THIS WEEKEND
The University of Mary hosts two of the top programs in the Northern Sun this season when the MSU Moorhead Dragons and the 21^st ranked Northern State University Wolves visit the McDowell Activity Center on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 1-2. The Marauders first take on the defending NSIC champion Dragons at 8 pm on Friday. The weekend concludes on Saturday when UMary takes on NSIC preseason favorite Northern State at 6 pm.
 
LAST WEEK
The Marauders opened Northern Sun play over Thanksgiving with a 91-61 loss at Minot State. UMary returned home to rout Yellowstone Christian College 92-55 on Tuesday as all 12 Marauders in the game scored.
 
THE RECORD
The Marauders are 2-3 overall and 0-1 in Northern Sun play.
 
HISTORY LESSON UMary vs, MSU Moorhead
The Marauders trail the Dragons 18-12 in the all-time series… Since joining the NCAA and NSIC, Mary is 7-16 against MSUM… The Marauders won the first conference match-up with a 75-72 win at MSUM on January 16, 2007. The Dragons followed with five straight wins, including an overtime victory, one win by one point and another by two points… The Marauders snapped the Dragons streak with a decisive 74-58 win at home on Jan. 30, 2010, the first of five straight UM wins that concluded with a 72-51 win over 19th ranked MSUM on Jan. 7, 2012, at the MAC… The Marauders snapped an 8-game losing streak to the Dragons with a 77-73 upset win at 3rd ranked MSUM on January 8, 2016… The last Marauders home win against the Dragons was a 72-51 victory on 1.7.12 at the MAC… The Dragons have won five straight at the MAC.
LAST MEETING Bryan Jefferson posted his second straight double double against the Dragons with 21 points and 15 rebounds but the two-time all-conference performer couldn't stave off MSUM in an 84-69 loss to the visitors. UMary held a 52-46 lead in the second half before MSUM went on a 17-0 run. Rickey Suggs added 17 points for the Marauders. Tanner Kretchman had 18 points and Aaron Lein 17 for the Dragons.
 
HISTORY LESSON UMary vs. Northern State
The Marauders trail the Wolves 24-13 in the all-time series… UMary and NSU have split their series the last three seasons… The road teams won last season after each team protected its home floor the previous two seasons… The Marauders have won three of the last five games.
LAST MEETING Northern State shot 57 percent to UMary's 40 percent and the Wolves beat the Marauders 83-60 in Bismarck, ND, on Jan. 6, 2017. Eric Lindquist led the Marauders with 20 points and Jaylan White had 13. Logan Doyle and Carter Evans both scored 17 points for NSU.
 
OPPO RESEARCH
Returning just one starter after winning the Northern Sun last season for the second time in three years and making their third straight NCAA tournament appearance, MSU Moorhead returns just one starter and are 2-4 to start the season… First team all-NSIC guard Tanner Kretchman is the Dragons all-time assist leader and averages a team-high 20.2 points/game. The Dragons start a pair of sophomores (Johnny Beeninga and Matt Anderson) and juniors Travaun Coad and Addison Park… Head coach Chad Walthall is in his eighth season leading the Dragons and is 165-57 at MSUM.
 
Northern State jumped four slots in the national poll to #21 after wins over Missouri Southern and New York Institute of Technology at the Sanford Pentagon Classic and a win over Black Hills State last Monday… The Wolves shoot 46.8 percent from the floor, 35.6 percent from the 3-point line and make 67.5 percent of their free throws… Ian Smith leads the Wolves in scoring at 11.9 points per game. In a reserve role, Carter Evans averages 11.7 points per game. Logan Doyle hauls down a team-best 8.1 rebounds/game… Darin Peterka became the 53^rd Wolves player to eclipse 1,000 points in his career… Wolves head coach Paul Sather – a Northern State graduate – is in his eighth season and has compiled a mark of 126-78.
 
NEW BLUE
The Marauders feature a new look in the 2017-18 season with just here players back who saw action last year for UMary. Senior forward Trevor Zacher started 13 games last season for the Marauders and is UMary's lone returner who played significant minutes. Senior forward Michael Gorder enters his fourth season at UMary and has been a key reserve. Sophomore guard Jaylan White is also back and has stepped into the starting lineup.
 
STEPPING FORWARD
While the Marauders return three players with experience playing in the Blue & Orange, not all players are new to the roster. Junior forward Tom Kubank, sophomore guard Evan Anderson, and freshmen Matthew Kreklow, Connor Hellebust and Levi Clagett all redshirted at UMary last season.
 
FIRST
Junior guards Keith Hunter and Brody Sharkey and freshmen Wyatt Carr and Lucas Mayer are in their first year with the Marauders and all have made key contributions. Hunter is third on the team in scoring at 11.8 points per game. He's making 53 percent of his shots overall and making 50 percent of his trey attempts… Sharkey has started four games and averages 7.8 ppg… Carr chips in 7.2 ppg and is making 61 percent of his shots overall and is 6-of-11 on treys… Mayer has played in all five games and averages 2.0 ppg.
 
DISTRIBUTION
Sophomore guard Jaylan White stepped into the starting lineup in the second game of the season and has become one of the top assist leaders in the NSIC. After dropping eight dimes against Yellowstone, White is 6^th in the NSIC in assists with 4.4. He has a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. White averages 8.8 ppg and is shooting .484 on the season.
 
FRONT LINE
The Marauders mobile front line is quickly learning to play together. Senior F Trevor Zacher leads the Marauders in scoring (13.8 ppg) and 3-pointers (9). He is second in shooting percentage (.561), rebounding (4.8 rpg) and steals (6)… Junior F Tom Kubank is second in scoring at 12.4 ppg, pulls down 4.4 rebounds/game and is shooting 53.3 percent from the field… Freshman center Matthew Kreklow registered his first career double double with 11 points and ten rebounds against Yellowstone. He is averaging 7.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg and is making 50 percent of his shots.
 
THE BORTKE COURT MAC ATTACK
After struggling at home the last few seasons, Mary is once again finding success at the McDowell Activity Center (MAC). The playing floor was christened Bortke Court in honor of long-time Mary men's basketball coach and athletic director Al Bortke in July 2009. Here is the Marauders NCAA Division II home record:
2006-07:   5-  7
2007-08:   4-  7
2008-09:   7-  5
2009-10: 11-  2
2010-11: 12-  1
2011-12:   3-10
2012-13:   3-  9
2013-14:   6-  7
2014-15:   4-  8
2015-16:   8-  7
2016-17:   8-  6
2017-18:   1-  1
The Marauders once won 27 straight home games for Coach Bortke at the MAC (February 19, 1976 thru November 11, 1978).
 
 
LISTEN LIVE
University of Mary fans can listen to all Marauders conference games live on Fox Sports 710 as Rick Anthony, the Voice of the Marauders, brings you all the game action. You can also listen live online at www.foxsports710.com. Click the "Listen Live" link to stream the game in real time.
 
LISTEN LIVE VS NORTHERN STATE
Due to scheduling conflicts, University of Mary fans need to turn the dial to KBMR 1130 for the Northern State game on Dec. 2.
 
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