Jaspers, a sophomore guard, contributed 3.8 points per game as a freshman. Johnson, entering his third year with the Marauders, was a front-line reserve and picked up 2.3 points per game.
2 to 12: After finishing second in the Northern Sun last season, the Marauders are picked 12th in he NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll after graduating four starters and six seniors.
HI, MY NAME IS... After graduating six seniors, including four starters, U-Mary welcomes six new players into the fold this season. Three junior college transfers are expected to make immediate contributions in the back court. One of the nation's leading scorers and free throw shooters in junior college last season, Darius Robinson is a 6-foot-1 guard from Jacksonville, FL. The NJCAA Division I National Player of the Week for the week of March 2, Robinson earned first-team all-region honors, was named to the All-Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference first team, and earned a spot on the Region 9 All-Tournament squad. As a sophomore at McCook (NE) Community College in 2010-11, Robinson averaged 21.4 points per game, 11th in the country. He also averaged 3.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.4 steals. Shooting 42.9 per cent from behind the arc, he knocked down 99 treys in 29 games. Robinson was fourth in the nation in free throw shooting, making 89.5 per cent of his attempts. He scored 20 or more points 18 times and hit for 30 or more five times, posting a season-high 42 points vs. Central CC-Columbus. Josh Turner is a 6-foot-3 guard from Aurora, CO, and averaged 14.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Lamar Community College in 2010-11. He helped the Runnin' Lopes to a 23-8 record and a South Sub-Region title. Turner made 69 three-pointers and shot 42.1 per cent behind the arc. Overall from the field he shot 45 per cent and converted 79.6 per cent of his free throw attempts. He scored 20 or more points seven times, including a season-high 33 points at Clarendon College. Guard Lamada Williams joins the Marauders from Walters Community College.
AT THE TOP: Jevin Budde coached his first game as head man for the Marauders when U-Mary opened at Green Bay on Nov. 11. As an assistant coach at U-Mary the past two seasons, Budde was an integral part of the Marauders turnaround from a seven-win team to the NCAA tournament in two years. Budde assumed command of the program when Randall Herbst resigned the head coaching position to take an assistant position at NCAA Division I Nebraska-Omaha.
MOODY SELECTED IN NBA D-LEAGUE DRAFT: One of the most honored and dynamic players in University of Mary history, Anthony Moody became the first Marauders student-athlete selected in the NBA Development League draft. The former U-Mary All-American was selected by the Sioux Falls (SD) Skyforce in the fifth round and the 60th player selected overall. The Skyforce open training camp on November 12. The season opener is set for November 25 at Fort Wayne. One of the nation's top scorers as a senior last season, Moody was named to the NABC's 2011 State Farm Division II All-America Team, the Daktronics All-American second team, the Basketball Times 2011 Division II All-America first team and the 2011 Division II Bulletin All-America third squad. He was also played in the Reese's Division II College All-Star game.
