THIS WEEK
Northern Sun competition arrives this week for the University of Mary men's basketball team when the Marauders visit instate rival Minot State University on Tuesday, Nov. 23. Tipoff is set for 7:30 pm at the Minot State Dome in Minot, ND… After Thanksgiving Day the Marauders play a pair of games at the Microtel Thanksgiving Classic hosted by MSU Moorhead in Moorhead, MN. UMary will take on a pair of fellow NSIC schools in a pair of neutral site non-conference games in the Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse. At 3 pm on Friday, Nov. 26, the Marauders take on the University of Sioux Falls. On Saturday, Nov. 27, UMary faces Winona State University at 1 pm.
 
THE RECORDS
UMary is 0-3 overall entering the week… Minot State is 5-0… Sioux Falls is 3-1 before opening NSIC play Tuesday at home against Southwest Minnesota State… Winona State is 3-0 before visiting Upper Iowa on Tuesday in the Warriors NSIC opener.
 
LAST WEEK
Kai Huntsberry paired 22 points and nine rebounds, Kam Warrens had a second straight double double with 10 points and 11 rebounds and Gertautas Urbonavicius (14) and Jacob Jackson (10) both cracked double digits for points in UMary's 80-76 loss to Mayville State in the Marauders home opener.
 
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
The Marauders play at home in the McDowell Activity Center just once in the month of November out of their six games… three of the five games away from the MAC are neutral site contests (vs. Northeastern State University at the Midwest Region Classic in Edmond. OK, and vs. Sioux Falls and Winona State at the Microtel Thanksgiving Classic in Moorhead, MN). The two true road games include a contest at Central Oklahoma and a visit to Minot State.
 
IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Kai Huntsberry has had an immediate impact on the Marauders. After scoring eight points in the season opener with five assists against Northeastern State, the transfer from San Diego City College has posted 22 points in each of his next two games. The guard from New Orleans, LA, added eight rebounds, four assists and two steals at Central Oklahoma and nine rebounds, four assists and two steals in his home debut against the Marauders. For the season Huntsberry is averaging 17.3 points, 6.0 rebounds 4.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game while making 47.9% of his shots.
 
IMMEDIATE IMPACT 2
A transfer from NCAA Division I University of North Dakota, Gertautas Urbonavicius has given he Marauders a hot scoring hand inside and out. The junior forward from Vilnius, Lithuania, has hit double digits for points in all three UMary games. After scoring 15 points with eight rebounds in the season opener against Northeastern State, he had 21 points and six rebounds against the Bronchos and 14 points and nine rebounds against the Comets. Foe the season Urbonavicius averages 16.7 ppg and 7.7 rebounds per game with a .455 shooting percentage.
 
DOUBLING DOWN
Kam Warrens is averaging nearly a double double with 12.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. After leading UMary in scoring with 16 points and adding six rebounds against the River Hawks, the junior wing player had 12 boards and 12 points against the Bronchos and 10 points and 11 rebounds against the Comets.
 
BENCH PLAY
The four Marauders reserves without a start are all seeing considerable time on the court. Josh Sipes leads the way, coming off the bench to average 17.3 minutes/game. He is second on the team with seven assists… Regan Tollefson averages 3.0 rebounds/game in 14 minutes/game in the front court… Deven Franks is shooting 50% from the floor and scoring 3.3 ppg in 8.7 mpg… Jacob Jackson put up 10 points against Mayville State and leads the team in free throws attempted (14) and made (10) while averaging 6.0 ppg and 3.7 rpg… Matthew Johnson has one start and averages 6.3 ppg… Treyton Mattern has the other two starts and is chipping in 3.0 ppg and 2.3 rpg.
 
A POSITIVE TURN(OVER)
The Marauders have finished on the positive side of the turnover ledger in all three games. On average UMary has the 3^rd best plus-minus average in the NSIC at +3.0.
 
BOARD PLAY
UMary has outrebounded all three opponents this season. The Marauders are 7^th among NSIC teams with a rebounding margin of +6.7 rebounds/game.
 
I KNOW YOU
Marauders new head coach Jack Nelson has served as an assistant coach at two Northern Sun schools and UMary faces both of them this week. Nelson has had a pair of coaching stints at Sioux Falls, including the last three seasons. He coached four years at Minot State (2012-16). Additionally he has his Master's Degree from the third UMary opponent of the week, Winona State.  
 
OPPO RESEARCH – MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY
Minot State University is off to a strong start that includes three wins over NCAA D2 teams… The Beavers are compiling 95.6 ppg with six players averaging double figures… Cam'ron Dunfee leads the way with 16.4 ppg. Melvin Newbern averages 13.0 ppg and 10.8 rpg… Max Cody dishes 8.0 assists/game and scored 10.6 ppg… Randall Herbst, the UMary men's basketball coach from 2009-11 who took the Marauders to the 2011 NCAA tournament, is in his seconds season as assistant coach at Minot State.
 
HISTORY LESSON - MARAUDERS v. BEAVERS
In a series that stretches back to the 1972-73 season – just the third year of Marauders basketball – the University of Mary trails Minot State 40-37 all time… The Beavers won a pair of games in Bismarck, ND, last season after the Marauders pulled off the season sweep in 2019-20… The two teams have now split their last 12 meetings… In NSIC games the Marauders are 7-11 against the Beavers.
 
OPPO RESEARCH – UNIVERSITY OF SIOUX FALLS
After dropping their opener, the Cougars have won their last three games… Sr. Forward Matt Cartwright averages 24.5 ppg and 4.8 rebounds and has scored at least 28 points in his last three games… Soph. G Jack Thompson is putting up 14.3 ppg and dealing 4.8 assists/game… Jr. G Chase Grinde gives USF a trio of players scoring in double digits as he averages 11.3 ppg with 5.3 rpg.
 
HISTORY LESSON - MARAUDERS v. COUGARS
The Cougars lead the series with the Marauders 9-2… USF won the first four games in the series before UMary claimed the next two… The Marauders first win was a 69-65 road win on Dec. 12, 2015… Mary is 1-2 at home and 1-6 at USF… The two former NAIA competitors first met as NCAA and NSIC foes on 2.9.13 with USF gaining a 75-70 home win. The Marauders joined the Northern Sun for the 2006-07 season and the Cougars began NSIC play in 2012-13… USF has won the last five games.
 
OPPO RESEARCH – WINONA STATE
Through three games Winona State has not yet trailed in a game and has built a 20+ advantage in each outing… The Warriors feature a balanced attack with nine players averaging at least 5.0 ppg… Alec Rosner leads the team with 17.0 ppg and is 9-of-16 behind the arc.


HISTORY LESSON - MARAUDERS v. WARRIORS
The Marauders are 1-20 all-time against the Warriors… WSU is 12-0 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 13 straight games over the Marauders.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW YOUR MARAUDERS LIVE ONLINE

• Links to live streaming video, game stats and radio streams are available at www.GoUMary.com/coverage
• Live video also streamed at www.NSICNetwork.com/goumary
• Fox Sports 710 AM radio broadcasts available online at https://foxsports710.iheart.com/

 
MARAUDERS HOME BASKETBALL GAMES AIRING LIVE ON FOX SPORTS 710
All University of Mary men's and women's basketball home and Northern Sun games air live on Fox Sports 710 AM. Voice of the Marauders Jesse Rostvedt calls all the action this season from the McDowell Activity Center.
 
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:   8-7
2020-21:   2-6
2021-22:   0-1
 
The Marauders once won 27 straight home games for Coach Bortke at the MAC (February 19, 1976 thru November 11, 1978).
 
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