Anthony Tucker averaged 23.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists in helping Minnesota State University Moorhead to a 2-0 week at the Southwest Baptist Classic. In a 72-67 win over Lincoln, Tucker had 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists, and followed with a near triple-double of 24 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in a 92-69 rout of Southwest Baptist. Tucker shot 60 percent from the field and 9-of-11 (81.8 percent) from three-point range, and also shot 93.3 percent (14-of-15) from the foul line.

AUGUSTANA COLLEGE - #1 Cameron McCaffrey (G, 6-1, 170, Sr., Portland, Ore./Century) led Augustana to a 54-48 win over Jamestown College in the season opener on Saturday. The senior guard finished with 20 points on 6 of 10 shooting, including 1 of 3 from 3-point range. McCaffrey also hit 7 of 8 free throws in the game, including four free throws in the final minute of the game to secure the win for the Vikings.
#34 Daniel Jansen (F, 6-9, 230, Fr., Orange City, Iowa/MOC-Floyd Valley) made his first collegiate start on Saturday afternoon against Jamestown College and finished with 13 points and six rebounds in the win. Jansen earned his place in the paint grabbing six rebounds but also getting to the free throw line 13 times in the game. The freshman was 7 of 13 from the charity stripe in the game. 

BEMIDJI STATE - The Bemidji State men’s basketball team finished with a program-best 22-9 record a season ago, won the NSIC Regular Season Championship and made their second all-time appearance in the NCAA tournament, but lost DII Daktronics National Player of the Year James Ellisor and Daktronics All-Region performer Bryce Tesdahl to graduation and saw the departure of head coach Matt Bowen. Despite big losses BSU welcomed nine returning players to fold and introduced new head coach Mike Boschee in July to continue the momentum built a season ago. Included in the returners is the 2011-12 NSIC Newcomer of the Year Dermaine Crockrell, who was named BSU’s Player to Watch. The Beavers were tabbed to finish tied for 12th overall and fifth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Bemidji State begins the 2012-13 campaign Nov. 16-17 at the NSIC/Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Challenge in Winona, Minn. BSU will play University of Colorado-Colorado Springs Nov. 16 and No. 5 Metro State University Nov. 17. Both contests are set for a 5 p.m. start at McCown Gymnasium on the campus of Winona State University. Last season the Beavers traveled out to Colorado to play both UCCS and then-No. 10 Metro State. BSU lost 71-60 to Metro State before defeating UC-Colorado Springs 77-69.

CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL - The Golden Bears concluded their exhibition season on Friday night with a 109-101 double overtime win over WIAC Champion UW-River Falls. In the win, Terez VanPelt scored 39 points with 7 assists and 5 rebounds. He was clutch at the stripe, hitting 14-of-17 while making 12-of-23 from the floor. During two exhibition games (St. John’s and UWRF) and an alumni scrimmage, the Golden Bears averaged 100.3 points per game while shooting 52.2% from the field and 46.4% from three-point range. VanPelt led the team with a 22.3 scoring average while averaging 7.0 assists. Cole Olstad added 17.7 points and 6.3 rebounds while Isaiah Thomas averaged a double-double in exhibition play with 15.7 points and 10.7 rebounds. Nick Mabbutt helped inside with 12.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game, swatting seven blocks against UWRF on Friday night.

UNIVERSITY OF MARY - Josh Turner and Marc Musungayi both scored ten points in the University of Mary season opening 76-46 loss at NCAA Division I University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. The Marauders jumped out to a 12-9 lead but the depth and athleticism of the Panthers – who return three starters and eight letter winners from a 20-win season – proved too much for U-Mary. Musungayi just missed a double-double with nine rebounds. Alex Dorr had eight points and eight rebounds. The Marauders open their home schedule against Mayville State University on November 14.

MINNESOTA, CROOKSTON  - The University of Minnesota, Crookston defeated Presentation College 80-66 to open the 2012-13 season Friday night at Lysaker Gymnasium in Crookston. The Golden Eagles start off the year with a 1-0 record. The game was an exhibition for NCAA Division III affiliate Presentation College. UMC was led by four players scoring double figures paced by junior college transfer Brandon Burns (Jr., F, Baton Rouge, La.), who put in 18 points in his first official contest for the Golden Eagles.

MINNESOTA DULUTH  - In official game action for the first time under new head coach Matt Bowen, UMD fell short in Sunday’s season opener against Wisconsin-Parkside at Romano Gymnasium. The Bulldogs trailed for the majority of the contest, aside from a few brief moments in the second half. UMD was able to come up with just six assisted baskets, and faltered down the stretch in falling to 0-1. Senior guard Jake Hottenstine led the way with 22 points and five rebounds on the afternoon. The Bulldogs return home next weekend to take on Michigan Tech.

MINNESOTA STATE - Sophomore forward, Zach Romashko (6-8, 230, Blaine, Minn./Blaine) scored a game-high 19 points in MSU’s 100-42 win over Bethany Lutheran College to open the 2012-13 season.  Romashko, who played 23 minutes in the win, finished hitting 7-of-9 shots, including 3-of-5 from downtown as well as connecting on both of his free throws.   He also had two steals.
With the win over Bethany Lutheran College, MSU moves to 5-0 all-time against the crosstown school…Five players recorded double-figures in the scoring column in the win and nine players played at least 17 minutes…The Mavericks shot 60.6 percent from the floor in the victory and outrebounded BLC, 51-19, including 13-4 on the offensive end…Minnesota State travels to the Ron Logsdon Basketball Classic this weekend where it will play Sonoma State and San Francisco State…MSU played in the event two years ago and won both games…Junior wing Gage Wooten recorded MSU’s first double-double of the season against BLC with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

MSU MOORHEAD - Anthony Tucker (G, 6-4, Sr., Burnsville, Minn. / Minnetonka HS) averaged 23.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists in helping Minnesota State University Moorhead to a 2-0 week at the Southwest Baptist Classic. In a 72-67 win over Lincoln, Tucker has 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists, and followed with a near triple-double of 24 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in a 92-69 rout of Southwest Baptist. Tucker shot 60 percent from the field and 9-of-11 (81.8 percent) from three-point range, and also shot 93.3 percent (14-of-15) from the foul line.

MINOT STATE - Minot State University officially began the Matt Murken era with two solid road losses to ranked opponents. The Beavers fell 75-54 to No. 5 Metro State before nearly shocking No. 13 Colorado Mines in double overtime. MISU lost 87-83 to the Orediggers Saturday. Minot State had great balance throughout the two games with six players reaching double figures. #0 Dominique McDonald (G, 6-0, 175, Fr., Raleigh, N.C. / Wake Forest-Rolesville High School) finished with 21 points and five assists in the loss to Mines. The freshman finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds total. #14 Chris East (F, 6-6, 218, Jr., Toronto, Ontario / Mother Theresa / ASA Institute) scored 10 points and added nine rebounds against Metro State and finished with 22 rebounds and 16 points on the weekend following a 13-rebound effort against Mines. Minot State plays at NCAA Division I University of Montana in exhibition play Wednesday before playing its first home game Sunday against Northland College (Wis.)

NORTHERN STATE - Geoffrey Firmin (G, 6-2, 200, Sr., Brussels, Belgium/Charles Janssens HS/Highland JC) converted on two three-point plays in the final three minutes - including one with just 14 seconds remaining - to lift the Wolves to a dramatic 69-67 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills on Sunday in the Disney Tip-off finale.  Firmin scored six of the team’s last eight points in the win, as NSU used an 8-0 run at the end of the game to score the come-from-behind victory.  The senior finished the night with 16 points, five rebound and five assists.

SIOUX FALLS - Senior forward James Rader tallied a team-high 19 points to help guide Sioux Falls to a dominating 72-41 win in their season-opener Saturday night, when they hosted Mayville State University. Rader was extremely efficient, converting baskets in the post as well as capitalizing on opportunities at the line. He played a perfect second half where he went 5-of-5 from the field and 2-of-2 at the line for a team-high 12 points. Rader finished the game shooting 80% from the field and was perfect at the line. He also added two rebounds on the night.  

SMSU - Nick Smith (C, 6-9, Jr., Johnston, Iowa / Johnston) averaged 11.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in SMSU’s three games at the season-opening Disney Tip-Off in Anaheim, Calif. In total, Smith accumulated 35 points on 57.1 percent shooting to go with 25 rebounds (9 offensive / 16 defensive). Smith recorded his first double-double of the season in SMSU’s 77-58 win over UNC-Pembroke as he had 12 points and 12 rebounds. Smith was just one rebound shy of his second straight double-double in SMSU’s 69-58 win over Grand Canyon as the junior center had 15 points and nine rebounds.

ST. CLOUD STATE - St. Cloud State will open the 2012-13 season at crosstown rival St. John’s University on Friday, Nov. 16. The Huskies are 62-45 all-time against the Johnnies in a series that dates back to the 1924-25 season.  St. Cloud State (20-9 overall and 15-7 NSIC in 2011-12) has received mentions in two NCAA Division II preseason basketball polls. The Huskies are ranked #19 in the Basketball Times preseason poll and received votes in the NABC preseason poll. St. Cloud State played an exhibition game at Michigan State on Nov. 2, falling to the Spartans, 62-49. Connor Niehuas (So., F, Fremont, Neb.) led SCSU with 10 points. Theo Rothstein (Sr., F, St. Michael, Minn.) had 11 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals.

UPPER IOWA - Sam Elgin (W, 6-6, Sr., Center Point, Iowa) led the Peacocks with 15 points and 8 rebounds in the team’s opening win over William Jewell on Sunday afternoon, 68-60.  The Peacocks trailed by eight at halftime after shooting just 31 percent from the floor in the first period, but UIU bounced back with 43 points in the second half as they earned non-conference victory.  Elgin hit 4 of 7 from the floor and knocked in one three-pointer and one follow up dunk that brought the crowd to their feet.
The Peacocks will now hit the road for six straight games, the final three of which will be against NSIC opponents. Up next for UIU is Truman State with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Kirksville, Missouri.

WAYNE STATE - Amry Shelby, a 5-11 senior guard from Marion, Iowa, averaged 24.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in leading Wayne State to a pair of wins at the Southwest Baptist Tournament in Bolivar, Missouri over the weekend.  Shelby scored 13 points to go with four assists and four rebounds as the ‘Cats notched a 66-43 win Friday over host Southwest Baptist and followed that with a 36-point explosion on Saturday with 28 points coming in the second half to boost WSC in a 77-61 win over Lincoln (Mo.).  Against Lincoln, Shelby was 12 of 17 from the field, 5 of 6 from three point range and 7 of 8 at the foul stripe.  For the weekend, Shelby made 16 of 28 shots (.571), was 6 of 10 (.600) behind the three point line and was 11 of 12 (.917) at the charity stripe.

WINONA STATE -  Clayton Vette (C, 6-9, 240, Sr., Waverly, Iowa  / Waverly-Shell Rock HS) averaged 20.3 points and 9.3 rebounds as the Warriors went a perfect 3-0 at the season-opening Disney Classic. Vette shot 50 percent from the floor (20-of-40) while also going 21-of-27 (77.8%) from the free throw line. The senior began the season with a career high 31 points and 11 rebounds against Grand Canyon. He bookended the weekend with 22 points in a win over North Carolina-Pembroke.