THIS WEEK
Back home after playing four straight road games, the University of Mary men's basketball team prepares to host #6 University of Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State University in the final 2-game home weekend series of the year at the McDowell Activity Center. The weekend opens on Friday, Feb. 11, when the Marauders and the Bulldogs tip off at 7:30 pm. The Marauders and the Huskies matchup follows on Saturday, February 12, at 5:30 pm.   
 
THE RECORDS
UMary is 8-14 overall and 7-10 in the Northern Sun (12^th NSIC / 5^th NSIC North)… UMD is 21-2/14-2 (1^st NSIC/1^st NSIC North)… SCSU is 9-14/5-10 (13^th NSIC/6^th NSIC North).
 
RANKED
When the Marauders host the #6 Bulldogs, it will be UMary's fourth game this season against a nationally-ranked team (L 77-64 at #22 UMD, L 80-59 v #23 Augie, L 82-72 at #20 UIU)… The Marauders last win over a nationally ranked team was a 77-73 road victory over #3 MSU Moorhead on January 8, 2016… The last home win at the McDowell Activity Center over a nationally-ranked team was January 7, 2012, when the Marauders defeated the visiting 19^th ranked Dragons 72-51 behind 20 points from Damon Smith.  
 
TOO CLOSE TO CALL
With four of 22 games remaining in the NSIC schedule, nine of 16 teams have between seven and nine wins. All but one team is still alive for post-season play under the new Northern Sun postseason tournament format. Starting this season, 12 teams – the top six in both the North and South Divisions – qualify for the NSIC tournament. With the number of games varying from team to team due to cancellations, the standings are decided by winning percentage in NSIC contests. The top two teams in each division earn a 1^st round bye. The 3^rd-place team in each division hosts the 6^th place team in the other division while the 4^th hosts the 5^th.
 
ON/OFF
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and implemented safety protocols, several Northern Sun games have been cancelled this season. The Marauders have played 17 of 18 NSIC games. Two of 16 teams have played all 16 of its NSIC games this season (Upper Iowa, Northern State). Three teams have been limited to 14 games (Minot State, MSU Moorhead, Minnesota State). With teams playing a various number of games standings will be based on winning percentage.
 
HOME COURT
With four games remaining the Marauders are in the running for a home berth in the NSIC playoffs but need help. The top six teams advance to the NSIC postseason tournament. The top two teams in the North and South receive byes. The teams that finish 3^rd and 4^th in both the North and South divisions host opening round games. UMD has clinched 1^st in the North. Based on winning percentage, Northern State (9-9 in NSIC games), Minot State and MSU Moorhead (both 7-7) are tied for 2^nd with a .500 win percentage. The Marauders enter the weekend 5^th in the North at 7-10 (.412). After already sweeping the beavers, the Marauders have games remaining against MSU Moorhead (away) and Northern State (home). UMary also hosts UMD and SCSU (6^th place at 5-10).
 
LAST WEEK
Back to playing teams from the NSIC North division, the University of Mary earned a weekend split on the road… The Marauders opened with a tough 71-67 loss at Minnesota Crookston, unable to overcome a 1-for-11 shooting stretch late in the game. Gertautas Urbonavicius led UMary with 16 points and Kai Huntsberry added 14. Uzo Dibiamaka led UMC with 19… Lucas Mayer grabbed an offensive rebound off a missed three by Matthew Johnson and scored the winning basket with 2.1 seconds left in a 55-53 Marauders win at Bemidji State. Down 53-46 with three minutes to play, Urbonavicius hit 3s with 2:52 and 1:11 on the clock to pull UMary within 53-52. Mayer, fouled on the basket, made three free throw as UMary scored the final nine points of the game. Urbonavicius led UMary with 18 points. Davids Atelbauers added 10 and Mayer had nine for the second straight game. John Sutherland had 14 for BSU.
 
HISTORY LESSON - MARAUDERS v. BULLDOGS
UMary trails Minnesota Duluth 10-16 in the all-time series… The Marauders first victory over the Bulldogs was an 80-77 overtime win on 1.16.09… The Marauders and the Bulldogs split two games last season in Duluth, MN, after the previous three seasons resulted in sweeps. UMD won both games in 2017-18 and 2019-20 and UMary claimed the sweep in 2018-19 in a pair of memorable games. 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 at UMD on Jan. 11, 2019, 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 #22 UMD defeated UMary 77-64 on Dec. 11, 2021. Kai Huntsberry led UM with 19 points. Lincoln Meister had 13 for UMD.
 
HISTORY LESSON - MARAUDERS v. HUSKIES
UMary is 11-19 all-time against St. Cloud State… The Marauders are 8-6 at home, 3-11 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… The Marauders and he Huskies split a pair of games last season at the MAC… LAST MEETING SCSU edged visiting UMary 83-78 on Dec. 10, 2021. Kia Huntsberry had 22 points for UMary, Jacob Jackson 12 and Kam Warrens 11 in a game UMary shot 54%. Caleb Donaldson hit 12-of-13 shots and scored 31 points for SCSU.
 
CLUTCH
Twice this season Lucas Mayer has scored the game-winning basketball for the Marauders in the closing seconds. Against Concordia-St. Paul Mayer put back an offensive rebound with 4.9 seconds left in a 68-66 win. On the road at Bemidji State and trailing 53-52, Mayer snared the rebound off an errant Marauders 3-point attempt and scored on a putback with 2.1 seconds remaining. Fouled while scoring, Mayer hit the free throw to complete a 3-point play in a 55-53 UMary win.  
 
STEPPING FORWARD
Davids Atelbauers started all four games of the recent Marauders road trip and reached double figures in scored three times. He posted 10 points at Winona State, a career-high 12 at #20 Upper Iowa, and 10 at Bemidji State. In his last eight games, including six starts, the senior from Ogre, Latvia, is averaging 6.8 points/game scored a career-high ten points at Winona State after making 3-of-5 trey attempts. The following night at #20 Upper Iowa, Atelbauers increased his career-best to 12 points, making a pair of treys. In his last six games the guard is averaging 7.1 ppg while hitting 8-of-21 trey attempts.
 
IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Kai Huntsberry has had an immediate impact on the Marauders in his first year at UMary. He is currently fifth in scoring in the NSIC (18.4 ppg) and is among the league leaders in several categories… He has scored 22 or more points in 11 of 20 games… The transfer from San Diego City College has led the Marauders in scoring in 13 of 20 games this season… he has scored 22 or more points 11 times and 18 or more 13 times… The point guard from New Orleans, LA, averages 18.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game and is shooting 48.9% from the field, 40% on 3s and 84.5% at the line. The team leader in scoring, assists and steals, he ranks 5^th in the NSIC in scoring and assists, 3^rd in free throw percentage, 11^th in shooting percentage and 19^th in treys/game (1.9).  
 
SPARK
Jacob Jackson has provided a spark on offense and defense in his first season at UMary… After coming off the bench for the first 11 games, he made five straight starts… Over the course of 19 games he has posted eight or more points 15 times and reached double digits ten times… He has three double doubles, in a 78-74 win at Minot State (12 points and 10 rebounds), an 80-79 home win over MSU Moorhead (11 and 10) and against #23 Augie (17 and 10)… 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… scored a career-high 17 against #23 Augie… The junior guard from Sacramento, CA, averages 9.8 points/game and 5.7 rebounds/game. He is third on the team in scoring and second in rebounds.   
 
IN AND OUT IMPACT
A transfer from NCAA Division I University of North Dakota, Gertautas Urbonavicius has given the Marauders a hot scoring hand inside and out. The junior forward from Vilnius, Lithuania, has hit for double digits 11 times in 21 games, including a high of 21 against the Bronchos. For the season Urbonavicius is 2^nd on the team in scoring (10.1 ppg) and 4^th in rebounding (4.4 rpg). He is making 48% of his shots overall – including 40% behind the arc – and converts 79% of his free throws.
 
DOUBLING DOWN
Kam Warrens and Jacob Jackson have combined for seven double doubles this season… Warrens has four double doubles (12 points/12 rebounds at Central Oklahoma, 10/11 vs Mayville State, 18/10 v MSU Moorhead, 10/12 at SMSU) and Jackson owns three (12/10 at Minot State, 11/10 vs. MSU Moorhead, 17/10 vs. #23 Augie). 
 
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 four times. His 6.4 rebounds/game leads UMary and is 14^th in the NSIC. Warrens is also averaging 8.8 points/game and is making 36% of his 3s in his second season with the Marauders. Warrens is third on the squad in 3-pointers (17).
 
LIVING LARGE AT THE LINE
The Marauders outpace the opposition in scoring at the free throw line. UMary is 6^th in the NSIC in free throw percentage at 74.7% (236-of-315) while the Marauders opponents are 13^th (229-of-315 / 74.6%).
 
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 earned 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… Nelson earned his 5^th win against Minot State to claim a season sweep. 
 
CENTURY MARK
A quartet 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 47.5% from the floor and is 5th on the team in made treys (16). Sipes – who made his first start of the season in a 65-60 win over Minnesota Crookston and scored 10 points - averages 4.6 ppg… Kade Amundson started the first 12 games of the season for UMary 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 14 games and averages 3.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game… Lucas Mayer is back from injury and returned to the starting lineup to hit game-winning shots against both the Golden Bears and the Beavers. He has started the last six games and averages 7.1 ppg and 4.9 rpg while shooting 57.1%… All four played for former UMary men's basketball player Darin 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:   5-  4
 
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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