THIS WEEKEND
The University of Mary opens a four-game home stand against a pair of Northern Sun North Division teams the Marauders faced earlier this season. UMary tips off the weekend against NSIC North-leading and 23^rd ranked University of Minnesota Duluth on Friday, Jan. 10, at 7:30 pm. The Marauders then host St. Cloud State University on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 5:30 pm. Both games are on the UMary campus inside the McDowell Activity Center.

RECORDS
The Marauders are 7-7 overall and 2-6 in the Northern Sun (13^th in NSIC, 7^th in NSIC North)… Minnesota Duluth is 11-3 overall and 6-2 in the NSIC (2^nd in NSIC, 1^st in NSIC North)… St. Cloud State is 8-6 and 5-3 (5^th in NSIC, 3^rd in NSIC North).
 
LAST WEEK
On the road for the first time in four weeks, the Marauders opened 2020 with a pair of losses… Tied at intermission, UMary dropped a 79-65 decision at Concordia-St. Paul to open the weekend as the Golden Bears hit 11 treys in the game. Matthew Kreklow led the Marauders with 16 points. Jaylan White added 11 and Connor Hellebust had 10. Lee Higgins scored 20 for CSP… The Marauders then suffered a heartbreaking 69-65 loss at Minnesota State as the Mavericks scored the winning basket with under 40 seconds left on the clock. Leading by as many as seven points in the second half, the Marauders took their last lead of the game at 59-56 on a Glenn Jordan trey with five minutes remaining in the game. A pair of Hellebust free throws with a minute left in the game pulled the Marauders even at 63-63 before the Mavericks scored six out of the final eight points in the contest. White led the Marauders with 21 points, connecting on 5-of-7 trey attempts. Jordan added 15 points in his first UMary start and Kreklow added 14. Cameron Kirksey, who scored the winning basket, led MSU with 27 points and 11 rebounds.
 
900
Marauders senior guard Jaylan White cracked 900 career points on Saturday a Minnesota State. The native of St. Charles, IA, is the 26^th player in University of Mary men's basketball history to accomplish this feat. He now ranks 25^th all-time with 904 points. The last UMary players to crack 900 career points was Bryan Jefferson and Damonta Henry in the 2016-17 season… Just ahead of White on the career scoring list is Nathan Goracke (905), Cole Higlin (911), James Battle (913), Anish Sharda (935) and Dave Alverson (947).  
 
103
Following a trio of blocks last weekend, Marauders center Matthew Kreklow is five away from equaling the school record for rejections. The junior from Maple Plain, MN, owns 103 career blocked shots. The school record is 108 by Marauders Hall of Famer and All-American Marc Hawley (1995-97).
 
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. 
 
BEK SPORTS TO BROADCAST MARAUDERS VS. BULLDOGS
The University of Mary Northern Sun men's and women's basketball doubleheader against the University of Minnesota Duluth will air statewide on BEK Sports. The Marauders-Bulldogs twin bill tis off at 3:30 pm with the women's game. The men's tilt will follow at 5:30 pm… View the Marauders doubleheaders on the BEK Broadcasting Network via local cable providers on BEK PRIME and over-the-air on KNDB/KNDM in Western North Dakota and KRDK in Eastern North Dakota. Visit www.bek.coop/bek-tv/ for local channel assignments and current broadcast schedule. The BEK Broadcasting Network is also available nationally on BEK Now via your ROKU streaming device.
 
OPPO RESEARCH – UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH
Picked third overall in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll and ranked 23^rd in the nation in this week's D2SIDA poll, the Bulldogs are 11-3 overall and 6-2 in the NSIC. UMD is led by NSIC North Preseason Player of the Year Brandon Myer. The senior forward nearly averages a double double with 21.1 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Alex Illikainen contributes 14.7 ppg and Drew Blair is at 14.9 ppg for a UMD team that leads the NSIC in scoring at nearly 85 points per game. UMD lost its final two games in 2019 – on the road at Southwest Minnesota State and St. Cloud State – before sweeping a pair of home games over Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston to open 2020.
 
HISTORY LESSON - MARAUDERS v. BULLDOGS
UMary trails Minnesota Duluth 9-13 in the all-time series… The Marauders first victory over the Bulldogs was an 80-77 overtime win on 1.16.09… After UMD swept the 2017-18 series, UMary swept the series last season (2018-19)… UMary defeated UMD 73-70 at home in overtime on Dec. 8, 2018, when Dennis Austin III hit a 3-pointer with .7 seconds left in the extra session. UMary rallied from an 8-point deficit with six minutes left in regulation. Jaylan White hit five treys and scored a career-high 29 points. Matthew Kreklow made all ten of his free throws and scored 18 points. Austin finished with ten points. Sean Burns had 21 points and 12 rebounds and Brandon Myer had 15 and 17… In another wild ballgame, the Marauders closed the season series with a triple overtime 100-98 road victory on a Jaylan White basket with under two seconds remaining on the clock. White scored 12 of his 25 points in the overtime sessions. Connor Hellebust added 21 and Tom Kubank 18. Brandon Myer had 31 points and 11 rebounds for UMD… LAST MEETING UMD held off a late surge by visiting UMary for a 73-62 home win on Dec. 12, 2019. Brandon Myers led the Bulldogs with 25 points and 10 rebounds.
 
OPPO RESEARCH – ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY
After a slow start with no wins against NCAA Division II teams in their first seven games of the season, the Huskies are 5-2 in their last seven games. Included in their recent surge was a home win over Minnesota Duluth. Trevon Marshall leads the Huskies in scoring (18.8 ppg) and assists (4.7 apg). Three other Huskies are also scoring in double digits – Anthony Roberts (11.2 ppg), Illya Tyrtyshnik (10.8 ppg) and Andrija Blatancic (10.4 ppg). Head coach Matt Reimer won his 100^th career game in his 6^th season at SCSU earlier this year against UMary.
 
HISTORY LESSON - MARAUDERS v. HUSKIES
UMary is 9-17 all-time against St. Cloud State… The Marauders are 6-5 at home, 3-10 at SCSU and 0-2 on neutral ground… UMary's first NCAA win came at SCSU 86-77 on 11.18.06… UMary's first signature NCAA win was a 77-48 home victory over #8 SCSU on 12.16.07… SCSU has won four straight games in the series… The Marauders last win over the Huskies came at home in the McDowell Activity Center on Feb. 10, 2017, by a score of 99-79… UMary last won at SCSU 87-82 on Feb. 21, 2015, as six different Marauders reached double figures… LAST MEETING SCSU defeated visiting UMary 88-56 on Dec. 6, 2019. Jaylan White led the Marauders with 11 points and Matthew Kreklow added 10. Illya Tyrtyshnik hit five treys and scored 20 points for the Huskies.
 
DEFENSE
The Marauders allow the fewest points in the NSIC this season. UMary is limiting the opposition to 66.5 points per game. Opponents are making just 42.3 percent of their field goal attempts against UMary, 6^th best in the NSIC.
 
DEFENSE PART II
UMary is 20^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 76.8 percent of their free throw attempts (189-of-246). UMary ranks 3^rd in the NSIC and 34^th in NCAA Division II... The Marauders have shot 77 more free throws than the opposition… UMary foes are making 71 percent of its attempts. 
 
LESS GIVING MORE TAKING
The Marauders are 5^th among NSIC teams this season in turnovers at +1.43/game… additionally the Marauders rank 7^th in steals (6/game).
 
HELPING HAND
The Marauders average 13.4 assists per game, 8^th in the NSIC. UMary is 15^th in the NSIC in scoring.
 
SWAT CITY
The Marauders are blocking 3.4 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 2.3 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 5^th in the NSIC in steals (1.5)/game), is 7^th in free throw percentage (.818), 10^th in assists (3.4), and 9^th in assists to turnovers ratio (1.6). He is averaging 12.9 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 69 out of the Marauders last 70 games, including all 29 last year and 14 this season. He is averaging 9.1 points per game in 99 career games and has totaled 904 points while distributing 276 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)… After cracking 900 career points last weekend, he is now one of only four Marauders in the 900/250 club with Porter, Kleinjan and Gillette.
 
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. 
 
REJECTION LETTERS
Matthew Kreklow is now second all-time at UMary in career blocked shots with 103. 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 second Minot State game of the season (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 (15.4 ppg), rebounding (8.3 rpg), field goal percentage (.559) and blocks (2.3)… he is shooting 79.2 percent at the free throw line and averages 1.3 steals and 1.6 assists… he has five double doubles this season and eight in his career (see note below)… Kreklow is 15^th in the NSIC in scoring, 8^th in rebounding, 4^th in field goal percentage and 9^th in free throw percentage… In NCAA Division II rankings, Kreklow is 18^th in blocks, 64^th in field goal percentage and 77^th in rebounding.
 
DOUBLE DOUBLE TO THE POWER OF FOUR
Matthew Kreklow owns five double doubles this season, including a run of four straight games. 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
 
KREKLOW EARNS SECOND CAREER NSIC NORTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONOR
Matthew Kreklow became just the third UMary player to earn Northern Sun Player of the Week honors multiple times. Eric Erdmann and All-American Anthony Moody both captured the award three times in their Marauders careers… Kreklow first won the honor in January 2019 after leading the Marauders to a weekend sweep of Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State… This season he captured the award for his efforts in the final week of the 2019 schedule after leading the Marauders to a home sweep of the University of Maine at Fort Kent and Minot State University. Kreklow posted 16 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks while making 8-of-11 field goals in a 77-33 win over the Bengals. The junior then scorched Minot State for 25 points, ten rebounds and five blocks in a 75-72 overtime win against the Beavers.
 
DOWNTOWN
Connor Hellebust is the Marauders top threat from behind the arc. The junior guard averages 9.6 points per game and 3.7 rebounds. He is knocking down 31 percent of his 3-point attempts (21-of-68) and is making 81.6 percent of his free throw attempts (31-of-38)… Hellebust has hit for double digits in points in seven 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... his 21 treys are a team high.
 
DOWNTOWN PART 2
The Marauders are making 8.1 treys per game (9^th in the NSIC) and are converting 31.7 percent of their attempts… Wyatt Carr is hitting a team-high 45.5 percent of his trey attempts, hitting 20-of-44 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.
 
FOR THREE
The Marauders return three starters from the 2018-19 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 in 2018-19: 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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