THIS WEEKEND
Following a sweep of last weekend's road games, the University of Mary men's basketball team returns home to host Upper Iowa University and Winona State University for Marauders basketball alumni and "It's a Slam Dunk, Don't Drive Drunk" events on Friday and Saturday, January 26-27, at the McDowell Activity Center. UMary opens the weekend against the Peacocks of Upper Iowa on Friday at 8 pm, followed by a visit from the Winona State Warriors on Saturday at 6 pm.
 
LAST TIME OUT
For the first time this season the Marauders swept a weekend series, defeating Minnesota Crookston 69-64 and Bemidji State 88-80 in overtime. Both wins were on the road… After combining for 40 points in the first half against the Golden Eagles, the two teams totaled 93 points in the second half. Jaylan White scored 25 points and Trevor Zacher 13 and the Marauders never trailed in the game. Harrison Cleary scored 26 of his 29 points in the second half… Keith Hunter posted 29 points and 13 rebounds and Zacher scored nine of his 16 points in the overtime session as UMary used a 7-0 run in overtime to pull away from the Beavers.
 
THE RECORD
The Marauders are 5-13 overall and 3-11 in Northern Sun play (7^th NSIC North, 14^th overall).
 
ALUMNI WEEKEND JANUARY 26-27
Marauders men's basketball honors their alumni January 26-27 with a special emphasis on the 1976-77 and 1977-78 teams that went 48-10 and were undefeated at home (26-0) and the North Dakota College Athletic Conference championship teams of 1990-91 and 1992-93.
Saturday, January 27, features a women's alumni game at 9 am, a men's alumni game at 10 am, the women's and men's varsity games at 4 pm/6 pm, and a post-game social for all University of Mary basketball alumni in Chick's Place. Men's basketball alumni planning to attend any of the weekend festivities should contact Head Men's Basketball Coach Joe Kittell at jjkittell@umary.edu .
 
BEK TO TELEVISE MARAUDERS-PEACOCKS GAME STATEWIDE
The BEK Broadcasting Network will carry Friday's University of Mary men's and women's basketball home games against Upper Iowa University live statewide on BEK Prime. The Marauders-Peacocks doubleheader tips off at 6 pm with the women's game. The men's contest starts at approximately 8 pm. View the Marauders basketball games on the BEK Broadcasting Network via local cable providers on BEK PRIME and on KNDB/KNDM in Western North Dakota and KRDK in Eastern North Dakota. Visit www.bektel.com/bbn for local channel assignments and current broadcast schedule. The BEK Broadcasting Network is also available nationally on BEK Now via your ROKU streaming device. Check out www.beknow.tv for more information.        
 
FAST BREAK

• The Marauders weekend sweep at Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State was the first for the team this season
• The pair of road wins gives UMary a three-game win streak in Northern Sun away games
• The Marauders are looking for their first home conference win this season
• Over the next two weekends, the Marauders play four straight crossover games against teams from the NSIC South division
• Once this weekend is over, the Marauders head out on a four-game road trip, the longest of the season for UMary
• After a pair of wins last weekend, the Marauders are within two games from of fourth place in the NSIC North. Northern State (12 wins), Minot State (11) and St. Cloud State (9) own the top three spots, followed by Minnesota Duluth (5), Bemidji State (5), Minnesota Crookston (5), UMary (3) and MSU Moorhead (3). Most North teams have eight league games left.
• Eight Marauders are averaging at least 4.8 points per game
• A pair of Marauders are averaging double digits in points: Keith Hunter (14.6 ppg), and Trevor Zacher (11 ppg) with Jaylan White (9.3 ppg), Matthew Kreklow (9.2 ppg) and Tom Kubank (8.9 ppg) barely off the pace.
• Only six players have started games this season for the Marauders. The front line of Tom Kubank, Trevor Zacher and Matthew Kreklow has started all 18 games. Jaylan White has 17 starts, Keith Hunter 15 and Brody Sharkey four in the backcourt for UMary.
• Four out of the Marauders five top scorers and 11 out of 13 made their UMary debut this season

 
 
 
OPPO RESEARCH: UPPER IOWA UNIVERSITY
Upper Iowa is 11-12 overall and 4-10 in the NSIC (7^th in NSIC South, 13^th overall)… 2-8 in their last 10 games… balanced record of 3-5 at home and 3-5 on the road… has played an amazing seven neutral site games (5-2)… 7^th in the NSIC in scoring (78.8 ppg) but 15^th defensively (79.8 ppg)… Carson Parker leads team in scoring at 16.4 ppg and has posted over 1,300 points in his UIU career… Munachiso Okonkwo has a team high 33 blocks and 6.9 rebounds/game… Four Peacocks score in double figures… Freshman Joe Smoldt right behind Parker at 13.0 ppg… Head Coach Brooks McKowen is in his 5^th season at UIU and is 82-67… This is the 102^nd season of UIU basketball (started 1915)… Qualified for NCAA tournament in 2013 and 2017.
 
HISTORY LESSON The Marauders are 6-9 all-time against the Peacocks… Upper Iowa is 6-2 at home in Dorman Gym… UMary is 4-3 at the McDowell Activity Center against UIU…
The Peacocks have won five of the last six meetings with the Marauders.
LAST MEETING Visiting UMary led 71-70 with four minutes remaining before NSIC South-leading Upper Iowa closed the game on a 17-7 run to win 87-78 on Jan. 27, 2017. Damonta Henry scored 24 points and Bryan Jefferson had 19 points and nine rebounds. Luke Lenhert scored 28 for UIU.
 
OPPO RESEARCH: WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY WARRIORS
Winona State is 13-7 overall and 8-6 in the NSIC (tied 3^rd NSIC South, tied 6^th overall)… 10-1 at home. 3-5 on the road… ended 5-game NSIC road losing streak with an 84-80 win at Augie last Saturday… 8-4 in last 12 games… 2^nd in NSIC and 12^th nationally with 3pt field goal percentage of .418… 2^nd in NSIC with 9.7 treys/game… 15-of-33 behind the arc in win at Augie… Lone Sr. Cory Jeffs leads WSU in scoring (12.6 ppg) and rebounding (5.4 rpg)… WSU has three others averaging double figures: Tommy Gathje (12.4 ppg) and guards Caleb Wagner (10.9 ppg) and Mason Domask (10.7ppg)… Head coach Todd Eisner is in his third season at WSU and has a record of 40-36.
 
HISTORY LESSON The Marauders are 1-17 all-time against the Warriors… WSU is 11-0 at home against UMary, including 3-0 in the NSIC tournament… The Marauders lost the first seven games of the series before winning 87-85 in overtime at home on 1.3.10 behind 29 points from Anthony Moody The All-American hit 5-of-6 3-point attempts and captured NSIC Player of the Week honors for his efforts… The Warriors have won ten straight games over the Marauders.
LAST MEETING Down as many as 13 points, UMary rallied within a pair of points in the final minute but couldn't complete the comeback in an 85-79 road loss at Winona State. Damonta Henry tied his career-high with 26 points and Bryan Jefferson added 22 points and 11 rebounds. Isaac Lindquist added 12 points. Isaiah Gray led WSU with 19 points. Three others scored 16 each.  
 
UP THE CHARTS
In his third season at the helm of the Marauders, head coach Joe Kittell picked up his 36^th UMary win after a weekend sweep at UMC and BSU. Legendary Hall of Fame coach Al Bortke leads the way with 335 wins in 16 seasons, followed by Jim Feeney (144), Rod Jonas (69), Juno Pintar (55), Randall Herbst (38), Kittell (36), Fell (33) and Jevin Budde (28). 
 
BACK COURT PUNCH
The Marauders had big scoring outbursts by both their starting guards last weekend. Jaylan White just missed his career-high with 25 points against Minnesota Crookston. He hit 10-of-14 shots, including all three 3-point attempts. He followed with 11 points and seven assists at Bemidji State. Keith Hunter played a supporting role at UMC with 10 points and three rebounds, hitting 3-of-5 shots and 4-of-5 free throws. The junior stepped into the spotlight with 29 in the overtime win at Bemidji State. He also had a team-high 13 rebounds for his first UMary double double.
 
OT SPARKPLUG
Trevor Zacher sparkled in overtime of the Marauders extra session win over the Beavers. He scored nine of the Marauders 16 points in the extra session. Keith Hunter added five points in overtime. Zacher finished with 16 points and seven rebounds against BSU. He had 13 points the night before at Minnesota Crookston.
 
STOP THIEF!
The Marauders are 5th in the NSIC in steals at 6.1/game. The main culprits are Jaylan White (19 steals), Tom Kubank (18), Trevor Zacher (20) and Keith Hunter (15).
 
GUARDIAN OF THE GOAL
Fr. F Matthew Kreklow is off to a strong start on the defensive end. The 6-9 man in the middle is averaging 1.0 blocks/game (9th in the NSIC) and influences many other shots. Kreklow leads the Marauders in rebounds. He is also picking up the pace offensively, leading the team in field goal percentage (.538, 12^th in the NSIC) and is up to third among Marauders in scoring at 9.4 ppg. Kreklow was a force in the paint against UMD and SCSU. He scored 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting against the Bulldogs. Against the Huskies Kreklow was 6-of-7 from the floor and 5-of-6 at the line for a career-best 17 points.
 
FRESHMAN FIREPOWER
Matthew Kreklow is fourth among NSIC freshmen in scoring at 9.2 ppg, trailing only Upper Iowa's Joe Smoldt (12.8), Minnesota Crookston's Ben Juhl (10.1 ppg) and Winona State's Devin Witelow (10.1 ppg). Kreklow leads all conference freshmen in shooting percentage (.530) and rebounding (5.2 rpg).
 
DOWNTOWN
Jr. G Keith Hunter has been the Marauders deep threat, averaging 1.8 treys per game while hitting 38.3 percent of his 3-point attempts. He also leads the team in scoring at 14.6 ppg while making an efficient 48.1 percent of his shots. The top scorer among newcomers in the NSIC, Hunter is 16^th in the NSIC in scoring. He has led the Marauders in scoring ten times this season with a high of 30 against MSU Moorhead.
 
DISTRIBUTION POINT
Since moving into the starting lineup in the second game of the season, Jaylan White has been one of the conference leaders in assists. The sophomore guard leads the Marauders with 3.8 assists per game, 11^th in the NSIC. He had a career-high eight against Yellowstone Christian and six against MSU Moorhead. White is also 2nd in the NSIC in assist to turnover ratio (3.1).
 
NEW BLUE
The Marauders feature a new look in the 2017-18 season with just three 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, redshirt freshman Connor Hellebust and freshmen Wyatt Carr and Lucas Mayer are in their first year with the Marauders and all have made key contributions. Hunter leads the team in scoring at 14.6 points per game. He's making 48 percent of his shots overall and hitting 39 percent of his trey attempts… Sharkey has started four games and averages 5.7 ppg… Hellebust is scoring 5.7 ppg and making 40 percent of his trey attempts. He scored a career-high 14 points against Minnesota State… Carr chips in 4.8 ppg and is making 47 percent of his shots overall. He combined for five treys against CSP and MSU, scoring nine points against the Golden Bears and ten against the Mavericks… Mayer has played in 16 of 18 games and averages 1.6 ppg.
 
FRONT LINE
The Marauders mobile front line quickly learned to play together. Senior F Trevor Zacher is second on the Marauders in scoring (11 ppg), 3-pointers (24) and rebounding (4.6 rpg) while shooting 46.6 percent … Junior F Tom Kubank is 5th in scoring at 8.9 ppg, pulls down 3.1 rebounds/game and is shooting 41.0 percent from the field… Freshman center Matthew Kreklow registered his first career double double with 11 points and ten rebounds against Yellowstone. He averages 9.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.0 blocks and is making 52 percent of his shots.
 
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.
 
ON THE HORIZON
The Marauders begin a four-game road trip – their longest of the Northern Sun season – at Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State on February 2-3.
 
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