THIS WEEK
The University of Mary men's basketball team opens the 2026-27 with a trio of games on the first week of the season. The Marauders schedule opens at home against the University of Saint-Boniface on Monday, November 9. Tipoff is slated for 5:30 pm at the McDowell Activity Center.
 
UMary then competes in the two-day Dakota Challenge crossover event between Northern Sun and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference programs in Spearfish, SD, on Friday and Saturday, November 13-14. The Marauders open the Dakota Challenge in a neutral site game with South Dakota Mines at 5 PM CT on Friday. The weekend wraps up on Saturday at 7 pm CT when UMary faces host and #6 Black Hills State University.
 
DAKOTA CHALLENGE SCHEDULE
Black Hills State University (host) | Donald E. Young Center | Spearfish, SD
 
Friday, November 13
5 pm MT / 6 pm CT - South Dakota Mines vs. UMary
7 pm MT / 8 pm CT - Black Hills State vs. Minot State
 
Saturday, November 14
4 pm MT / 5 pm CT - South Dakota Mines vs. Minot State
6 pm MT / 7 pm CT - Black Hills State vs. UMary
 
FOLLOW LIVE
Links to live stats and video are available at www.goumary.com/coverage
 
THE RECORDS
UMary, which has not yet played in 2026-27, finished last season 5-23 overall and 3-19 in the Northern Sun… Saint-Boniface is 1-1 this season and finished last year 6-4 overall as a member of the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference… South Dakota Mines is 0-0 this year and finished 9-19 overall and 6-14 in the RMAC in 2025-26… Black Hills State dropped its season-opener to #7 Lander after finishing 30-5 overall and 17-3 in the RMAC. The Yellow Jackets advanced to the NCAA D2 Elite 8.
 
OPPO RESEARCH
The University of Saint Boniface is the only French-language university in Western Canada. USB is a member of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association and competes in the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference. The Reds are coached by Michael Francisco.
 
South Dakota Mines is coaches by Michael Iseman, entering his second season leading the Hardrockers. Mines returns their top four leading scorers from last year – Jason Lee (18.9 ppg), Ryan Sweeney (13.0 ppg) and Gavin Soukup (11.8 ppg) and Gray Thompson (10.1 ppg).
 
Black Hills State is ranked 6^th in the nation after advancing to the NCAA D2 Elite 8 last season. The Yellow Jackets return three starters but lost three of their four All-RMAC players from last year. Jaeton Hackley returns and is joined by fellow Preseason All-RMAC selections Jaxon Smith and Ben Henderson to lead this year's team. Three-time RMAC Coach of the Year Ryan Thompson leads BHSU for a 9^th season and has a career mark of 169-71 (0.704).
 
HISTORY LESSON – UMARY VS. UNIVERSITY OF SAINT-BONIFACE
This is the first meeting between the Marauders and the Reds.
 
HISTORY LESSON – UMARY VS. SOUTH DAKOTA MINES
UMary is 17-8 against South Dakota Mines with a record of 8-4 at home and 9-4. Former DAC10 foes, the Marauders have won the last three meetings and 7-of-8. In their last meeting, the Marauders downed the Hardrockers 68-60 in Rapid City, SD, at the 2024 Dakota Challenge on November 30. UMary converted al five free throws in the final 45 seconds of the game to secure the win. Ty Rogers scored 17 points for UMary and Kevin McGaskey added 16…
 
HISTORY LESSON – UMARY VS. BLACK HILLS STATE
In the series between UMary and Black Hills State, another former DAC10 foe, the Marauders have a 23-21 lead all-time. The first game played between the two schools was played on December 1, 1972, with the Yellow Jackets claiming an 82-76 win in Bismarck… BHSU has won the last two games, including an 85-74 win in Bismarck on November 29, 2026. Kelton Coleman led UMary with 17 points. Cam Lowe had 21 for BHSU… Prior to a meeting in 2024, the two teams hadn't met since December 13, 2007, with the Marauders earning an 89-78 win as Geoff West scored 17 points, Eric Erdmann 16 and Zach Dosch 13.
 
WARE NAMED UMARY PLAYER TO WATCH BY NSIC
The Northern Sun has announced Jackson Ware as the 2026-27 NSIC Player to Watch for the University of Mary men's basketball team. A senior from Northern Rivers, Australia, Ware is in his second season with the Marauders. The 6-9 forward anchored the UMary front court last season as he started 26 games and played in all 28.
 
Able to score inside and behind the arc, Ware averaged 6.9 points per game and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 45.8% from the floor and 37.9% on treys. He also connected on 72.7% of his free throw attempts. Ware posted a season-best 16 two times, including once against MSU Moorhead when he drained four 3-pointers. He also reached double-digits in rebounds twice.
 
SEVEN MARAUDERS RETURN FOR 2026-27
The Marauders return seven players from last season:

• Andre Austin is the Marauders returning scorer. The sophomore guard from Bismarck, ND, averaged 7.2 points per game and led the team in assists with 63 while starting 15 games.
• Tamarrein Henderson earned 27 starts last season and averaged 6.1 ppg. The junior guard scored a season-best 24 points against Winona State while hitting four treys.
• Sophomores Parker Brodina and Tyresse Poku Mensah also earned multiple starts last year. Brodina broke the opening huddle 11 times and Poku Mensah five.
• Ryan Larson returned from injury as a freshman in 2024-25 to play five games last season.
• Wyatt Westin saw action in one game as a freshman

 
ELEVEN NEW MARAUDERS IN 2026-27
The Marauders feature 11 new players in 2026-27. Playing in their first season for UMary are: Tyrese Mayo (G, 6-0, Jr., Winter Haven, FL / Ridgewater College), Ori Yarmelovsky (F, 6-7, Fr., Givat Shapira, Israel), Artie Carlow (G, 6-2, Fr., Bismarck, ND/Bismarck HS), Dylan Galvan (G, 5-11, So., Chihuahua, Mexico / San Jose City College), Nick Beattie (G, 6-5, Fr., Melbourne, Australia / Haileybury College), Anton Romportl (G, 6-2, Sr., Stillwater, MN / Stillwater Area HS), Colton Christenson (G, 6-5, Fr., Dickinson, ND / Trinity HS), Roegun Dietz (F, 6-5, Fr., Lincoln, MT / Lincoln HS), DeAndre Holloway (F, 6-8, Jr., Kerkhoven, MN / Ridgewater College), Bridger Muri (F, 6-5, Fr., Mile City, MT / Custer County District HS), Alistair Smaniotto (F, 6-10, Fr., Melbourne, Australia / North Tampa Christian Academy).
 
INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR
This season's squad features six international scholar-athletes, including three from Australia and one each from Israel, England and Mexico. Jackson Ware and Tyresse Poku Mensah both played for the Marauders last season.

• Jackson Ware (F, 6-9, Sr., Northern Rivers, NSW, Australia Purdue University Northwest)
• Tyresse Poku Mensah (G, 6-1, So., London, England New City College)
• Ori Yarmelovsky (F, 6-7, Fr., Givat Shapira, Israel)
• Dylan Galvan (G, 5-11, So., Chihuahua, Mexico / San Jose City College)
• Nick Beattie (G, 6-5, Fr., Melbourne, Australia / Haileybury College)
• Alistair Smaniotto (F, 6-10, Fr., Melbourne, Australia / North Tampa Christian Academy)

 
YEAR TWO
UMary head coach Darren Tighe is in his second at the Marauders helm. Tighe (pronounced TIE) joined UMary with ten years of collegiate head coaching experience, compiling 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.
 
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

 
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