THIS WEEK
The University of Mary men's basketball team wraps up the 2024-25 season with a pair of home games on Friday and Saturday, February 21-22, when the Marauders host the #RV Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs and the Cougars of the University of Sioux Falls at the McDowell Activity Center. On Friday the Marauders and the Mustangs tip off at 5:30 pm. Senior Day on Saturday between the Marauders and the Cougars gets underway at 3:30 pm.
 
FOLLOW LIVE
Links to live video and stats are available at www.GoUMary.com/coverage.
 
THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 5-24 overall and 3-17 (14^th place) in the Northern Sun… The Mustangs are 19-7 overall and 14-6 in the NSIC (5-way tie for 1^st place)… The Cougars are 14-12 overall and 10-10 in the NSIC (9^th place).
 
SENIOR DAY SET FOR FEBRUARY 22
Four Marauders will be honored on Senior Day on February 22. Rich Ashu, Liam Dougherty, Kevin McGaskey and Gunner Swanson are set to be recognized prior to UMary's final home game of the season against the University of Sioux Falls at 3:30 pm. The Olson Scholarship will also be presented at that time to a graduating senior.
 
AFTER THE ACTION
Marauders fans should make plans to stop at Buffalo Wild Wings following all home men's basketball contests. With two convenient Bismarck locations and great food and drink specials, it's easy to see why Buffalo Wild Winds is the preferred post-game hangout of Marauders Basketball! 
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Marauders wrapped up a 3-game road trip with a pair of games in southern Minnesota… Kevin McGaskey made seven treys and scored 29 points as the Marauders upset bid fell just short at Winona State 73-68. The seven treys is the most for a UMary player since Kai Huntsberry made eight against Minnesota Duluth on February 26, 2022. Ty Rogers and Wylee Delorme both had 10 points and Jeremiah Jones had nine points and 12 boards… After just missing a double double in three straight games, Jeremiah Jones finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds in an 85-73 loss at Minnesota State. Cayden Redfield scored a career-high 18 points, hitting four treys. Kevin McGaskey added 15 points.  
 
HISTORY LESSON - MARAUDERS v. MUSTANGS
The Marauders trail the Mustangs in the series 18-5… UMary is 4-5 all-time at home in the MAC and 1-12 at SMSU's R/A Facility… UMary has won the last two games played in Bismarck… The Marauders lone win in Marshall, MN, was 91-82 on December 11, 2015, as Bryan Jefferson had 18 points and Marquealis Edwards had 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists… The Marauders last win at home was a 62-57 victory January 6, 2023. Gertautas Urbonavicius had 16 points and 10 rebounds for UMary. Treyton Mattern and Zyon Smith both scored 11 points. Jake Phipps had 22 for SMSU and Dunwa Omot 10,
 
 
HISTORY LESSON – MARAUDERS v. COUGARS
The Cougars lead the series with the Marauders 12-3… USF won the first four games in the series before UMary claimed the next two… In the first meeting the Cougars beat the Marauders 75-63 on 11.20.99... The Marauders first win was a 69-65 road win on Dec. 12, 2015, UMary's only victory at USF… Mary is 1-3 at home, 1-9 at USF and 1-0 in neutral site games… 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… UMary's only home win was an 81-72 decision on February 3, 2017. Damonta Henry scored 25 points and Bryan Jefferson tallied 21… The last UMary win was 83-74 in Moorhead, MN, on November 26, 2021, as Kai Huntsberry scored 26 points… USF has won three straight games overall and the last two in Bismarck.
 
CAREER-HIGH COUNTS
In the Marauders last three games, three different players led the Marauders in scoring and all three posted career-high point totals:

• Wylee Delorme scored 32 points at MSU Moorhead (previous high 10)
• Kevin McGaskey struck for 29 at Winona State (previous high 22)
• Cayden Redfield scored 18 at Minnesota State (previous high 16)

 
STOP THIEF – JEREMIAH JONES EDITION
Jeremiah Jones has caused chaos to opposing ball handlers all season. The Northern Sun leader in steals has set UMary NCAA single season and single game records this year. Among his accomplishments:

• Broke the Marauders NCAA single season record for steals against Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday, January 25. The sophomore guard owns 81 steals this season in 29 games. The previous record was 57 by Marquelis Edwards in the 2015-16 season.
• Jones broke the school's NCAA single game steals record with eight at Sioux Falls. The old mark was seven by Cameron Lee in the Marauders 63-49 win at Augustana on December 4, 2009
• The eight steals in a single game is the 4^th most in NCAA D2 this season and 2^nd most by a player in the Northern Sun
• One of only five NCAA D2 players to post at least seven steals in a game twice this year
• 5^th in NCAA D2 and 1^st in the NSIC with 2.8 steals/game
• 2^nd in NCAA D2 and 1^st in the NSIC with 81 total steals
• Owns five or more steals in a game four times. Jones is one of only two NSIC players with 5 or more steals multiple times and the only one to do so 3+ times.

 
STOP THIEF – TEAM EDITION
UMary ranks 4^th in the NSIC in steals per game (7.4)
 
PRESSURE
The Marauders are forcing opponents into committing 12.8 turnovers per game, the third most in the Northern Sun.
 
SHARING THE LOAD
Three Marauders average at least 10.0 points/game this season:

• Jeremiah Jones leads UMary in scoring at 11.7 ppg. The sophomore guard, who missed last season due to injury, also leads the team in rebounding (6.8 rpg), steals (81) and blocks (17) and is 2^nd in assists (75)… Jones has reached double figures in scoring 17 times with a season-high 23 against Valley City State… In back-to-back-to-back games Jones just missed double doubles (8 points and 9 rebounds vs. SCSU, 8 points and 11 rebounds at MSUM, 9 points and 12 rebounds at Winona State) before reaching the mark for the 2d time this season with 13 points and 15 rebounds at Minnesota State… He leads the NSIC in steals (2.8/game), is 10^th in rebounds (6.8/game), 19^th in assists (2.6/game) and 23^rd in blocks (0.6). 
•  Kevin McGaskey, in his first season at UMary as a graduate transfer from Prairie View A&M, is scoring 11.7 ppg and leads the squad in assists (81). Sixteen times he has scored ten or more points with a season-best 29 points at Minnesota State, a game that featured seven made treys. McGaskey is making a team-high 79% of his free throws.
• Junior forward Ty Rogers averages 10.6 ppg. He is making 42% of his shots overall and 35% on treys. Rogers also is pulling down 3.9 rpg. The junior forward has reached double digits in scoring 17 times this year.

 
STAYING ALIVE
The Marauders are 4^th in the NSIC in offensive rebounds with 10.2.
 
BENCH PLAY
The Marauders are 4^th in the NSIC in bench scoring with 19.4 points/game.
 
DOUBLING DOWN

• Jeremiah Jones owns two double doubles this season and four in his career:
  • 16 points and 11 rebounds in the Marauders 86-75 win at Minnesota Crookston
  • 13 points and 13 rebounds at Minnesota State
• Ty Rogers combined 15 points and 11 rebounds against SCSU for his 1^st double double of the season and third of his career.

 
DEBUTS
Eight Marauders made their UMary debuts this season. Kevin McGaskey has started 26 games at guard. Cayden Redfield, Ty Johnson and Tamerrein Henderson have played key minutes off the bench. Transfer Daniel Hong, redshirt freshman Alex Dvorak, and freshmen Wylee Delorme and Matija Otasevic also have seen their first action in the Blue & Orange this year.  
 
BLOCK PARTY
Rich Ashu led the Marauders in blocks last season with 1.0 per game. He again leads UMary in blocks this season with 17 rejections in 29 games (.6/game) and ranks 25^th in the NSIC. The senior forward has also been efficient shooting the ball, making 51.7% of his shots this season.
 
HIGH EFFICIENCY
Junior forward Xavier Lewis is knocking down a team-leading 54% of his shot attempts as he is scoring 6.0 ppg.   
 
MATTES ON THE MARK
Alex Mattes has found his range from deep. In the last 12 games the sophomore guard is 13-for-30 on 3-pointers. Additionally he has found his way to the free throw line, attempting 30 in the last five games and making 19. Mattes has reached double figures in points in three of the last six games, averaging 9.5 points/game the last two weeks.    
 
TRIAL BY FIRE
UMary faced an impressive list of opponents this season:

• Seven games against teams in national polls (#RV MSU Billings, #RV St. Edward's, #RV Alaska-Anchorage, #7 MSU Moorhead, #13 Minot State, #22 Southwest Minnesota State, #RV Concordia-St. Paul)
• Ten games against teams who won at least 20 games last season (#RV MSU Billings, #RV St. Edward's, #RV Alaska-Anchorage, Central Oklahoma, #7 MSU Moorhead (2x), #13 Minot State, Minnesota State (2x), Minnesota Duluth)
• Seven games against teams who made the 2024 NCAA tournament (MSU Billings, Alaska-Anchorage, MSU Moorhead (2x), national champion Minnesota State University (2x), Minnesota Duluth)

 
PRECIOUS COMMODITY
The Marauders committed just two turnovers against Winona State on January 4. It's the fewest turnovers committed by UMary in a single game during the program's NCAA era (beginning with the 2006-07 season), matching the Marauders total of two on February 23, 2008, in a 72-50 loss to #4 Northern State at the MAC… in the last 18 games UMary is averaging 10.6 turnovers, below the season average of 12.6… UMary has committed 10 or fewer turnovers 11 times.  
 
DELORME TIES UMARY NCAA FRESHMAN SCORING MARK
Wylee Delorme scored 32 points at MSU Moorhead on February 8, 2024, to tie UMary's NCAA freshman record for points in a game. Marauders Hall of Fame member Eric Erdmann scored 32 points at home against Wayne State College on December 9, 2006, during UMary's first season competing in NCAA Division II.
 
In 27 minutes of play, Delorme nailed 5-of-7 shots behind the arc and 8-of-13 shots overall. The freshman from Devils Lake, ND, converted all 11 of his free throw attempts.
 
Here are a few interesting nuggets from Delorme's outburst:

• Delorme scored 20 straight points for UMary during a 26-10 Marauders run
• He reeled off the first 11 points of a 13-0 UMary run. Delome hit a trey, followed by two free throws. Next fouled shooting a trey, Delorme converted all three free throws. He capped the run with another made trey.
• The 11 made free throws and 32 points was the most by a UMary player since Brock Heffner scored 36 points with 12 free throws against Valley City State University December 18, 2023
• The five treys matched Jeremiah Jones for an individual season high and the most since Gunner Swanson drained six against Augustana in the 2023-24 season finale
• The 32 points is the most points scored in an NSIC regular season game for UMary since Bryan Jefferson dropped 33 on Bemidji State February 12, 2016
• 13^th highest point total in an NSIC game this season
• One of nine players to score 32 or more points in an NSIC game this season
• Delorme's previous single game total was 10 at Wayne State College January 11

 
MCGASKEY NSIC PLAYER TO WATCH
New arrival Kevin McGaskey is the preseason UMary Northern Sun Player to Watch for the Marauders in the 2024-25 season. A graduate transfer from NCAA Division I Prairie View A&M, McGaskey joins the Marauders after competing for two seasons for the Panthers. He played in 24 games in 2023-24, including 13 starts, for SWAC member PVAM. The 6-0 point guard averaged 4.0 points, 3.0 assists and 2.2 rebounds while making 35 steals and hitting 71.0% of his free throw attempts in 25.5 minutes of play per game. The native of Missouri City, Texas, and graduate of Hightower High School posted season highs of 12 points and six rebounds against Alcorn State.    McGaskey played with former Marauders guard Zyon Smith at Highland Community College in Highland, KS, from 2020-22. 
 
BACK IN THE BLUE & ORANGE
The Marauders have a strong returning cast. Ten players return from last season, including five who started ten or more games in 2023-24 and a 6^th player returning from injury:  

• Junior forward Xavier Lewis - the Marauders leading returning scorer (6.7 ppg) and rebounder (5.5 rpg) – started 16 out of 27 games
• Sophomore guard Alex Mattes, who started 13 games last season as a true freshman, chipped in 6.2 points per game
• Junior forward Ty Rogers averaged 5.7 ppg and 3.8 rpg while starting 10 games
• Junior guard Gunner Swanson hit 29 treys last season, tops among returners, while starting 18 games
• Senior forward Rich Ashu started 11 games for UMary and led the team in blocks (25 in 26 games)
• Junior guard Marquel Saleek played over 14 minutes per game and averaged 4.3 ppg and delivered 30 assists while starting one out of 27games
• Sophomore guard Nick Harrell averaged over 11 minutes per game in 19 outings while senior forward Liam Dougherty was limited to eight games by injury
• Guard Jeremiah Jones was a key reserve as a freshman in 2022-23 before missing all of last season due to injury. Jones averaged 6.7 ppg and 5.7 rpg while playing 24.2 minutes per game, the fourth most on the team. He led the team in steals (29) and was second in assists (64).
• Redshirt freshman guard Alex Dvorak looks to make his UMary debut this season.

 
FRESH FACES
The Marauders have added eight new faces for the 2024-25 season:

• Graduate transfer guard Kevin McGaskey joins the Marauders from NCAA Division I Prairie View A&M
• Other transfers include junior guard Daniel Hong (North Dakota), junior guard Ty Johnson (Highland (IL) CC), and junior guard/forward Cayden Redfield (United Tribes)
• Incoming freshmen are guard Wylee Delorme (Devils Lake, ND), Tamarrein Henderson (West Salem, WI), guard Ryan Larson (Jamestown, ND) and forward Matija Otasevic (Herceg Novi, Montenegro).

 
JONES NAMED TO TIPOFF CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Seeing his first action since February 2023 after missing all of the 2023-24 season due to injury, Jeremiah Jones returned to the court for the Marauders in impressive fashion. After averaging 12.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while adding eight assists and eight steals in three games, Jones was named to the 2024 D2CCA Tipoff Classic at the Trailhead all-tournament team. Jones opened with 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting – including a 2-for-3 effort on treys – while grabbing four rebounds and making three steals against host team MSU Billings. Jones hit three treys and scored 11 points against St. Edwards, adding seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. The sophomore guard finished the weekend with eight points, ten rebounds and three steals in a 73-72 win over Alaska Anchorage. He grabbed a key offensive rebound and was fouled trying to shoot with 1.7 seconds left in a tie game. After sinking the winning free throw, he protected the victory by knocking away a long inbound pass from the Seawolves. 
 
STAFF ADDITIONS
Marauders head coach Jack Nelson has several new faces on the bench alongside him this season. Bryan Forbes joins UMary as the lead assistant men's coach after serving as the head assistant coach at Briar Cliff the last five seasons following two years as the graduate assistant at East Tennessee State University. Also joining the staff this season are DJ Sanchez, Nate Symens and former UMary player Zyon Smith.
 
YEAR FOUR
Head coach Jack Nelson enters year four with the Marauders. In his first season in 2020-21, the native of Dillon, CO, led UMary to its best conference record in four years. Nelson directed the Marauders to their first Northern Sun tournament road victory with an 82-70 win at Winona State to send UMary to the quarterfinals and a trip to the Sanford Pentagon. During the regular season the Marauders defeated #6 University of Minnesota Duluth 75-71, the highest ranked NCAA team UMary has beaten at home. Nelson recruited and coached Kai Huntsberry, the 2021-22 NSIC Newcomer of the Year and a 1st team all-conference selection who broke the NSIC tournament record for 3s in a game with eight. Prior to joining the Marauders Nelson was an assistant coach at the University of Sioux Falls (2018-21) and Minot State University (2012-16) in the Northern Sun and the head coach at Central Wyoming College (2016-18) for two seasons in between… In his first three seasons at UMary, Nelson has had scholar-athletes earn NSIC Newcomer of the Year honors (1), NSIC Player of the Week accolades (1), All-NSIC 1^st team recognition (1) and NSIC All-Academic Team honors (13).  
 
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