THIS WEEK
The University of Mary men's basketball team hits the New Year on a fastbreak as the Marauders host rival Minot State University on Sunday, January 2. Game time is 2 pm at the McDowell Activity Center.
 
THE RECORDS
UMary enters 2022 with a record of 4-8 overall and 3-4 in the Northern Sun… Minot State is 10-3/4-3.
 
BREAK
When UMary takes to the court on January 2 it will be the Marauders first game in 15 days. The Marauders last played Dec. 18 when UMary defeated Minnesota Crookston 65-60.  
 
LAST WEEK TWO WEEKS AGO
In their last outings of 2021, the Marauders split a pair of home games on Dec. 17-18… Jacob Jackson led the Marauders with 12 points in a 68-40 loss to Bemidji State… UMary rebounded for a 65-60 win over Minnesota Crookston. Kai Huntsberry scored 11 of the Marauders final 14 points and finished with a game-high 25. Huntsberry also had three treys and added four assists and four rebounds. Josh Sipes added 10 points in his first start. Jackson, also in the starting lineup for the first time, had seven points and 13 rebounds. Kade Amundson added seven points, ten boards and two blocks.
 
HOME SWEET HOME
After playing eight of their first ten games on the road, the Marauders are in the midst of playing three  straight at home in the McDowell Activity Center and seven of nine.
 
WE GOT FIRST
In a change from previous seasons, the men's game will lead off Northern Sun doubleheaders for half the season with the women's game to follow. After the first game of the season opened with the women playing before the men, the UMary men will play the opening game for 11 straight contests. The teams will flip on January 21 when the women resume playing the opening game of an NSIC doubleheader with the men playing second.
 
IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Kai Huntsberry has had an immediate impact on the Marauders in his first year at UMary. The 5^th leading scorer in the NSIC had a run of five straight games with at least 22 points scored earlier this season and six with 18 or more… The transfer from San Diego City College has led the Marauders in scoring in nine of 12 games this season… he has scored 22 or more points seven times and 18 or more nine times… The point guard from New Orleans, LA, averages 18.7 points. 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game and is shooting 47.4% from the field and 87% at the line. The team leader in scoring, assists and steals, he ranks 3^rd in the NSIC in free throw percentage, 5^th in points and assist, 15^th in steals and 19^th in shooting percentage.
 
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 for double digits five out of 11 games, including a high of 21 against the Bronchos. For the season Urbonavicius is third on team in scoring (8.7 ppg) and 4^th in rebounding (4.2 rpg).
 
DOUBLING DOWN
Kam Warrens and Jacob Jackson have combined for five double doubles this season… Warrens has three double doubles (12 points/12 rebounds at Central Oklahoma, 10/11 vs Mayville State, 18/10 v MSU Moorhead) and Jackson owns two (12/10 at Minot State, 11/10 vs. MSU Moorhead). Jackson accomplished the feat both times in a reserve role.
 
SPARK
Providing instant offense in a reserve role, Jacob Jackson came off the bench to score eight or more points in nine of 11 games and has reached double digits six times. He had double doubles against both Minot State and MSU Moorhead… Jackson picked up his first start at UMary in the Marauders 65-60 win over Minnesota Crookston, hauling down 13 boards and scoring seven points… The junior guard from Sacramento, CA, scored a season-high 14 points in a win over Sioux Falls… For the season Jackson is averaging 9.2 points/game and 5.1 rebounds/game. He ranks second on the team in scoring and is third in rebounds.
 
BOARD PLAY
Kam Warrens has been a force for the Marauders on the boards and has provided scoring punch for UMary. The junior wing has hauled down double digit rebounds three times. He 6.6 rebounds/game leads UMary and is 16^th in the NSIC. Warrens is also averaging 8.1 points/game and is making 71% of his free throws in his second season with the Marauders.
 
LIVING LARGE AT THE LINE
The Marauders are once again outscoring the opposition at the free throw line. UMary is 3^rd in the NSIC in free throw percentage at 76.8% (142-of-185) while the Marauders opponents are 128-of-176 (72.7%).
 
BOARD PLAY
UMary has outrebounded six of 12 opponents this season. The Marauders are 9^th among NSIC teams with a rebounding margin of +2.9 rebounds/game.
 
I KNOW YOU
Marauders new head coach Jack Nelson picked up his first two UMary coaching wins against a pair of schools at which he had been an assistant coach. Nelson picked up his first win at Minot State, where he was an assistant coach from 2012-16. His second win came against Sioux Falls, where Nelson coached the previous three years in his second stint with the Cougars.
 
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 40-38 all time… UMary won this season's first meeting 78-74, overcoming a 17-point deficit on the road… The Beavers won a pair of games in Bismarck, ND, last season after the Marauders pulled off the season sweep in 2019-20… UMary has a 7-6 edge over the last 13 meetings… In NSIC games the Marauders are 7-11 against the Beavers.
 
CENTURY MARK
A trio of Bismarck Century High School graduates are playing key roles for the Marauders this season. Josh Sipes, the Marauders NSIC Player to Watch this year, is shooting a team-leading 48.1% from the floor and is second on the team in made treys (14). Sipes – who made his first start of the season in a 65-60 win over Minnesota Crookston and scored 10 points - averages 5.5 ppg… Kade Amundson has started all 12 games for UMary this season at forward and averages 5.0 ppg and 3.4 rebounds per game and is 10-of-12 (83.3%) at the free throw line… Treyton Mattern has started nine games and averages 3.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game… Additionally the Marauders look for Lucas Mayer to rejoin the lineup after he recovers from injury… All four played for former UMary men's basketball player Darrin Mattern (and Treyton's father) at Century.
 
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:   2-2
 
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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