THIS WEEK
The University of Mary closes out six straight home games with a trio of performances this week at the McDowell Activity Center. The Marauders open a busy week with their final non-conference game of the season when the Mayville State University Comets arrive in town on Tuesday, Dec. 4. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 pm… UMary returns to Northern Sun play with a visit from the St. Cloud State University Huskies on Friday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 pm… The homestand and the weekend concludes on Saturday, Nov. 8, when the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs make their appearance at the MAC. Game time is 5:30 pm.
 
THE RECORD
After winning their last three games – all at home - the Marauders are 3-3 overall and 1-0 in the Northern Sun.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Clutch play down the stretch and another tenacious defensive effort carried the University of Mary men's basketball team past visiting Minot State University 65-58 in the opening game of the Northern Sun season. Knotted at 52-52 with under four minutes to play, Tom Kubank started a 7-0 Marauders run with a 3-pointer that pushed UMary in front for good. After Minot State closed within 60-56 and 37 seconds remaining, Kubank hit a layup, Matthew Kreklow hit two free throws and Dennis Austin III made one to salt the game away, capping a 13-4 run.
UMary held a 36-27 rebounding advantage, committed just seven turnovers, outscored Minot State 30-20 in the paint and limited the Beavers to a shooting percentage of 41.2 percent for the night. Those defensive figures helped the Marauders overcome a 3-for-24 shooting effort from behind the arc. Jaylan White led UMary with 15 points. Kreklow and Kubank both had 14. David Akibo had 15 for Minot State.
 
HOME COOKING
The Marauders opened their six game home stand at the MAC with wins over Yellowstone Christian College, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and Minot State University. Next the Marauders host Mayville State (12.4), St. Cloud State (12.7) and Minnesota Duluth (12.8).
 
DEEEE-FENCE
Six games into the season, the Marauders are posting impressive defensive figures. UMary leads Northern Sun teams in scoring defense (56.6 ppg), is sixth in field goal percentage defense (.403) and sixth in steals (7.3 spg).
 
DEEEE-FENCE PART 2
The Marauders stand third in NCAA Division II in points allowed (56.8 ppg). UMary is 46^th in field goal percentage defense (.403).
 
R.I.P. TO OPPONENT'S POINT TOTALS
The Marauders defense has undergone a major Reduction In Points. Last year UMary gave up 77 points per game, 20 more than what the Marauders are allowing this season through the first six games (56.8 ppg).
 
66
The most points allowed by the Marauders in any of their six games this season is 66 points. Last year UMary held opponents to 66 or fewer points just FOUR times in 27 games.
 
FAST BREAK

• The Marauders have won the rebounding battle in each of the last three games
• UMary has forced more turnovers than it has committed in 5-of-6 games
• The Marauders their first three games this season by a combined 11 points. In each of the three games UMary had possession of the ball in the final minute of the contest with a chance to at least tie the game.
• Getting everyone involved, the Marauders have had anywhere from eight to 11 players score in a game this season
• Seven Marauders average at least 4.0 points per game
• UMary is shooting 72.0 percent (72-of-100) from the free throw line to their opponent's 61.7 percent (50-of-81).

 
TURNOVER TOWN
The Marauders are +4.0 in turnovers, the fifth-best mark in the NSIC and 33rd in NCAA Division II.
 
DOWN UNDER
Sr. F Tom Kubank is the Marauders leading scorer this season and much of his production comes from behind the arc. The Adelaide, South Australia, native averages 14.8 points/game and makes 2.8 treys/game, seventh in the NSIC.
 
SWAT CITY
So. F Matthew Kreklow is11th in the NSIC in blocked shots at 1.3/game. He also averages 10.7 ppg and 5.5 rebounds/game to rank second on the Marauders in both categories. The post player is 17-of-21 at the line to rank 13^th in the NSIC in free throw percentage (.810).
 
WHITE BOARD
Jr. G Jaylan White is a sparkplug for the Marauders on both ends of the court. His assist to turnover ratio is 2.9 to rank 7th in the NSIC. At the line White is 23-of-25 for a .920 free throw percentage, 5th in the league. He is also 10th in assists at 3.8/game. The Marauders point guard averages 10 points/game.
 
TAKES A VILLAGE
The Marauders are 8^th in the NSIC in rebounding margin at +4.4 despite not having anyone ranked in the Northern Sun top 20. Dennis Austin III leads the Marauders with 6.2 rebounds/game. Followed by Matthew Kreklow at 5.5. Six Marauders average at least 3.0 rebounds/game.
 
KITTELL HONORED AS 2006-07 COMETS BASKETBALL TEAM INDUCTED INTO MAYVILLE STATE HALL OF FAME
The 2006-07 Comets basketball team that reached the 2007 NAIA Division II championship game was inducted into the Mayville State University Athletic Hall of Fame in September 2018. One of the assistant coaches on the Comets squad is current UMary head coach Joe Kittell. The Mayville State squad is the only North Dakota men's basketball team at any level to play in a collegiate championship game.
 
OPPO RESEARCH: MAYVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY
Mayville State University returned to the NAIA Division II playoffs last season for the first time in 11 years after winning the North Star Athletic Association postseason tournament. After leading the Comets to an 18-11 record in his first season, Darren Tighe was named NSAA Coach of the Year. The Comets, picked second in the NSAA preseason poll, are 7-2 this season. Twice already this season MSU has faced teams from the Northern Sun, losing 83-70 at Southwest Minnesota State and 94-73 at MSU Moorhead in a pair of exhibition contests. MSU is outscoring its opponents 96.4 to 66.8 with five players averaging double digits and seven at 9.0 ppg or more. Gorg Alhag leads the squad with 15.0 ppg. Daniel Lindgren checks in at 13.7 ppg. Eric Staebler averages 11.2 ppg and 7.3 rebounds/game.
 
HISTORY LESSON
Former NDCAC and DAC10 rivals, the Marauders and the Comets have played sparingly since UMary made the jump to NCAA Division II in 2006. The two teams haven't met in a regular season game since 2012 and only four times since the transition. (The Marauders and the Comets did play an exhibition game in Bismarck on Oct, 24, 2017, with UMary winning 81-56.)
 
RECENT HISTORY: UMARY VS. MAYVILLE STATE
12.15.2006      at UMary 78    MSU 75
11.21.2007      UMary 82        at MSU 73
12.19.2008      at UMary 81    MSU 57
11.14.2012      at UMary 79    MSU 63
 
THE BORTKE COURT MAC ATTACK
The Marauders opened up their home schedule with a pair of wins this season after struggling last season at the McDowell Activity Center. Despite last year's setback, UMary has found success in recent seasons at the 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:   2-11
2018-19:   3-  0
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 home and conference games live on Fox Sports 710 as Jesse Rostvedt, 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.
 
FOLLOW LIVE
To find links to live stats, audio and video, go to www.goumary.com/coverage
 
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