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THIS WEEKEND
After visiting southern Minnesota last weekend, the University of Mary men's basketball team travels the northern reaches of the Land of 10,000 Lakes to conclude a four-game road trip. The Marauders (5-16 overall / 3-13 Northern Sun) open at the University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles (1-15 / 4-6) on Friday, February 7. Tip off is set for 8 PM at Lysaker Gymnasium in Crookston, Minn. The trip concludes against NSIC North Division leader Bemidji State University (15-5 / 12-4) on Saturday, Feb. 8. Game time is 6 PM at the BSU Gymnasium.

ON THE LINE
This is a first and last weekend for the Marauders. U-Mary opens against the last place Golden Eagles on Friday before facing the NSIC North Division-leading Beavers... This is the second time in 14 days the Marauders will have faced both UMC and BSU... After four straight weeks of facing either a division leader or nationally-ranked team on Friday, this week the Marauders put off facing a division leader until Saturday night... The Marauders are now on their longest conference road trip of the season (four games)... Just six games remain in the regular season.

HISTORY LESSON - MARAUDERS v. GOLDEN EAGLES
Since joining the Northern Sun for the 2006-07 season, the Marauders are 12-3 against the Golden Eagles. U-Mary is 7-1 at home and 5-2 at UMC.

Last Meeting: Dunks on their first two possessions set the tone for the Marauders in a 74-56 home win over the University of Minnesota Crookston on January 25, 2014. The Marauders closed out the half on a 21-8 run and led 37-24 at intermission. Marc Musungayi led U-Mary with 14 points. Jalen Jaspers hit 6-of-9 shots on his way to 13 points. Germain Decoste and Devan Douglas added 10 points each. Douglas also had six assists. Giorgi Koguashvilli led UMC with 18 points and Brandon Burns added 17.

HISTORY LESSON - MARAUDERS v. BEAVERS
U-Mary leads the series with BSU 9-7. The series began in 1971 with a 92-87 home win for the Marauders. The two teams played twice in the 1987 season with each school winning at home. Since becoming a member of the NSIC, U-Mary captured the first five meetings before BSU broke through with a home win in the 2009-10 season. The Beavers have won five straight.

Last meeting: Marc Musungayi hit 12-of-15 shots and scored 27 points but his efforts still left the Marauders short in a 68-59 home loss to Bemidji State University on January 24, 2014. After a tight first half, the Beavers shot 73 per cent from the field to pull away from the Marauders. Jalen Jaspers added 13 points for U-Mary. Brock Lutes led BSU with 17 points and Zach Noreen added 16 points and 11 rebounds.

THE OPPONENT: University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles
In the midst of a 14-game losing streak, the Golden Eagles are struggling offensively and defensively. Last in the Northern Sun overall and in the North division, Minnesota Crookston is last in the league in scoring (63.8 PPG) and is 14th in scoring defense (80.1 PPG). UMC is last in scoring margin at a -16.2 points per game, 9.8 points worse than the next squad. Ashton Harrell, who leads UMC in scoring with 15.3 PPG, was injured over Christmas break and hasn't played in 2014. Brandon Burns is the only other UMC player in double figures at 11.0 PPG. Derrick Redd is chipping in 9.4 PPG. Tyler West is the leading rebounder at 5.6/game and scores 8.3 PPG. Since Harrell left the lineup, the only loss by less than 14 points was a 75-73 decision at Sioux Falls last weekend.

THE OPPONENT: Bemidji State University Beavers
One of the most surprising teams in the Northern Sun, Bemidji State University leads the NSIC North Division and is third overall in head coach Jeff Boschee's second season. The preseason coaches poll predicted BSU to finish 12th overall and 6th in the North. One of the top offensive teams in the league, the Beavers saw their eight game winning streak snapped at Sioux Falls last Saturday. Three different players - Brock Lutes, Jake Schalow and Maxie Rosenbloom - have earned NSIC Player of the Week honors. BSU is fourth in the NSIC in scoring - 82.9 points per game - and scoring defense - 71.1 points per game. BSU leads the NSIC in free throw percentage (.770), field goal percentage (.518), three point shooting percentage (.419) and are third in steal (8.10). A 6-4 guard, Lutes leads BSU and the NSIC in scoring (19.0 PPG). Forward Zach Noreen averages 17.9 PPG and Rosenbloom averages 12.5 PPG and an NSIC-leading 9.5 rebounds/game. Schalow is the fourth player in double digits for scoring, averaging 14.1 PPG.  

LAST TIME OUT
The Marauders were unable to overcome a 19-4 deficit to open the game in an 88-67 loss at #22 Minnesota State University. All five starters for MSU reached double digits while only one U-Mary player reached that level. Chris Mason came off the bench to score 11 points and both he and Brandon Tyler hit three treys in the game. Assem Marei led the Mavericks with 21 points, hitting all nine field goal attempts... After scoring 35 points in the opening half and leading by six, U-Mary scored just 25 points after intermission in a 66-60 loss at Concordia University - St. Paul. Two Musungayi free throws tied the game at 54-54 with 4:26 remaining but the Golden Bears would break the tie and manage to stay ahead of the Marauders the rest of the evening. Musungayi led the Marauders with 17 points. Mike Johnson hit all three trey attempts and scored 11 points. Decoste had nine points and seven rebounds. Travon Mitchell scored 19 points for the Golden Bears. Cordell Smith hit four treys and had 17 points.

COMING UP
The Marauders have a busy final homestand when U-Mary hosts Southwest Minnesota State University and the University of Sioux Falls on Feb. 14-15. The Northern Sun's "It's a Don't Drive Drunk - Don't Drive Drunk" initiative headlines Friday while Saturday is Senior Night for the men's and women's basketball team. Additionally Marauders student-athletes will be honored throughout the weekend.

TV TIME
The NBC North Dakota Sports Network will televise the final Marauders regular season home game on its Me-TV stations throughout the state when U-Mary hosts the University of Sioux Falls on Feb. 15. The broadcast begins with the women's game at 4 PM.

MUSUNGAYI ON THE MARCH
Marauders senior center Marc Musungayi has been dominant over the last six games, which has included three U-Mary wins. The native of Hamilton, Ontario, is averaging 19.0 points per game and 5.3 rebounds while making 59.2 per cent of his field goal attempts (42-of-71) and 85.7 per cent of his free throws (30-of-35). Included in his recent run is a career-high 33 points against St. Cloud State and a 27 point outburst against Bemidji State.

27
During a stretch from the second half of the Wayne State College game until the first half of the Bemidji State game, senior forward  Marc Musungayi made 27 straight free throws.

500
Marc Musungayi scored his 500th career point against Bemidji State University and now sits at 557.

JASPERS HITS MILESTONES OF 800, 100
Senior guard Jalen Jaspers hit two personal milestones in the Marauders home game against Bemidji State. Jaspers played in his 100th game that night and also scored his 800th career point. Jaspers, with 103 games played, is the fourth U-Mary player to play 100 games during the school's NCAA era (2006-07 season onward). The only others are Eric Erdmann (116), Jordan Wilhelm (112) and Danny Sandvig (110). Now with 827 points, the Minneapolis, Minn., native is one of five Marauders to reach 800 career points in the NCAA era: Erdman (1,642), Wilhelm (1,129), Anthony Moody (1,126) and Geoff West (801).

JASPERS HOT STREAK
During a recent six game stretch before last weekend, Jalen Jaspers has regained his scoring punch. The senior from Minneapolis, Minn., reached double figures in five of six games, including a career-high 31 points at Upper Iowa. Over these six games Jaspers averaged 15.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 2.8 assists/game while shooting an incredible 69.6 per cent from the field (39-of-56). With this run he is now shooting 55.3 per cent on the season, ninth in the NSIC.
 
THE FRESHMEN
Three different freshmen have started games this season for the Marauders. Guard Damonta Henry, third on the team in scoring at 8.6 points per game, has started seven times. Isaac Lindquist has four starts in the post and Luke Scott has one at guard.

HEROIC HENRY
Freshman Damonta Henry made probably the biggest shot of the season for the Marauders. With time running out and U-Mary down by two, Henry hit a runner in the lane with 1.3 seconds left in regulation to force overtime in what became an 87-83 double overtime win over St. Cloud State. After a recent scoring slump, the Chicago native posted 10 points against SCSU and 14 against UMD. He has now reached double figures in nine of his last 17 games. He posted his biggest night of the season with a 25 point outburst in an overtime loss to Augustana. Henry knocked down five treys in seven attempts and tied his career-high with three assists. The team leader with 27 three pointers, Henry averages 8.6 points per game, third best total on the Marauders. At the free throw line Henry is 28-of-34.

MUSUNGAYI MAKES THE MARK
Senior center Marc Musungayi ranks among Northern Sun leaders in several categories. For the season Musungayi is 19th in the NSIC in scoring (13.0 PPG), 19th in rebounding (5.6 RPG), 12th in field goal percentage (.549) and 13th in blocks (1.05 BPG).

MAKING SHOTS
Two Marauders are among the Northern Sun leaders in field goal percentage. Senior guard Jalen Jaspers is connecting on 55.3 per cent of his field goal attempts, ninth in the NSIC. Senior forward Marc Musungayi is 12th with a 54.2 shooting percentage.

FIVE BY EIGHT
Five Marauders are averaging at least 8.4 points per game. Marc Musingayi leads the team at 13.0 points per game, followed by Jalen Jaspers at 10.3, Devan Douglas at 8.6, Damonta Henry at 8.6 and Chris Mason at 8.1.

DOUBLE DIGIT THREAT
Eight different Marauders have reached double figures in a game this season: Marc Musungayi (14 times), Devan Douglas (10), Chris Mason (8), Damonta Henry (9), Jalen Jaspers (9), Brandon Tyler (3), Germain Decoste (4), Marquealis Edwards (2) and Mike Johnson (1).

TURN UP THE HEAT
The Marauders are averaging 4.76 steals per game. U-Mary was next to last in the NCAA a year ago with 3.3 steals/game. Devan Douglas leads the Marauders with 18 steals.

GET OUTTA HERE!
U-Mary averaged just 2.0 blocks a game last season, 14th out of 16 teams in the NSIC. This year the Marauders are rejecting 2.86 blocks per game, ninth in the league. Marc Musungayi leads the team with 22 blocks, which is 13th in the NSIC.

MUSUNGAYI NAMED NSIC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
A career scoring outburst combined with clutch play propelled University of Mary senior Marc Musungayi to Northern Sun Men's Basketball Player of the Week honors. Musungayi averaged 25 points per game and made all 20 free throws he attempted in the two games to lead the Marauders to a weekend series sweep for the first time in nearly three years... The Hamilton, Ontario, native scored a career-high 33 points in an 88-83 double overtime win over conference-leading St. Cloud State University. He connected on all 15 free throw attempts in the game – including 11 straight in the overtime sessions – and was 9-of-16 from the field. Musungayi also had nine rebounds and three steals. His 15 free throws is the most by a U-Mary player during the school's NCAA era (2006-07 and on) and the 33 points is tops since All-American Anthony Moody scored 42 at SCSU on Feb. 19, 2011... The senior forward concluded the weekend with 17 points in the Marauders 83-67 win over the University of Minnesota Duluth. Musungayi made all five free throws and made 6-of-10 field goal attempts. He also had six rebounds and three assists... For the weekend Musungayi averaged 25 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 57.7 per cent from the field while hitting all 20 free throw attempts... He is the first U-Mary player to earn NSIC men's basketball weekly honors since Moody on Feb. 21, 2011.

BRING OUT THE BROOMS
With weekend wins over St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth, the Marauders won both weekend Northern Sun contests for the first time since defeating Concordia University – St. Paul and SCSU on the road on Feb. 18-19, 2011. The last home weekend sweep at the McDowell Activity Center was over Wayne State College and Augustana on Feb. 11-12, 2011.

MAC ATTACK
The U-Mary women's basketball team also swept their weekend series over SCSU and UMD, providing Marauders fans four weekend wins at the McDowell Activity Center for the first time since the men and the women both defeated Minnesota Duluth and Bemidji State University on Dec. 17-18, 2010.

HISTORY LESSON
The University of Mary men's basketball team was the school's first athletic program and played its inaugural season in 1970-71. Over the course of 43 years the Marauders have a combined record of 653-514. Longtime head coach athletic director Al Bortke posted a record of 335-157 in 16 seasons (1973-89) before stepping aside to take over the role of athletic director full time... U-Mary played its first NCAA season in 2006-07, competing in the Northern Sun. The following season the Marauders were granted full NCAA membership in what was the quickest transition in association history... The Marauders made their first NCAA tournament appearance in 2011. Current head coach Jevin Budde was an assistant for that team and seniors Jalen Jaspers and Mike Johnson were both freshmen.

OVERSEAS
Players from the last two U-Mary teams are currently playing overseas. Damon Smith, a forward for the Marauders from 2010-12, is playing for the Dresden Titans in the German Professional League. He competed for Copenhagen in the Danish League last season. Alex Dorr (2010-13) plays for the Derby Trailblazers in the English Basketball League while pursuing an advanced degree in international business at the University of Derby.
 
MOVED ON UP
Current University of Nebraska head coach Tim Miles ('89) and Dallas Mavericks Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Floyd Jahner ('81) are U-Mary alumni and former Marauders basketball players.

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