THIS WEEK
Darren Tighe makes his debut as the University of Mary head men's basketball coach this weekend when the Marauders compete in the GAC/NSIC Challenge with a pair of games in Bethany, OK. The season opener is a neutral site meeting between Northwestern Oklahoma State University and UMary on Friday, November 14, at 3:30 pm. UMary wraps up opening weekend with another neutral site game against Oklahoma Baptist at 5:30 pm on Saturday, November 15. The games are hosted by Southern Nazarene and will be played at the Sawyer Center.
 
FOLLOW LIVE
Links to live stats and video are available at www.goumary.com/coverage
 
GAC/NSIC CHALLENGE
The Marauders are one of six teams competing in the GAC/NSIC Challenge on Friday and Saturday, November 14-15. Hosted by Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, OK, all games will be played at the Sawyer Center and features teams from the Great American Conference and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Both the NSIC and GAC compete in the NCAA Central Region. NSIC teams include UMary, Northern State University and the University of Jamestown. Representing the GAC is Oklahoma Baptist, Northwest Oklahoma State University and Southern Nazarene.   
 
THE RECORDS
This is the season opener for all three teams… The Marauders finished the 2024-25 season 5-26 overall and 3-19 in the NSIC… The Northwestern Oklahoma State University Rangers finished last year 14-15 overall and 11-11 in the GAC… The Bison of Oklahoma Baptist finished 2024-25 with a record of 18-11 overall and 15-7 in the GAC.
 
OPPO RESEARCH
The Rangers look to be led by a pair of juniors. Guard Max Alexander was second on NWOSU in scoring last season at 20.2 ppg. He made 83.7% of his free throws and hit 40% of his shots from the field while delivering over 4.0 assists/game. Norris chipped in 6.8 ppg and averaged 4.6 rebounds/game… The Bison of OBU are led by All-GAC guard Terry Conor Jr., who averaged 16 ppg. Sr. guard JC Curry scored just under 10.0 ppg. Seth Grandberry is a newcomer who averaged 16.4 ppg last year for Arkansas-Monticello.
 
HISTORY LESSON
This weekend marks the first meetings between the Marauders and both the Rangers and the Bison.
 
TIGHE MAKES REGULAR SEASON DEBUT
Darren Tighe (pronounced TIE) makes his head coaching debut for the Marauders this weekend but running the show is not a new experience. In ten years as a college head coach Tighe has a record of 169-112. In three seasons at Ridgewater (MN) Community College (2014-17), he led the Warriors to a mark of 48-34 that included a 20 win season to break a 50 year old school record for victories... In five seasons at Mayville (ND) State University (2017-22), the Comets went 92-42, won a league title and advanced to three national tournaments. Twice he earned coach of the year honors. The first season with the Comets, Mayville State went from nine wins the previous year to 18 wins… Tighe coached the previous two years at Dakota (SD) State University. In his first season the Trojans won 17 games and posted their first winning season in eight seasons.
 
FAMILIAR FACES
The Marauders return four players from 2024-25. Sr. G Cayden Redfield is the leading returning scorer. Last year in his first season at UMary after transferring from United Tribes, Redfield averaged 4.7 ppg in 21 games. Three times he reached double digits, including 18 points against Minnesota State… Sophomore guard Tamarrein Henderson saw action in 27 games in his first collegiate season. He scored a season-best nine points against Central Oklahoma… Sophomore guard Alex Dvorak saw action in eight games as a redshirt freshman and hit 3-of-4 trey attempts… Ryan Larson is a redshirt freshman guard who did not play last season due to injury.
 
GET TO KNOW 'EM
In addition to new head coach Darren Tighe and new assistant coach Jacob Leier, the Marauders have 12 new players on the roster… Jr. G Kenny Gonzalez is the Marauders Northern Sun Player to Watch this season. He joins the Marauders after two seasons at San Diego City College, where he averaged 12.1 points/game and earned all-conference first team honors… Jr. guard Amare Jackson averaged 16.6 ppg last year at Skagit Valley College and received All-American, All-Region and all-academic honors… Fr. G Andre Austin is a 2-time all-state player from Bismarck, ND, and played for former Marauders player Jordan Wilhelm at Bismarck High School… Jr. G Kelton Coleman played 25 games last season for NSIC rival Augustana… Tshawn Bois is a junior guard from Quebec, Canada, and transferred to UMary from Lamar (CO) Community College after scoring 13.2 ppg last year… Fr. G Tyresse Poku Mensah comes to UMary from London, England… Wyatt Westin is a Fr. G from Shiloh Christian HS in Bismarck, ND… Parker Brodina is a freshman guard from Devils Lake, ND, where he was named the 2025 North Dakota Class A Senior Athlete of the Year… New Zealand native Sini Tuakoi is a junior forward who played at the New Mexico Military Institute last year after a season at Clarendon College… Relja Nagulic, a native of Serbia, is a sophomore forward who played at Coffeyville Community College last season… A native of Australia, Jackson Ware is a junior forward joining the Marauders after playing two seasons at Purdue Northwest… Noah Thomas is a senior guard joining the Marauders from the University of Arkansas at Monticello, where he started 17 games last season after previously playing at Chabot College and Oregon Institute of Technology.
 
HOME FIRES
After their trip to Oklahoma and a visit to Chadron State College on November 19, the Marauders make their home debut against Minot State University on November 25.
 
UMARY HOSTS DAKOTA CHALLENGE ON THANKSGIVING WEEKEND
The University of Mary is hosting Minot State University, South Dakota Mines and Black Hills State University in the Dakota Challenge Battle for the Border Thanksgiving Weekend. The games feature Northern Sun members UMary and Minot State facing RMAC schools Black Hills State and SD Mines on Friday and Saturday, November 28-29.
 
Tickets are available online at UMaryTickets.com. Follow live stats and webcast at www.GoUMary.com/coverage
 
DAKOTA CHALLENGE SCHEDULE
Friday, November 28
2 pm South Dakota Mines vs. Minot State
5 pm UMary vs. Black Hills State
 
Saturday, November 29
2 pm Minot State vs. Black Hills State
5 pm UMary vs. South Dakota Mines
  
MARAUDERS BASKETBALL TICKET INFORMATION
Single game and season tickets are available at www.UMaryTickets.com and via the HomeTown Fan App for iOS and Android mobile devices. Fans who purchase tickets online at www.UMaryTickets.com and on the HomeTown Fan App receive a discount over tickets purchased at the gate.
 
Basketball Ticket Prices – Online

• Adult tickets $10 plus fees
• Seniors and Youth (ages 13-18) $5 plus fees
• Children 12 and under are FREE when accompanied by an adult. Unaccompanied children ticket prices are $5 plus fees

 
Basketball Ticket Prices – At the gate

• Adults tickets $15 cash | $15 + fees with credit card
• Seniors and Youth (aged 13-18) $10 cash | $10 + fees with credit card
• Children 12 and under are FREE when accompanied by an adult. Unaccompanied children ticket prices are $5 cash | $5 + fees with credit card.

 
Note

• Both cash and credit card payments will be accepted at the UMary ticket gate.
• UMary students and faculty and staff with their MCard are admitted FREE. Children ages 12 and younger with an adult are admitted FREE. If children 12 and under unaccompanied by an adult the admission fee is $5 cash | $5 + fees with credit card.

 
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