THIS WEEKEND
Back in action after two weeks off, the University of Mary opens 2020 with a pair of games against Northern Sun South Division foes. The Marauders open a two-game road set at Concordia-St. Paul on Friday, January 3. Tip off against the Golden Bears is set for 7:30 pm at the Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul. MN. UMary wraps up the weekend at Minnesota State University on Saturday, January 4. The Marauders and the Mavericks square off at 5:30 pm in the Taylor Center in Mankato, MN.
 
BACK ON THE ROAD
The Marauders return to the road after playing four straight games at home. UMary's visit to Concordia-St. Paul on January 3 is the Marauders first road game in four weeks.
 
RECORDS
The Marauders are 7-5 overall and 2-4 in the Northern Sun… Concordia-St. Paul is 3-7 overall and 1-5 in the NSIC… Minnesota State is 5-7 overall and 3-3 in the NSIC, with two of the Mavericks conference wins over the Golden Bears.
 
LAST WEEK
The Marauders completed a season sweep of instate rival Minot State University, taking down the visiting Beavers 75-72 in overtime. Matthew Kreklow posted his fourth straight double double with 25 points and 10 rebounds. He also blocked five shots in the game to move into second all-time at UMary with 100. The game featured six lead changes and six ties. After Minot State overcame a 9-point second half deficit, UMary's Wyatt Carr hit a 3-pointer with 20 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Jaylan White then scored seven of his 13 points in overtime, including a trey with less than two minutes remaining to give the Marauders a 70-69 advantage. UMary never trailed again. Trever Kaiser came off the bench to score 10 points for UMary. Kyle Beisch hit five treys and led Minot State with 27 points.
 
DOUBLE DOUBLE TO THE POWER OF FOUR
Matthew Kreklow has posted four straight double doubles – all at home - and five on the season. In his last time out Kreklow posted 25 points and ten rebounds against Minot State on Dec. 21 as UMary completed a season sweep of the Beavers… For his career Krekow has eight double doubles. Here's the list:
12/21/19 v. Minot State | 25 points and 10 rebounds
12/17/19 vs. Maine-Fort Kent | 16 points and 12 rebounds
12/14/19 vs. Northern State | 18 points and 13 rebounds
12/13/19 vs. MSU Moorhead | 25 points and 10 rebounds
11/30/19 at Minot State | 12 points and 10 rebounds
1/25/19 vs. Minnesota Crookston | 14 points and 10 rebounds
11/20/18 vs. South Dakota Mines | 14 points and 10 rebounds
11.28.17 vs. Yellowstone Christian | 11 points and 10 rebounds
 
OPPO RESEARCH: CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL GOLDEN BEARS
After finishing last in the NSIC the previous three seasons, the Golden Bears are a win out of the basement again in conference play. Concordia-St. Paul is 3-7 overall and 1-5 in the NSIC with the lone league win over visiting Southwest Minnesota State. Despite sitting eighth in the NSIC in field goal defense (.434), CSP is next to last in scoring defense, allowing 77.1 points/game. The Golden Bears are 10^th in scoring (73.4 ppg). Individually, Jordan Coblin ranks in the top-20 of the league in nine different categories. His 17.5 points per game rank 11th while his 4.8 assists per game rank third. He also sits in eighth in steals (1.5), ninth in assist/turnover ratio (1.6) and fifth in minutes (33.6) on the season. Jacob Shields has provided the Golden Bears with a physical presence as his 1.1 blocks per game is 8^th, his 2.8 boards per game is 13^th and his 1.8 offensive boards is 17^th. Cody Carlson has added 6.2 boards, good for 15th, and a 52.3% field goal percentage, good for eighth.
 
HISTORY LESSON
UMary trails in the all-time series with Concordia-St. Paul 14-8… The Marauders won the first two meetings between the schools in the 1980s when both were members of the NAIA… When UMary joined the NSIC in 2006-07, CSP won the next five meetings… The Marauders broke their losing streak to the Golden Bears with an 83-74 win at the NSIC Holiday HoopsFest on November 29, 2009, soon followed with a 75-68 win at the MAC on January 23, 2010, behind 24 points by Eric Erdmann. It was the first NSIC win for UMary over CSP… UMary is 2-7 at home against CSP and 6-7 on the road… LAST MEETING In a game that featured nine lead changes in the last seven minutes of play, Concordia-St. Paul edged UMary 66-61. CSP took the lead for good on a 3-pointer by Isaiah McKay with 1:49 to play. Tom Kubank led UMary with 16 points. Jaylan White has 12 points, including 11 straight for UMary that gave the Marauders four leads. Dennis Austin III had 11 points. McKay had 23 points for CSP.
 
OPPO RESEARCH: MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY, MANKATO MAVERICKS
The defending NSIC South champion who qualified for the 2019 NCAA tournament, Minnesota State enters the weekend 5-7 overall and 3-3 in the NSIC. Two of the Mavericks wins came against the Golden Bears in the last week before the Christmas break... As a team, MSU has averaged 79.7 points and 39.8 rebounds per game this season, while shooting 46.4% from the field… Four Mavericks average double digits in points. Senior Cameron Kirksey leads the way with 18.8 points and 5.0 rebounds a game. Freshman Ryland Holt averages 15.8 points and 5.8 rebounds, senior Kevin Krieger tallies 11.1 points a game and freshman Corvon Seales posts 10.6 points and 3.2 assists a game. The Mavericks are led by Matt Margenthaler, who is in his 19th season at Minnesota State. He owns a career record of 398-172 (.698).
 
HISTORY LESSON
The Marauders are 3-12 all-time against the Mavericks… MSU owns three straight wins… UMary snapped a 5-game losing streak to Minnesota State with a 96-91 overtime win in the 2016 NSIC quarterfinals… The two teams first met Dec. 12, 2008, in Bismarck with the Mavericks winning 83-61… After losing the first four games in the series, UMary claimed its first win 84-69 at home on January 15, 2011 as All-American Anthony Moody hit eight treys and scored 31 points and Jordan Wilhelm added five three-pointers and 17 points… The Marauders picked up their first – and only - win at the Taylor Center 75-61 on January 14, 2017… LAST MEETING The Marauders dropped a run-and-gun 90-83 decision to the NSIC-leading and visiting Mavericks. Minnesota State used a late 14-1 run to overcome a double-digit UMary lead, claiming an 80-77 lead that the Mavericks wouldn't relinquish. Connor Hellebust led UMary with 19 points. Jaylan White and Tom Kubank both had 17, Matthew Kreklow added 12 and Wyatt Carr 11. Carlos Anderson led MSU with 20 points and Cameron Kirksey added 19.
 
 
LISTEN UP
Marauders fans can follow all the action live over the air on Fox Sports 710 AM with Voice of the Marauders Jesse Rostvedt providing the call… links to live video, audio and stats are available at www.GoUMary.com/coverage. 
 
KREKLOW NAMED NSIC NORTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Once again demonstrating the ability to impact a game on both ends of the court, Matthew Kreklow posted consecutive double doubles and led the University of Mary to a pair of wins in the final week before Christmas break. His all-around effort earned the junior center Northern Sun Men's Basketball North Division Player of the Week honors for the second time in his career… Kreklow averaged 20.5 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks per game and made 17-of-29 field goals (58.9 percent) as UMary captured two victories at home to close out the 2019 calendar year. He extended his double double streak to four games… In the Marauders 77-33 non-conference win over the University of Maine at Fort Kent, Kreklow posted 16 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks while making 8-of-11 shots… Returning to conference play, Kreklow was a force for UMary in a 75-72 overtime win over visiting Minot State University, earning the Marauders a season sweep over their instate rivals. Kreklow finished the game with 25 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks… With eight blocks on the week, Kreklow now has 100 rejections in his UMary to pass Eric Erdmann (99 career blocks) for second place on the Marauders all-time list. UMary Hall of Famer Marc Hawley tops the career blocked shot list with 108… Kreklow previously won NSIC weekly honors in January 2019 after leading the Marauders to a weekend sweep of Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State. He is just the second UMary play to earn the award multiple times. Erdmann and All-American Anthony Moody both captured the award three times in their UMary careers.
 
DEFENSE
The Marauders allow the fewest points in the NSIC this season. UMary is limiting the opposition to 65.3 points per game. The opposition is making just 42.1 percent of their field goal attempts against UMary, 5^th best in the NSIC.
 
DEFENSE PART II
UMary is 15^th in NCAA Division II in scoring defense, allowing 65.3 ppg.
 
FREEBIES
Taking advantage of opportunities at the foul line, the Marauders are converting an impressing 76.7 percent of their free throw attempts (155-of-202). UMary ranks 3^rd in the NSIC and 34^th in NCAA Division II... The Marauders have shot 58 more free throws than the opposition… UMary foes are making 72.2 percent of its attempts. 
 
LESS GIVING MORE TAKING
The Marauders are 5^th among NSIC teams this season in turnovers at +1.58/game… additionally the Marauders rank 8^th in steals (5.8/game).
 
HELPING HAND
The Marauders average 14.1 assists per game, 5^th in the NSIC. UMary is 15^th in the NSIC in scoring.
 
SWAT CITY
The Marauders are blocking 3.7 shots/game, 5^th in the NSIC. Much of the work is being done by junior Matthew Kreklow, who is 2^nd in the NSIC at 2.4 rejections/game.
 
WHITE HOT
When needed, Jaylan White has taken over a quartet of Marauders wins this season. The senior point guard scored 18 points in the opening game of the year, nine coming in the second half and the other nine in overtime… Against Dickinson State he just missed his career-high, scoring 28 points and making 10-of-15 shots in the win… In a win at Minot State, White scored all 13 of his points in the final seven minutes to help the Marauders overcome an 11-point deficit, scoring the winning basket with 8.8 seconds left in the game… in a 75-72 home win over Minot State, White scored seven points in overtime… currently White is 4^th in the NSIC in steals (1.6)/game), is 5^th in free throw percentage (.842), 10^th in assists (3.7), and 7^th in assists to turnovers ratio (1.8). He is averaging 12.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game… Entering his third season as a starter, White was named the Marauders NSIC Preseason Player to Watch for 2019-20. The native of St. Charles, IA, earned All-Northern Sun honorable mention honors in 2018-19 after averaging a team-leading 13.8 ppg and 3.3 RPG. He was among the league leaders in free throw percentage (.826), had 2.5 rebounds/game and 1.3 steals/game… After serving as a key reserve as a freshman, White has started 67 out of the Marauders last 68 games, including all 29 last year. He is averaging 9.1 points per game in 97 career games and has totaled 872 points while distributing 273 assists (7^th all-time). Next on the all-time assist is Wade Kooiman with 282.
 
800/250
Earlier this season in the Minot State contest, senior guard Jaylan White cracked 800 career points and 250 assists. He became just the 6th UMary player to reach that combination of points and assists, joining Tracy Porter 1,006 points/489 assists), Scott Kleinjan (2,268/478), Jim Hughes (871/404), Rusty Gillette (1,167/323), and Jordan Englehardt (892/263).
 
CLUTCH
For the second time in his career, Jaylan White hit a game-winning bucket in the final seconds of a game in the Marauders victory at Minot State University. The senior posted the game-winning basket in the 56-53 win with 8.8 seconds on the clock… Last season the All-NSIC guard hit a shot with under three seconds remaining of a 100-98 triple overtime win at Minnesota Duluth. 
 
DOWNTOWN
Connor Hellebust is the Marauders top threat from behind the arc. The junior guard averages 9.8 points per game and 3.7 rebounds. He is knocking down 33 percent of his 3-point attempts (19-of-58) and is making 80.6 percent of his free throw attempts (25-of-31)… Hellebust has hit for double digits in points in six games, scoring 18 against both Northeastern State and Presentation… he posted a team-best 15 points in the Marauders win at Minot State… has hit three or more treys in a game four times.
 
DOWNTOWN PART 2
The Marauders are making 8.3 treys per game (8^th in the NSIC) and are converting 31.6 percent of their attempts… Wyatt Carr is hitting 50 percent of his trey attempts, hitting 18-of-36 attempts behind the arc.
 
DEBUT
Four players have made their Marauders debut this season: junior Glenn Jordan, redshirt freshmen Kade Amundson and Josh Sipes and freshman Regan Tollefson. Sipes has stepped into the Marauders starting lineup at the wing and averages 5.5 ppg. He is third on the team in treys (14)… Amundson has started two games and averages 4.7 ppg… Jordan is scoring 4.6 ppg… Tollefson has played in nine games and averages 3.6 ppg.
 
UPWARD MOBILITY
The Marauders improved by six wins overall and five wins in the NSIC last season.
 
REJECTION LETTERS
After rejecting five shots in the Marauders 75-72 overtime win over Minot State, Matthew Kreklow is now second all-time at UMary in career blocked shots with 100. The junior post now only trails UMary Hall of Famer and All-American forward Marc Hawley (108 rejections in 1995-97). Kreklow passed Eric Erdmann in the Beavers game (99 in 2006-11)… Kreklow's 53 blocks in 2018-19 as a sophomore was one shy of the school's NCAA era single season record by Damon Smith in 2011-12… Kreklow leads the Marauders in scoring (15.5 ppg), rebounding (8.9 rpg), field goal percentage (.581) and blocks (2.4) and is second in free throw percentage (.821)… he has five double doubles this season and eight in his career (see note above)… Kreklow is 16^th in the NSIC in scoring, 5^th in rebounding, 5^th in field goal percentage and 8^th in free throw percentage… In NCAA Division II rankings, Kreklow is 13^th in blocks, 22^nd in double doubles, 45^th in field goal percentage and 46^th in rebounding.
 
FOR THREE
The Marauders return three starters from last season, senior G Jaylan White (13.8 ppg/3.3 apg/2.5 rpg), junior center Matthew Krekow (11.7 ppg/56 rpg/1.8 blocks per game), and junior G Connor Hellebust (9.9 ppg/3.6 rpg/1.4 apg). (stats from 2018-19)
 
KEY COGS
UMary returns six players who saw considerable action for the Marauders: senior guards Evan Anderson (3.0 ppg / 1.2 apg) and Johnnie Turner (2.0 ppg / 1.8 rpg), junior wing Wyatt Carr (4.8 ppg / 2.3 rpg / 32 treys), and three sophomores, forward Lucas Mayer (6.4 ppg / 3.9 rpg / 55.9 field goal %), guard Trever Kaiser (3.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg) and forward Justin Engg (1.6 ppg / 1.4 rpg). (stats from 218-19)
 
WELCOME ABOARD
The Marauders welcomed several newcomers this season. Jr G Glenn Jordan joins the Marauders after an all-conference career at Allan Hancock College… G Josh Sipes and F Kade Amundson are redshirt freshmen who were with the Marauders program last season… F Logan Nagorski, G Treyton Mattern, G Matthew Johnson and F Regan Tollefson are true freshmen with the UMary program this season.
 
DEEEE-FENSE
A big reason UMary took a jump in wins in 2018-19 was due to team defense. The Marauders were third in the NSIC in points allowed (70.9 points per game), 5^th in field goal defense (.444), and 3^rd in steals (6.6/game)… UMary allowed six fewer points than the season before and had been 15^th in field goal percentage defense.
 
THE BORTKE COURT MAC ATTACK
The Marauders once again found success on Bortke Court in the McDowell Activity Center. 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:   9-  5
2019-20:   5-  2
The Marauders once won 27 straight home games for Coach Bortke at the MAC (February 19, 1976 thru November 11, 1978).
 
NIFTY 50 | #4
After winning his 50^th game at UMary in the season opener, Joe Kittell moved to 4^th in all-time Marauders men's basketball coaching wins in a home win over Minot State. Legendary Hall of Famer Al Bortke tops the list with 335, followed by Jim Feeney (144), Rod Jonas (69), Kittell (56) and Juno Pintar (55).
 
KITTELL CLOSING IN ON 100
Marauders head coach Joe Kittell, in his fifth season at UMary, is closing in on 100 career wins as a collegiate head coach with a current total of 98. Kittell earned 42 wins in two seasons at Lake Region State College and owns 56 at UMary.
 
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