For Immediate Release
Monday, Nov. 11, 2013

NSIC Media Relations
Full PDF Release

NSIC Player of the Week
#32  Casey Schilling
F, 6-6, 190, So.,
Ellsworth, Minn.
Ellsworth HS

Augustana

Casey Schilling started off the season strong averaging 18 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks and three steals over the weekend. Schilling finished the weekend shooting 52 percent (12 of 23) from the field and 62 percent (11 of 17) from the free throw line. Schilling had a monster game against Central Missouri on Sunday putting up career-highs in points (20), rebounds (13) and steals (5). Schilling recorded his second career double-double against the Mules and nearly had one on Saturday against Missouri Western when scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds while swatting a career-high five blocks against the Griffons.

AUGUSTANA -  #32 Casey Schilling (F, 6-6, 190, So., Ellsworth, Minn./Ellsworth HS) started off the season strong averaging 18 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks and three steals over the weekend. Schilling finished the weekend shooting 52 percent (12 of 23) from the field and 62 percent (11 of 17) from the free throw line. Schilling had a monster game against Central Missouri on Sunday putting up career-highs in points (20), rebounds (13) and steals (5). Schilling recorded his second career double-double against the Mules and nearly had one on Saturday against Missouri Western when scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds while swatting a career-high five blocks against the Griffons.  Augustana returns to action on Nov. 20, hosting Presentation College at 6 p.m. at the Elmen Center.
 
BEMIDJI STATE - The Bemidji State University men’s basketball team hosts Mayville State University Nov. 13 to open the 2013-14 campaign. The Beavers are coming off an 18-12 overall, 13-9 NSIC season. BSU won six straight games at the end of the last season before falling in the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament Championship game. The Beavers lost four starters from last season. The lone returning starter, senior Zach Noreen, averaged 9.7 points per game in 2012-13. Other key returners include seniors Michael Farrington, Maxie Rosenbloom and Jake Schalow. Head coach Mike Boschee is in his second season at the helm of the BSU men’s basketball program and brought in 10 newcomers, which includes seven true freshmen.

CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL - The Golden Bears tip-off the season at home on November 11 against Mayville State and open conference play on November 30 at home against preseason favorite Minnesota State.

UNIVERSITY OF MARY -  Jalen Jaspers (G, 6-3, 200, Minneapolis, MN / DeLaSalle) scored a game-high 18 points to lead the Marauders to an 81-71 home win in their season opener over South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. One of five players for U-Mary in double figures, the senior wing player was 7-of-9 from the field and made all four of his free throw attempts. Jaspers also tied for the team lead in rebounds with six and added two blocks.

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON  - UMC has a busy week ahead as they officially open up the 2013-14 season with two games at home. The Golden Eagles will start out the season against Valley City State University at 8 p.m. Tues., Nov. 12 at Lysaker Gymnasium. Friday, Jeff Oseth will welcome back former assistant coach Scott Sorenson, who is in his second season leading Northland College. The Golden Eagles will take on Northland Fri., Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. as part of a triple header at Lysaker Gymnasium, which includes women’s basketball and volleyball.  The Golden Eagles played one exhibition game this season and defeated Bethel University Minnesota 70-51 on the road in Arden Hills, Minn. UMC was led by 24 points from senior guard Ashton Harrell (Houston, Texas). 2013-14 will be the 12th season leading the Golden Eagles for Jeff Oseth, who is the third-longest tenured coach in the NSIC next to Winona State’s Mike Leaf and St. Cloud State’s Kevin Schlagel. His lead assistant, David Jackson, returns for his fourth season with the team while Oseth added former Central Michigan University star Robbie Harman to his staff. Harman also played a season overseas in the Netherlands.

MINNESOTA DULUTH  - Senior guard Jordan Reetz led all scorers with 19 points, including 12 in the first half, in the Bulldogs’ season-opening 61-59 win over Wisconsin-Stout. Junior guard Kristofer Jackson tied a Bulldog single game record with six blocks and was also one rebound shy of a double-double with 11 points and nine boards, including eight on the defensive end.

MINNESOTA STATE - #32 Gage Wooten (G, 6-4, 210, Sr., Aurora, Colo./Eaglecrest/ Missouri State-West Plains) averaged 14.3 points in MSU’s three games this past weekend. He also connected on 17-of-26 (.654) shots from the field and 8-of-10 (.800) attempts from the free throw line. He averaged 4.7 rebounds per game as well and passed out four assists. He led the Mavericks in scoring in two games this past weekend, including a career-high 22 points in MSU’s win over Texas A&M International where he shot 8-of-9 (.889) from the field and 5-of-5 from the line. The Mavericks have four players averaging at least 12 points per game, including junior Assem Marei who leads the team with an average of 15.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.  Zach Monaghan dished out 12 assists this past weekend and tallied seven steals. As a team, MSU shot 48.5% from the field and brought down 118 rebounds.

MSU MOORHEAD - Urbane Bingham (F, 6-8, Jr., Farmington Hills, Mich./ North Farmington HS) had a solid all-around game in the Dragons’ 84-51 rout of Mayville State on Saturday night. Bingham had 16 points and six rebounds in just 16 minutes of action off the bench. Bingham had six rebounds, a block and a steal in his MSUM regular-season debut.

MINOT STATE - #3 E.J. Williams (G, 6-0, 170, Sr., Raleigh, N.C. / Capitol Hill / Cape Fear CC) hit 11 of 12 free throws to score a game-high 24 points to pace Minot State to a 63-57 win over South Dakota Mines in the Beavers season opening game. He hit six straight free throws and scored his team’s final eight points to hold off the Hardrockers. Williams also finished with three rebounds, two assists and a steal in 32 minutes. Minot State won its season opening game for the first time since the 2009-10 season, topping South Dakota Mines 63-57 in a defensive grind Friday at the Minot State Dome. The Beavers held the Hardrockers, a team in their first full season as a NCAA Division II school, to just 32.1 percent shooting from the floor. MISU also held a big 35-23 advantage on rebounds, pulling down 12 offensive boards in the game. #3 E.J. Williams (G, 6-0, 170, Sr., Raleigh, N.C. / Capitol Hill / Cape Fear Community College) Williams hit 11 of 12 free throws to score a game-high 24 points to pace MISU, also helping the Beavers to a 25-17 advantage from the line. #15 Thomas Korf (Jr., F, 6-5, 199, Jr., St. Cloud, Minn. / St. Cloud Tech) also scored in double figures with 10 points and #2 Chris East (F, 6-6, 218, Sr., Toronto, Ontario / Mother Theresa / ASA Institute) pulled down 11 rebounds. The Beavers will play a split schedule this week, taking on Dickinson State Tuesday and Presentation College Sunday.

NORTHERN STATE - Seth Bachand (Jr., F, Sturgis, S.D., Sturgis Brown HS) led the Wolves over the weekend averaging 16 points and nine rebounds per game as Northern split the weekend at the Sanford Tip-Off Classic. Bachand scored 16 points in both ball games which set a career-high. In NSU’s win over Missouri Western, Bachand recorded his first career double-double as he scored 16 and hauled down a career-best 13 rebounds in the game. Bachand also had five assists and a block over the weekend while shooting 45 percent from the free-throw line.

SIOUX FALLS - The University of Sioux Falls (1-0) posted a 93-69 victory in its season opener on Saturday versus the University of Wisconsin-Superior (0-1). The win marked the 3rd straight in an opener for the Cougars and improved head coach Chris Johnson’s record to 3-3 in openers for his career. Sioux Falls junior guard Mahlon Jones finished with a team-high 15 points, hitting 5-of-7 attempts from the field. Bryan Kielpinski finished with 13 points. The Cougars put six players in double-digits, as all 13 players saw action. Sophomore forward Jordan Stotts set a career high in the game with seven boards, despite the Cougars being edged 40-39 in total rebounds. Robert Goffney and Kielpinski each pulled down four of USF’s 14 offensive boards in the game. Sioux Falls held UW-Superior to just 35.5 percent (22-62), including a 6-for-23 mark (26.1%) from beyond the arc. It was also the largest margin of victory for Sioux Falls since defeating Mayville State 72-41 on Nov. 10, 2012. USF continues non-conference play this Saturday when the Cougars travel to the SD School of Mines a (0-2).

SMSU - Senior guard Vinard Birch (5-11, 190, Eagan, Minn.) averaged 14.5 points, 4.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds and shot 68.8 percent (11 of 16) from the field in SMSU’s weekend split versus two of the top teams in the MIAA. Birch also made 7 of 8 free throw attempts and had two steals during the weekend. In SMSU’s 72-50 win over Northwest Missouri State, Birch had a game-high 18 points on 8 of 9 shooting with six assists and four rebounds.

ST. CLOUD STATE - St. Cloud State opened the season with a 64-51 non-conference win over the University of Northwestern. Matt Craggs (Sr., F, Kimberly, Wis.), a transfer from Northern Michigan led the Huskies with 12 points and nine rebounds. He made five of seven field goals and was two-for-two from three-point range and blocked four shots. Kevin Levandoski (Jr., G, Appleton, Wis.) had a solid line with four points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. The Huskies will host the St. Cloud State Basketball Classic Nov. 16-17. St. Cloud State tips off against St. John’s on Saturday at 4 p.m. The Huskies and Johnnies have played 108 games since the 1924-25 season with SCSU leading the series 63-45. Mayville State and St. Scholastica round out the Classic field.

UPPER IOWA - Josh Weeber (C, Fr., 6-5, 215, Dubuque, Ia./Senior HS) averaged a team-high 17.5 points over the weekend for Upper Iowa including a game-high 26 points on Sunday against Fort Hays State. The newcomer from Dubuque, Iowa hit 11 of his 26 shots for a 42-percent shooting clip. While struggling from beyond the arc on Saturday, Weeber bounced back a day later and drained 3-of-6 from long range. Weeber’s performance against the Tigers rewrote the Peacock record book as he scored the most points in a single game for a freshman since UIU joined the Northern Sun Conference before the 2006 season. Weeber also snagged nine boards, added an assist and a steal in the Peacocks first two contests of the season.
The Peacocks dropped two games this past weekend to two of the top teams in the MIAA as Upper Iowa began the 2013 regular season. UIU will stay away from Dorman Gym for one more game as they look to get in the win column against the University of Missouri – St. Louis on Thursday. That game is set for a 7 p.m. tip-off.

WAYNE STATE - Ty Bauschek (G, 6-1, Sr., Mukwonago, Wis.) scored a career-high 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds in Wayne State’s 75-69 season-opening loss at Nebraska-Kearney Sunday afternoon.  He was 8 of 15 from the field and 5 for 5 at the free throw line and also accounted for three assists and two steals.  
Wayne State will be at home Friday night hosting Mt. Marty College in a 7 p.m. non-conference game.

WINONA STATE -  Kellen Taylor, G, Sr., Plymouth , Minn. (Wayzata) got his season off to a strong start, posting a double-double in WSU’s opening win over American University Friday in Puerto Rico. Taylor scored 11 points and grabbed ten rebounds in the 67-56 victory. He was 4-of-6 from the floor while also connecting on a 3-pointer and pair of free throws. Taylor Cameron added ten points for WSU while Kyle Bauman came off the bench to score a team-high 13. Winona State will wrap up their trip to Puerto Rico with games on Monday and Tuesday.