THIS WEEK
After spending the last two weeks on the road, the University of Mary men's basketball team starts at four-game home stand when the University of Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State University visit the McDowell Activity Center on the UMary campus in Bismarck, ND. The Marauders open Alumni Weekend against the Golden Eagles on Friday, Jan. 25, at 5:30 pm. The weekend wraps up against the Beavers on Saturday, Jan. 26, at 3:30 pm.
 
THE RECORD
The Marauders are 7-11 overall, 4-8 in the Northern Sun overall (11^th place) and 4-4 in the Northern Sun North division (5^th place).
 
HOME
After playing seven of their last nine games on the road, the Marauders will play four straight games at home. After hosting Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State on Jan. 25-26, Wayne State College and Augustana University will visit the McDowell Activity Center on Feb. 1-2.
 
ALUMNI WEEKEND
This is the annual alumni weekend for UMary men's basketball, which began play in the 1970-71 season. On Saturday, Jan. 25, a women's alumni game is set for 9 am with the men's game to follow at 9:45 am at the McDowell Activity Center. After the alumni games a tour of all the new facilities will be provided. Alumni can stop by the men's shootaround at 12:45 pm. At halftime of the men's game against Bemidji State on Saturday night the men's basketball alumni will be introduced… The 1980-84 era is the focus of this week's celebration but all former players are encouraged to return to campus. The early 1980s Marauders featured the program's first team that advanced to a national tournament (1982) and had six individual Marauders Hall of Fame inductees, including legendary head coach Al Bortke, all-time scoring leader Scott Kleinjan (2,268), all-time assist leader Tracy Porter (489), Hank Taken Alive, Kevin Olson and longtime assistant coach Dave Godfread. Additionally the 1982 men's basketball team, which finished 30-3, win the NAIA District 12 championship and advanced to the NAIA national tournament, was selected to the Hall of Fame. In those four seasons the Marauders finished 103-34.
 
BEK SPORTS BROADCASTING MARAUDERS-BEAVERS GAME SATURDAY
The University of Mary men's and women's basketball home games against Bemidji State University will be broadcast on BEK Sports across North Dakota on Saturday, Jan. 26. Tip off for the women's game is set for 3:30 pm from the McDowell Activity Center on the UMary campus. The men's game immediately follows at 5:30 pm. View the two Northern Sun contests on BEK via local cable providers on BEK Sports and on KNDB/KNDM in western North Dakota and KRDK in eastern North Dakota. Visit www.bektel.com/bbn/beksportschannels/ for local channel assignments and www.beksports.com for the current broadcast schedule. BEK Sports is also available nationally on BEK Now via your ROKU streaming device. Go to www.beknow.tv for more information.
 
LAST TIME OUT
UMary suffered a pair of difficult road losses to NSIC South opponents while playing shorthanded with starting guard Dennis Austin III and key reserve Evan Anderson missed both games due to injury… In a rugged game featuring 77 free throws and 57 combined fouls, UMary lost 77-72 at Sioux Falls. The game turned on a 10-0 second half run that gave the Cougars a 51-46 lead. USF never trailed again. Connor Hellebust and Tom Kubank both scored 15 to lead the Marauders. Jaylan White added 12 points and Trever Kaiser 10. Trevon Evans scored 26 for USF… Hellebust scored a career-high 21 the next night in a 79-71 loss to Southwest Minnesota State. SMSU came out on fire and jumped out to a 33-19 lead. White added 13 points and five assists. Kaiser added 10 points. Casey Bruggeman had 29 points for the Mustangs.
 
DEEEE-FENSE
The Marauders are posting impressive defensive figures this season. UMary is third in the Northern Sun in scoring defense (69.7 ppg), seventh in field goal percentage defense (.438) and second in steals (7.3).
 
POINT REDUCTION PROGRAM
The Marauders defense has made tremendous strides on the defensive front, allowing eight fewer points per game than a year ago. The Marauders are giving up just 69.7 points per game after allowing the opposition 77 ppg last season… UMary has also held the opposition to a shooting percentage of 43.6 percent after teams made 48.4 percent of their field goal attempts last season, boosting the Marauders from 15th a year ago on the NSIC leaderboard to 7th now. 
 
VICTORY!
With seven wins, the Marauders have exceeded last year's overall win total with ten games remaining in the regular season. The Marauders four conference wins equals last year's mark.
 
FREE THROW FRENZY
The Marauders and the Cougars attempted 77 free throws in Sioux Fall's 77-72 home win last Friday. It was the most free throws in a Marauders game during the NCAA era. UMary was 29-of-36 at the line, the most the program has had since making 29-of-37 against Minnesota Crookston on Jan. 20, 2017. The USF totals are the most for an opponent since Minot State was 40-of-46 at the line on 11.30.13. The most makes and attempts for an opponent is the 40-for-52 effort by Saint Martin's on 11.19.08.
 
LEGALIZED LARCENY
The Marauders are second in the NSIC in steals this season at 7.3/game. Jaylan White leads the way with 1.4 steals/game to rank 5^th in the NSIC. Connor Hellebust and Tom Kubank are 14^th at 1.2 steals/game.
 
FAST BREAK

• Sr. G Dennis Austin III is second on the team in rebounding at 5.7/game. The senior graduate transfer in his first year at UMary went over 1,000 career points in his collegiate career, including his three seasons at Upper Iowa.
• With a pair of Marauders out of the lineup last weekend, freshman guard Trever Kaiser picked up some of the slack and posted a career-high ten points against both Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State.
• The Marauders concluded their first of two four-game road trips last weekend
• It took the Marauders just ten games to reach six wins this season, the fastest since opening the 2015-16 season with six wins in eight games
• In 18 games, the Marauders have forced more turnovers than they have committed 11 times and broke even once
• The Marauders lost 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 up to 11 players score in a game this season
• Eight Marauders average at least 3.2 points per game
• Six Marauders average at least 2.3 rebounds/game
• After holding opponents to 66 points or fewer four times a year ago in 27 games, the Marauders have limited opponents to no more than 66 points eight times in 18 outings already this season.

 
FREE THROW FOLLOWTHROUGH
UMary is shooting 71.8 percent (239-of-333) from the free throw line to their opponent's 69.8 percent (217-of-311)… The Marauders have made more free throws than the opposition ten times and attempted more ten times in 18 games… the opposition has had the edge in attempts six times and in makes seven times… Both teams have attempted the same number of free throws twice and makes once… UMary is 5-5 when making more free throws than the opposition… Marauders had a season-high 29 makes in 36 attempts at USF. In the same game the Cougars were 31-of-41.
 
TURNOVER TOWN
The Marauders are +1.83 in turnovers, the 6th-best mark in the NSIC.
 
DOWN UNDER
Sr. F Tom Kubank is second on the Marauders in scoring this season with much of his production from behind the arc. The Adelaide, South Australia, native averages 12.1 points/game and makes 2.1 treys/game, 19th in the NSIC… he is 37-of-101 behind the arc (37 percent)… reached double figures in scoring in ten games w/ career-high 25 against SD Mines…in back-to-back games Kubank tied his career-high in rebounds with 12 in wins over Minnesota Duluth and MSU Moorhead. He is third on the Marauders in rebounding (5.4 rebounds/game)… He paired 11 points and 12 rebounds against MSUM for his first double double of the season… Hit season-high five treys against SD Mines… Kubank cracked the 1,000 point barrier as a collegiate student-athlete against MSU Moorhead on Dec. 14, including his two seasons at Lake Region State College. 
 
SWAT CITY
So. F Matthew Kreklow is 4th in the NSIC in blocked shots at 1.9/game. He tied the Marauders NCAA-era record with six blocks at Minot State on Dec. 30. He also had four against Mayville State and three against Minnesota Duluth and Concordia-St. Paul… had one of his best games of the season at SCSU with 19 points, nine rebounds and three assists while making 8-of-13 field goals and all three free throws… He is third on the team in scoring (10.9 ppg) and first in rebounds (5.8 rebounds/game)… 3^rd in assists at 1.5/game… The post player knocked down all ten of his free throw attempts in a win over Minnesota Duluth and is 53-of-66 at the line to rank 14^th in the NSIC in free throw percentage (.803)… posted double double with 14 points and 10 rebounds against SD Mines… reached double figures in rebounds against Mines and at Minot State.
 
WHITE NOISE
Jr. G Jaylan White is a sparkplug for the Marauders on both ends of the court. He leads the Marauders in scoring at 14.2 points per game (23rd in the NSIC)… one of the top free throw shooters in the NSIC, the junior is 73-of-82 at the line to rank 15^th in the league with an .802 free throw percentage… White is 12th in the NSIC in assist/turnover ratio (2.0) and 11^th in assists (3.3/game)… he has led the Marauders in scoring eight times, including a career-best 29 points against Minnesota Duluth at home… in triple overtime win at UMD White scored 25 points and made all eight free throws. He hit the game-winning shot with less than two seconds remaining in the third overtime… also scored 20 points at Minot State.
 
HEATING UP
So. G Connor Hellebust is heating up. The Bismarck, ND, native posted double digit points in six of his last nine games… averaging 10.1 points/game on the season… tied his career-high with 21 points last weekend at Southwest Minnesota State… Also had 21 at UMD in the 100-98 triple overtime win… was 3-for-5 behind the arc against the Wolves… also hit three 3s at UMD… hit multiple 3s in seven of the last ten games… over last ten games is averaging 4.2 rebounds/game.
 
OPPO RESEARCH: UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CROOKSTON GOLDEN EAGLES
UMC has won three straight games – all at home – and is 13-8 overall, 6-6 in the NSIC and 4-4 in the NSIC North. Among their wins is a 76-57 thrashing at home of a St. Cloud State team ranked nationally at one point this season and a 108-88 home win over MSU Moorhead, tied for 3^rd in the NSIC with SCSU. 10-1 at home and 3-2 in neutral site games, the Golden Eagles are still looking for their first road win (0-5). Since joining the NSIC in 1999-2000, this is just the second time the program has posted double-digit wins (10 last year) and is one win shy of most NSIC wins (7 last year). Offense is the key for UMC. Featuring the dynamic Harrison Cleary, the Golden Eagles average 81.1 ppg, 3^rd in the NSIC, and hit 9,7 3s per game. UMC is third in scoring margin (9.1 ppg), 9^th in shooting percentage (46.9) and are 2^nd in 3-point shooting percentage (.423). Cleary is third in the NSIC in scoring (24 ppg) and torched MSUM for 47 points earlier this season. The junior guard is ninth all-time in NSIC games with 1,331. He shoots 45 percent from the floor, makes 50 percent of his 3s and converts 93 percent of his free throw attempts. Cleary also averages 3.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists. Chase Knickerbocker chips in 12.3 ppg and 4.7 assists. Ben Juhl contributes 10.8 ppg
 
HISTORY LESSON - MARAUDERS v. GOLDEN EAGLES
Since joining the Northern Sun for the 2006-07 season, the Marauders are 19-5 against the Golden Eagles… UMary is 11-1 at home and 8-4 away versus UMC… The Marauders are 11-2 in the last 13 outings against the Golden Eagles… UMary has won six straight home games… The only home UMary loss to UMC was 56-53 on Jan. 8, 2012… UMary swept the two games last year, winning 69-65 at UMC behind 25 points from Jaylan White. Then in the 2017-18 season finale UMary defeated UMC 80-70 at the MAC. Seniors Trevor Zacher had 21 points and Michael Gorder added 12.
 
OPPO RESEARCH VS. THE BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY BEAVERS
Bemidji State is 5-11 overall, 2-10 in the NSIC and 1-7 in the NSIC North. The Beavers snapped a 9-game losing streak last weekend with a 93-90 home win over Upper Iowa before losing the next night to Winona State. BSU is just 1-5 away from home, the lone win coming at Palm Beach Atlantic. The Beavers average 76.3 ppg and are 5^th in the NSIC in shooting percentage (.483) and 3-point shooting percentage (.405) but allow 80.2 ppg, and are last in the NSIC in turnover margin at -5.62. Sophomore Derek Thompson leads BSU in scoring (15.5 ppg) and rebounding (6.8 rpg). Logan Bader averages 12.3 ppg with Jacob Hoffman (12.1) and Ja Morgan close behind (10.1).  
                                 
HISTORY LESSON - MARAUDERS v. BEAVERS
Mary leads the series with BSU 15-10… 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, Mary captured the first five meetings before BSU broke through with a home win in the 2009-10 season… After six straight losses to the Beavers, the Marauders swept the season series in 2014-15 and 2015-16 before splitting the last two seasons… last year the Marauders defeated the Beavers 88-80 in overtime at BSU… BSU then won the last meeting 67-59 at UMary. BSU outscored the Marauders 10-0 over a five minute stretch late in the game. Jaylan While led UMary with 14 points and Michael Gorder had 13.
 
HOME COOKING
The Marauders completed a six-game home stand earlier this year with five victories, including a pair of Northern Sun wins…. UMary won just two games at home last season.
 
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:   5-  3
The Marauders once won 27 straight home games for Coach Bortke at the MAC (February 19, 1976 thru November 11, 1978).
 
BOOM!
UMary games against Minnesota Duluth has created incredible end of the game drama this season…. In the first meeting, Dennis Austin III knocked down a buzzer-beating three-pointer from the right corner in front of the Marauders bench with 0.2 seconds remaining in overtime to lead the Marauders to a 73-70 home win over Minnesota Duluth… In the rematch at UMD, Wyatt Carr hit a trey with less than five seconds remaining in the second overtime to force a third overtime. Jaylan White then hit a driving layup with less than two seconds remaining on the Marauders 100-98 triple overtime road win against the Bulldogs… Here's a look at some other late game heroics during the Marauders NCAA era…

• Marquealis Edwards hit a layup in the final five seconds of a 77-76 win over Southern Arkansas on Nov. 14, 2015
• Marquealis Edwards forced overtime with a layup in the final five seconds to tie the game in a 96-91 win over Minnesota State on Fe. 22, 2016, in the NSIC quarterfinals
• Josh Turner hit a three-pointer with four seconds left in a 73-72 win at Chadron State on Nov. 15, 2011
• Jason West hit a three-pointer with no time on the clock at the end of regulation to force overtime in an 80-77 UMary win at Minnesota Duluth
• Eric Erdmann not only hit a layup at the buzzer in regulation to force overtime and then hit a layup at the buzzer in overtime to win the game 71-69 at Bemidji State on Jan. 12, 2008
• Bill Shetler drained a long three-pointer from inside the half-court line as time expired in the Marauders 78-75 win over visiting Mayville State on Dec. 15, 2006
• One day later the Marauders defeated visiting University of North Dakota on Dec. 16, 2006, when Jordan Engelhardt hit two free throws with a second remaining in the game

 
OVERTIME OVERTURES
An impressive amount of facts and figures resulted from the Marauders 100-98 triple overtime win at Minnesota Duluth on January 11. Here are just a few…

• It was the zlongest game for UMary during the NCAA era and maybe in school history
• UMary played double overtime games against St. Cloud State (88-83 home win 1.17.14) and Minot State (92-88 home loss 11.22.11) for what had been the longest games
• UMary has played 24 overtime games during the NCAA era (Fall 2006 and on) and have won ten times
• The 98 points allowed is the most the Marauders have allowed in any NCAA era win (previously high was in 96-91 win over Minnesota State 2.27.16 in NSIC tournament quarterfinals)
• Marauders were 9-of-11 at the free throw line in the three extra sessions while UMD was 5-of-12. Jaylan White went 6-of-6 in OT at the line, making four in the final stanza
• Jaylan White scored 12 points in overtime, including eight of the Marauders 13 points in the overtime session
• The Marauders and Bulldogs have gone to overtime twice this season with UMary winning both times on baskets in the closing seconds

 
 
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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