THIS WEEKEND
The University of Mary opens the 2016-17 season at the SBU Classic, hosted by Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, MO. The Marauders will take on a pair of teams from the MidAmerica Intercollegiate Athletic Association in a conference crossover. First Mary faces Lincoln (MO) University in a neutral site game on Friday, Nov. 11, at 1:30 pm. On Saturday, Nov. 12, the Marauders face host school Southwest Baptist at 4 pm.

UPCOMING
On the way home from the SBU Classic, the Marauders stop in Lincoln, NE, on Tuesday, Nov. 15, to take on NCAA Division I and Big 10 member University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. University of Mary alumni Tim Miles ('89) is in his fourth season as head coach of the Cornhuskers. Marauders head coach Joe Kittell was a student assistant coach for Miles at North Dakota State (2002-06).

RECORDS
This is the regular season opening weekend for Mary, Lincoln and Southwest Baptist.

LAST TIME OUT
The Marauders defeated the University of Jamestown 68-52 in Mary's lone exhibition game of the year... Lincoln hosted Livin' the Dream in an exhibition contest... Southwest Baptist opens the season against Minnesota Crookston on Friday, Nov. 11.

LAST YEAR
The Marauders finished 19-12 overall and 12-10 in the NSIC to place 6th overall and third among NSIC North teams. Mary advanced to the NSIC conference tournament semifinals... The Lincoln Blue Tigers finished 16-14... The Southwest Baptist Bearcats went 10-18 overall and 5-17 in the MIAA.

HISTORY LESSON
This is the first time the Marauders have faced the Blue Tigers and the Bearcats.

THE OPPONENT
Picked fourth in the MIAA preseason poll, Lincoln returns all five starters from last year's team that finished 16-14. A veteran squad features 11 juniors and seniors. Sr. G Anthony Virdure averaged a team-high 21.5 points/game last season and shipped in 3.3 assists/game. Backcourt mate Richie Lewis scored 10.4 points and distributed 4.2 assists/game. Jaylon Smith averaged 18.2 points and 4.3 rebounds/game and shot 37 percent behind the arc... Southwest Baptist returns four starters off its 10-18 team that features two sophomores and a junior in its starting lineup. Jr. SF Logan Hover, a transfer from NCAA Division I Florida Gulf Coast, averaged 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds last year in his first year with the Bearcats. Sr. F Brian Patterson contributed 11.6 points and 5.0 rebounds as a junior. Soph. G Kai Woodfall averaged 9.1 points/game last season and Cartier Dean scored 8.9 points/game in a reserve role.

TURNAROUND
Under head coach Joe Kittell in his inaugural season at the University of Mary, the Marauders improved by ten wins overall (19-12), jumped six slots in the NSIC standings to 6th place overall (12-10), hosted an NSIC playoff game for just the second time in school history and made the NSIC tournament semifinals for just the second time.  

NSIC 2016-17 PROJECTION
Despite a big turnaround last season, Northern Sun coaches have taken a "show me again" stance in the 2016-17 preseason coaches poll. After finishing sixth overall in the NSIC, placing third in the North division and advancing to the conference semifinals a year ago, the Marauders are projected to finish 10th overall and fourth in the divisional standings in the 2016-17 NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Marauders were picked 14th in last season's coaches poll and finished eight slots higher. While Mary returns seven players off last year's squad, including Northern Sun Player to Watch Bryan Jefferson, the squad did lose three starters in Marquealis Edwards, Devan Douglas and Brandon Tyler, all who averaged over 9.3 points/game.

WE'RE BACK
The Marauders return two starters and seven letterwinners. Sr. F Bryan Jefferson earned All-NSIC first team honors last year, just the third Marauders player to earn that distinction. The senior forward averaged 15.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, both team highs. The native of Aurora, IL, also shot 57.1 percent from the field. Jefferson enters his third season as a starter and has scored 816 points in his career. Mary's other returning starter is senior Isaac Lindquist, who averaged 9.4 PPG and 4.6 RPG in the post. Mary also returns five reserves, including senior wing Ricky Suggs (7.8 PPG, 53.1 FG%), senior guard Damonta Henry (7.6 PPG, 45 3pts), senior guard Erron Collins (2.3 PPG), sophomore guard Darius Sparks (2.5 PPG) and junior forward Michael Gorder (1.6 PPG). Additionally junior guard Luke Scott – a part-time starter as a sophomore – returns after missing last year with an injury.
 
NEWBIES
Two players who redshirted last season at Mary – senior guard Pat Thomas and junior forward Trevor Zacher – will play key roles for the Marauders in 2016-17. Both players transferred to Mary last season - Zacher from Bismarck State and Thomas from Lake Region State - and chose to redshirt. Both will be in the starting lineup this season. A pair of newcomers this fall - freshman guard Jaylan White and junior forward Steven Daho-Mondzo - are expected to play key reserve roles for Mary.