For Immediate Release
Thursday, October 27, 2016
NSIC Media Relations
Full PDF Release

Minnesota State University, Mankato Tabbed NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Overall & South Favorite
MSU Moorhead Picked in North

BURNSVILLE, Minn. - Minnesota State University, Mankato was selected by the league coaches as the overall and south division preseason favorite in the NSIC for 2016. The Mavericks received 11 first place votes and amassed 220 points, 30 points ahead of defending National Champions of Augustana (190) and 37 points ahead of MSU Moorhead and St. Cloud State (183). Augustana garnered two first place votes while MSUM, WSU and USF each received one first place vote as well. The coaches’ top choice in the north division was MSU Moorhead, which edged SCSU by two points, 46-44, as the two teams split the first place votes. MSU again edged Augie in the south by five points.

NSIC coaches rank each team from 1 to 15 with a first place vote receiving 15 points, second place 14, third place 13, etc. Coaches do not rank their own team or vote for their own players.

Overall	Points		North Division	Points
1. Minnesota State (11)	220		1. MSU Moorhead (4)	46
2. Augustana (2)	190		2. St. Cloud State (4)	44
3. MSU Moorhead (1)	183		3. Northern State	39
St. Cloud State	183		4. University of Mary	28
5. Winona State (1)	174		5. Minot State	21
6. Sioux Falls (1)	172		6. Minnesota Duluth	20
7. Northern State	151		7. Bemidji State	18
8. Southwest Minnesota State	124		8. Minnesota Crookston	8
9. Upper Iowa	102		South Division	Points
10. University of Mary	96		1. Minnesota State (5)	47
11. Concordia-St. Paul	73		2. Augustana (2)	42
12. Minnesota Duluth	72		3. Sioux Falls (1)	36
Minot State	72		4. Winona State	35
14. Bemidji State	57		5. Southwest Minnesota State	23
15. Wayne State	29		6. Upper Iowa	20
16. Minnesota Crookston	22		7. Concordia-St. Paul	14
first place votes in ( )			8. Wayne State	7

The regular season championship will be based on the 22-game NSIC schedule. Each team will play teams in their division twice (14) and teams in the other division once (8). An NSIC North and South Division Champion will also be awarded. Divisional standings will also be based on all 22 NSIC contests played. In the case of a tie, co-champions will be awarded. The 16-team NSIC / Sanford Health Men’s Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Championships are set to take place Sun.-Tues., Feb. 26-28 at the Sanford Health Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. First round games will be played on the campus of the top eight seeds on Wednesday, Feb. 22.



#20 Gage Davis (G, 6-4, 185, R-So., Bolingbrook, Ill. / Bolingbrook HS)
St. Cloud State University
- Preseason Second Team DII All-American by the Sporting News
- Played in all 29 games with 28 starts as a redshirt freshman
- First Team All-NSIC selection
- The 2015-2016 NSIC Freshman of the Year
- Named to the 2015-16 Division II Bulletin All-Freshman Team
- Fifth in NSIC with 19.7 points and third in rebounding at 8.0 per contest
- Scored in double figures in 27 games including two 30-point performances
- Scored a career-high 36 points against Wayne State College (1/16/16)
- Set the first-year player scoring record for the school with 570 points
- Led the team in blocks (23) and placed second in assists (88)
- 10 double-doubles on the season and led team in scoring in 13 games



#10 Jon Fuqua (F, 6-5, 215, Sr., Maywood, Ill. / Walther Lutheran)
Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Second Team All-NSIC last season
- Averaged 15.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game last season
- Led MSU in rebounding (245) and shooting percentage (55.8%) last season
- Played in all 32 games last season, including 24 starts
- Led MSU with seven double-doubles last season
- Scored at least 11 points in 28 games last season
- Scored at least 20 points in 10 games last season
- Season-high 29 points double-overtime win vs. Northern State

 

Augustana University Vikings

Last Year	Starters Returning/Lost	Letter winners	2015-16 Standings
34-2, 21-1 NSIC	2 / 3	10/4	1st Overall / 1st South Division
Team Preview
Augustana will have to replace the 2016 NCAA Division II National Player of the Year and three All-America players but returns a group of experienced players from last year’s National Championship team. The Vikings won a school record 34 games last season and won their second straight NSIC Regular Season and Tournament Championships before winning the NCAA Central Region Championship for the first time in program history. Augustana set single season records for points (3,250), scoring average (90.3), field goals made (1,117), 3-point field goals made (367), rebounds (1,379) and assists (684) in 2015-16. Senior Adam Beyer has played in 100 career games for the Vikings, including making 88 career starts. He enters his senior season averaging 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in three seasons. Beyer shot 55.3 percent from the field last season, including 51.6 percent from behind the arc. The Vikings also return point guard Jordan Spencer who led the NSIC and ranked fifth in the country in assists in 2015-16 dishing out a single season record 244 (6.7 per game) to go along with 9.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. Augustana also returns 6-foot-9 forward Zach Huisken who enters his senior season averaging 4.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in his career. Huisken ended his junior season in a big way making his first start of the season in the quarterfinals of the Elite Eight before going off for 13 points and eight rebounds. Huisken then scored six points and grabbed eight rebounds in the Final Four to help Augustana to the national title game. Sophomore John Warren played in all 36 games as a true freshman in 2015-16 averaging 3.9 points and 1.1 rebounds per game. The Vikings landed a transfer for the 2016-17 season in Mike Busack who is a graduate student at Augustana after averaging 8.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in three seasons at Minnesota State, Mankato.
Player to Watch
#11 Adam Beyer (G, 6-6, 175, Sr., De Pere, Wis./De Pere HS)
First game
Friday, Nov. 11 at Southwestern Oklahoma State – 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12 vs. East Central - 12:30 p.m.

 

Bemidji State University Beavers

Last Year	Starters Returning/Lost	Letter winners	2015-16 Standings
10-17, 7-15 NSIC	4 / 5	5 returning	14th Overall, 7th North
Team Preview
Head Coach Mike Boschee enters his fifth season at the helm of the Bemidji State men's basketball program with sights on another Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference championship. Two full-time starters (center Ben Best and guard Christian Pekarek) return with part-time starters (forwards Will Harvey and Shane White) to lead the Beavers in their pursuit for the No. 1 spot in the conference. Seven newcomers join the program for the journey, including six true freshmen and one transfer.
Player to Watch
#5 Ben Best (F, 6-8, 215, Sr., Drummond, Wis. / Drummond HS)
First game (s) - Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
Friday, Nov. 11 vs Lindenwood  – 5:30 p.m. Saturday, No. 12 vs. Central Missouri - TBD

 

Concordia University, St. Paul Golden Bears

Last Year	Starters Returning/Lost	Letter winners	2015-16 Standings
13-16, 10-12 NSIC	2 / 3	6 returning	t-10th Overall, 6th South
Team Preview
The Golden Bears enter the 2016-17 season looking to build on a strong finish to the season that saw them win 10 of their final 14 conference games, including five in a row to end the regular season before falling to U-Mary in the opening round of the conference tournament. CSP was especially impressive on their home court down the stretch with six wins out of seven, highlighted by a 98-97 win over then-#3 MSU Moorhead on January 29th. Despite losing the third-leading scorer in program history in Cole Olstad and well as a pair of big men starters in Shea Mandli and Mike Yahnke, Concordia returns three of their top five scorers and six rotation players from last year’s squad. The returners are led by sophomore Bryndan Matthews, who averaged 11.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and nearly a steal per game in his first year on campus. The backcourt duo of Diallo Powell and Matt Ambriz also return after playing key roles for the Golden Bears last season as Powell averaged 9.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game and Ambriz averaged 7.8 points with nearly two threes made per game. In addition to the returners, Concordia adds an exciting mix of new faces with five incoming freshmen and a pair of JUCO transfers. Freshmen Ted Brown, Carter Brooks, Sam Siganos and Max Keefe could all play roles right off the bat while junior transfer Ahmad Newsome projects to play a role in the backcourt as well.
Player to Watch
#23 Bryndan Matthews (G, 6-4, 190, So., Eagan, Minn. / Eagan HS)
First Week (Puerto Rico Classic – San Juan, P.R.)
Friday, Nov. 11 vs. Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras – 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12 vs Puerto Rico-Bayamon – 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13 vs University of Metropolitana – 12 p.m.

University of Mary Marauders

Last Year	Starters Returning/Lost	Letter winners	2015-16 Standings
19-12, 12-10 NSIC	2/3	7/4	6th Overall, 3rd North
Team Preview
Perhaps the biggest surprise team in the Northern Sun last season, the Marauders went from a 12th place finish in the league two years ago to making the league tournament semifinals in head coach Joe Kittell’s first season at the University of Mary. The Marauders improved by ten wins to finish 19-12 and jumped six slots in the standings to sixth. Mary also hosted an NSIC tournament game for just the second time and posted its second-most wins since joining NCAA Division II. Bryan Jefferson and Isaac Lindquist are the two returning starters. Jefferson earned All-NSIC first team honors last year after averaging 15.7 points and 6.6 rebounds, both team highs. The senior forward also shot 57.1 percent from the field. Just the third Marauders player to earn 1st team honors, Jefferson enters his third season as a starter. Fellow senior Lindquist averaged 9.4 PPG and 4.6 RPG in the post. The Marauders also return five reserves, including senior wing Ricky Suggs (7.8 PPG, 53.1 FG%) and senior guard Damonta Henry (7.6 PPG, 45 3pts). Two players who redshirted last season at Mary – SR G Pat Thomas and JR F Trevor Zacher – will play key roles for the Marauders. Additionally JR G Luke Scott – a part-time starter as a sophomore – returns after missing last year with an injury.
Player to Watch
#10 Bryan Jefferson (F, 6-7, 205, Sr., Aurora, Ill. / Waubonsie Valley)
First game
Saturday, Nov. 11 vs. Lincoln University at Bolivar, MO – 6 p.m.

 

University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles

Last Year	Starters Returning/Lost	Letter winners	2015-16 Standings
3-24, 1-21 NSIC	3/2	9/4	16th Overall, 8th North
Team Preview
Minnesota Crookston returns a solid core heading into Head Coach Dan Weisse’s third season leading the ship for the Golden Eagles. Weisse is looking to build the Golden Eagles the right way and has good young talent to lead the way heading into the future. The leading returnee for UMC is point guard Kobe Critchley, who averaged 9.2 points and 2.7 assists per game in his first season with the Golden Eagles. In addition to Critchley, UMC also returns forward Gable Smith, who was a force on the block with 51 on the season. He also averaged 5.4 points and 4.5 rebounds and looks poised to improve on those numbers as a redshirt sophomore. Minnesota Crookston also returns a third starter in post Nate Lorenz, who averaged 5.2 points and 3.3 rebounds. Key reserves Chase Knickerbocker, Jim Warmack and Xavier Hall will look to build upon what they did last season for UMC. The Golden Eagles also return Riley Rice, Aaron Hollcraft and Darin Viken. Newcomers Chase Johnson, Benjamin Rounds, Harrison Cleary, Josh Lanasa and Gabrys Sadaunkyas along with redshirt Connor Gamble, will fight for their shot for Minnesota Crookston this season.
Player to Watch
#13 Kobe Critchley (PG, 6-0, 173, So., Roseville, Minn. / Roseville Area HS)
First game
Nov. 11, at Southwest Baptist, 4 p.m.

 

University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs

Last Year	Starters Returning/Lost	Letter winners	2015-16 Standings
15-14, 11-11 NSIC	1/4	8 returning	t-7th Overall, 4th North
Team Preview
Minnesota Duluth finished tied for seventh place in 2015-16 with an even .500 record in conference play. The 2016-17 Bulldogs have plenty of youth – 13 of 17 players are freshman and sophomore. The lone returning starter for UMD is junior guard Kyle Schalow, who started 18 games last season while averaging 5.3 points. As the only senior, center Charles Benson will look to lead the Bulldogs following a season where he shot .607 from the field. Head coach Matt Bowen is entering his fifth season in charge, holding a record of 51-62 (39-49 NSIC) with UMD. After consistent NSIC finishes the past three seasons with 11, 12, and 10 wins, Bowen and the Bulldogs will look for a breakthrough season to move up in the standings. UMD will welcome a large presence in 6-10 junior college transfer Robert Harris, who joins the team alongside eight freshmen.
Player to Watch
#22 Charles Benson (F, 6-6, 228, Sr., Tucson, Ariz. / Amphitheater HS)
First game
Friday, Nov. 11 vs. Central Missouri - 7:30 p.m. - Wisconsin Dells, Wis. Saturday, Nov. 12 vs. Lindenwood - 3 p.m. - Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

Minnesota State University, Mankato Mavericks

Last Year	Starters Returning/Lost	Letter winners	2015-16 Standings
22-10, 15-7 NSIC	3 / 2	4 returning	3rd Overall, 2nd South
Team Preview
Minnesota State returns three starters from last season, including senior Jon Fuqua and sophomores Cole Harper and Joey Witthus. Fuqua, who received All-NSIC Second Team honors last season, averaged 15.7 points and a team-leading 7.7 rebounds a game. Witthus, the only Maverick to start all 32 games last season, led the MSU offense with 78 three point field goals. Witthus also averaged 12 points and 4.2 rebounds a game. Harper started in MSU’s final 10 games last season, including its two NCAA Tournament games. Harper finished his freshman season averaging 3.6 points and 3.4 rebounds a game.
Player to Watch
#10 Jon Fuqua (F, 6-5, 215, Sr., Maywood, Ill. / Walther Lutheran / DMACC)
First game
Friday, Nov. 11 vs. Pittsburg State – 5 p.m.

 

Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons

Last Year	Starters Returning/Lost	Letter winners	2015-16 Standings
30-6, 19-3 NSIC	2/3	5/6	2nd Overall, 1st NSIC North
Team Preview
MSUM won the NSIC North Division title for a third straight year in 2015-16 and also qualified for the NCAA tournament for a second straight year.  Dragons reached 30-win plateau for second straight year. MSUM returns two starters from last year’s team: senior guard Aaron Lien (11.8 ppg) and junior guard Tanner Kretchman (14.1 ppg, 5.8 apg). Seniors Ayob Ayob and Matt Nelson and sophomore also return with experience for MSUM which is entering its seventh year under the direction of Head Coach Chad Walthall.
Player to Watch
#14 Aaron Lien (G, 6-4, Sr., Moorhead, Minn./Moorhead HS)
First game
Friday, Nov. 11 vs. Harding in Bethany, Okla. - 4 p.m.

 

Minot State University Beavers

Last Year	Starters Returning/Lost	Letter winners	2015-16 Standings
15-14, 10-12 NSIC	3/2	7/3	t-10th Overall, t-5th North
Team Preview
Minot State looks to continue to improve as the Beavers notched its first winning season since joining NCAA Division II in 2012. The Beavers finished 15-14 in 2015-16 and 10-12 in NSIC play to finish in a tie for fifth in the NSIC North Division. MSU steadily improved during the season last year going 11-7 over its final 18 games, including 8-1 at home and 7-1 at home in NSIC play after the break. MSU returns a trio of starters including leading scorer Tyler Rudolph, a 6-foot-6 junior forward. The All-NSIC Second Team performer had one of the best sophomore campaigns in school history, averaging 17.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. He finished second in the NSIC in rebounding and was ninth in scoring in the league. Guards Nathan Mertens and Luis Ricci Maia anchor an experienced backcourt as Mertens, a 6-2 senior, averaged 9.8 points and 3.2 rebounds while dishing out 90 assists and Maia, a 5-11 junior, pitched in with 5.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 78 assists. The duo combined for 168 assists and just 70 turnovers. Also returning is 6-8 junior forward Stevan Jovanovic, who started two games in 2015-16. Jovanovic averaged 5.0 points and 2.8 rebounds last season. MSU will look to get a scoring punch from athletic redshirt freshman Trevor Rothstein, who sat out his first season due to an injury, and newcomer Russ Davis, a transfer from Phoenix College where he was 54-14 in two seasons.
Player to Watch
#24 Tyler Rudolph (F, 6-6, 230, Jr., Bismarck, N.D. / Bismarck Century)
First game
Friday, Nov. 11 vs. Henderson State in Lancaster, Texas – 5 p.m.

 

Northern State University Wolves

Last Year	Starters Returning/Lost	Letter winners	2015-16 Standings
18-12, 13-9 NSIC	4/1	8 returning	4th Overall, 2nd North
Team Preview
The Northern State University men’s basketball team enters the 2016-17 season with 11 returners and six new faces including two junior college transfers in Jonny Dale and Logan Doyle. The Wolves finished 18-12 a season ago ultimately falling to Winona State (70-68) in the quarterfinal round of the NSIC Tournament. They were second in the NSIC North and fourth overall in the league, just missing a berth to the NCAA Central Region Tournament. The team recorded arguably their biggest victory of the season, defeating the No. 1 Augustana Vikings 90-81 over “I Hate Winter” from Wachs Arena. Northern also tallied their ninth straight season leading the nation in attendance averaging 3,346 fans per home game. NSU returns a great deal of experience this season with four starts from 2015-16 and fifth year seniors Mack Arvidson and Michael Schreiber. Arvidson was nabbed as Northern’s player to watch in the league this season. The Grand Forks native has battled injuries throughout his career, but was a key member of the Northern bench last season averaging 9.5 points per game. He also shot a team leading 45.0% from the arc. The Wolves also return three players who averaged double-digit points in DJ Pollard (10.7), Darin Peterka (14.1), and Carter Evans (11.1). Evans led the team shooting 63.5% from the floor and also averaged 6.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. The Wolves will have a bit of a different look on the sidelines with eight of their 17 players over 6-foot-5.
Player to Watch
#3 Mack Arvidson (G, 190, RSr., Grand Forks, N.D./Grand Forks-Red River HS)
First game
Friday, Nov. 11 at Southern Nazarene – 6 p.m.

University of Sioux Falls Cougars

Last Year	Starters Returning/Lost	Letter winners	2015-16 Standings
17-13, 11-11	5/5		7th overall, 5th South
Team Preview
USF heads into the 2016-17 season with plenty of momentum.  A year ago, USF finished 17-13 and 11-11 with seven wins in final 12 games. The Cougars will be led by All-America candidate and All-NSIC first team selection Mack Johnson (17.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 89.6 FT, 2.4 three per game, 2.9 apg,) and return five players who started games a year ago. Among the returnees is sophomore forward Drew Guebert, who broke onto the scene last year and averaged 10.4 ppg while hitting 41.8 percent from three point range. Power forward Daniel Hurtt also had a solid first team with the Cougars as he averaged 11.6 points and 4.1 rpg. Clint Thomas, who hit for 9.5 ppg and 41.7 from three point range, was a big factor offensively for the Cougars. At point guard, senior to be Kebu Johnson had a solid all around season with nearly six points, five assists and four rebounds per game.  For the first time in school history, the Cougars advanced to the quarterfinals of the NSIC Tournament and lost a tight game to top seed and eventual national champion, Augustana, 105-100.  In the past two years, USF has made marked improvement. The Cougars improved from 66.7 ppg in 2014-15 to 78.1 ppg while allowing 1.3 ppg fewer than a year ago (72.6 to 73.9 ppg). The 17 wins last year was the best by USF at the DII level - since 201
Player to Watch
#3 Mack Johnson (G, 6-3, 189, Roseville, Minn. / Roseville Area HS)
First game
Saturday, Nov. 12 vs. Emporia State - 8 p.m.

 

Southwest Minnesota State University

Last Year	Starters Returning/Lost	Letter winners	2015-16 Standings
13-15, 9-13 NSIC	4 / 1	10 returning	13th overall, 7th South
Team Preview
Southwest Minnesota State returns four starters from last season’s team that finished 13-15 overall. SMSU was 8-4 early in January, but a five-game losing streak pushed the team to battle at the .500 mark the rest of the season. SMSU returns its top three scorers from a season ago, with all three averaging double digit scoring. Senior forward Mitch Weg averaged a team-high 12.5 points, while shooting a team-best 58 percent from the field and a team-high 7.2 rebounds per game. He finished sixth in the NSIC in rebounding and eighth in field goal pct. Weg begins the season ranked first in team history in field goal pct. and ninth in rebounds. Senior forward Joey Bartlett also returns after averaging 11.8 ppg and 5.4 rebounds per game, while sophomore guard Ryan Bruggeman scored 10.5 ppg and dished out a team-leading 126 assists with a team-high 49 steals.
Player to Watch
#5 Mitch Weg (F, 6-2, 241, Sr., Worthington, Minn. / Worthington HS)
First game
Saturday, Nov. 12 vs. Fort Hays State – 6 p.m.

 

St. Cloud State University Huskies

Last Year	Starters Returning/Lost	Letter winners	2015-16 Standings
13-16, 10-12 NSIC	5 / 0	10 returning	10th overall, 5th in the North
Team Preview
The Huskies finished the 2015-16 season below .500 for the first time since the 1994-95 season. The program will be looking to bounce back and returns all five starters from a year ago plus adds in two Division I transfers in sophomore guard Ryan Wynn (Ball State) and redshirt freshman wing/post-player Alex O’Neill (Creighton) plus freshman guard Trevon Marshall. The program also returns redshirt sophomore Kurt Hall, an expected starter from last year, that was forced to miss the 2015-16 season due to injury. Among the key returners are two of the top five scorers in the NSIC last season. Redshirt sophomore Gage Davis, who was both a First Team All-NSIC selection and the league’s Freshman of the Year, returns for his second season. Davis averaged 19.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game and proved to be one of one of the more dangerous inside and outside threats in the league after shooting 50.9 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from three-point range. He placed fifth overall in the conference in scoring and ranked third in rebounding. Also returning is Second Team All-NSIC selection Scottie Stone. Stone ranked fourth in the NSIC with his average of 19.9 points a contest while knocking down 85 threes. Junior Jon Averkamp is the team’s post presence after he averaged 8.4 points per game and 4.8 rebounds a contest. Averkamp led the NSIC with his shooting percentage of 65.4 percent, while getting to 2.3 offensive rebounds a contest. His constant hustle allowed the Huskies to lead the entire NSIC in offensive rebounding. Sophomores Brindley Theisen and Adam Heede-Andersen are both expected to continue to grow and improve in their second seasons. The team returns 10 of the top 11 players from last year. Andy Foley, who averaged 4.7 points while shooting 45.5 percent from three-point range, is expected to play a more prominent role as is starting post player Seth Mortag. Mortag missed all of the 2014-15 season and showed improvement throughout the last year in averaging 4.7 points per game and 3.4 rebounds in 29 games and 15 starts. Point guard Mark Hall recorded one of the best assist to turnover ratios in the league at 2.0. while he played and started all 29 games. He also averaged 8.9 points per game and hit his free throws at 90.9 percent clip. The program also has 7’0” post player Nebojsa Stanojevic returning for his senior campaign after he started 12 games, tallied a team-high 24 blocks while shooting 57.4 percent from the field and 3.9 points per game as a junior. Heading into his third-year leading the program is long-time former SCSU assistant coach Matt Reimer. Reimer also returns his entire coaching staff from a season ago.
Player to Watch
#20 Gage Davis (G/F, 6-4, 185 , R-So., Bolingbrook, Ill. / Bolingbrook HS)
First game
Friday, Nov. 4 vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 3:30 p.m. – Anaheim, Calif. – Division II Tip Off Classic

Upper Iowa University Peacocks

Last Year	Starters Returning/Lost	Letter winners	2015-16 Standings
16-17, 11-11 NSIC	4/1	8/5	t-7th Overall, 4th South
Team Preview
The Peacock men's basketball team hosted an opening round game in the NSIC Tournament for the fourth straight season in 2015-16.  UIU defeated St. Cloud State 87-80 in the game, but dropped their quarterfinal match up to the top-seeded Minnesota State University Moorhead, 98-82.  Upper Iowa claimed the fourth spot in the NSIC South standings thanks to the fourth-best scoring offense in the conference that hit the 90-point plateau five times. The team ranked among the nation's best in three point and free throw shooting as the Peacocks were 26th in attempts and 27th in made trifectas, but were even better from the charity stripe where UIU was 9th nationally in attempts and 13th in free throws made. Upper Iowa had five players average double figure scoring last season and four of the five have returned including junior Carson Parker, who finished third on the team in scoring in 2015-16 with 11.2 points/game and led UIU in rebounding (5/game) and assists (3/game). The Dike-New Hartford high school product was the second-best free throw shooter in the conference (85-97, 87.6%). Parker is joined by a strong and experienced senior class including Jimmy Roth, Luke Lenhart, Josh Weeber, Jordan Hay, Jace Hanna.
Player to Watch
#3 Carson Parker (PG, 6-3, 185, Jr., New Hartford, Iowa/Dike-New Hartford HS)
First game
Hillyard Tipoff Classic Friday, Nov. 11 vs. Northwest Missouri State -3 p.m. in St. Joseph, Mo. Sunday, Nov. 13 at Missouri Western State -3 p.m. in St. Joseph, Mo.

 

Wayne State College Wildcats

Last Year	Starters Returning/Lost	Letter winners	2015-16 Standings
5-24, 3-19 NSIC	5 / 0	10 returning	15th Overall, 8th South
Team Preview
Wayne State returns all five starters from last year’s team that was 5-24 overall and 3-19 in the NSIC.  New head coach Jeff Kaminsky inherits an experienced, yet young roster as the 2016-17 Wildcats have no seniors.  Junior guard Matt Thomas is Wayne State’s top returning scorer after producing 16.5 points per game last season to rank 11th in the NSIC in scoring.  He scored double figures in 26 of 29 contests and had eight games with 20 or more points.  Junior forward Jordan Cornelius has started for two years and returns after averaging 9.7 points and 4.9 rebounds a contest.  Another key boost to the Wildcat roster is 6-4 sophomore guard Kendall Jacks, who was a medical redshirt last season after breaking his foot one week before the regular season.  As a freshman two years ago, Jacks averaged 8.1 points and 3.9 rebounds a contest and was Wayne State’s top defender.  Other key returners for the Wildcats include sophomore point guard Vance Janssen (7.4 ppg/2.3 rpg), junior guard Brian Goodwin (7.2 ppg) and junior guard Austin Esters (7.1 ppg).  The Wildcats face a rugged November schedule to start the season, playing three NCAA Tournament teams from last season (Northwest Missouri State, defending Division II national champion Augustana and Nebraska-Kearney) all on the road.
Player to Watch
#11 Matt Thomas (G, 6-0, 190, Jr., Elkhorn, Neb. / North Platte CC, Elkhorn South HS)
First game
Friday, November 11th at Missouri Western - 7:30 p.m.

 

Winona State University Warriors

Last Year	Starters Returning/Lost	Letter winners	2015-16 Standings
16-13, 13-9 NSIC	3 / 2	9 returning	t-4th Overall, 3rd South
Team Preview
Winona State returns a lot from last season including their top-two leading scorers Kyle Bauman and Riley Bambenek. Also back is Cory Jeffs and Josh Mongan, who combined to start 29 games last season. Last season the Warriors led the NSIC in scoring defense, allowing just 69.7 points per game. Opponents shot just 41.5% from the field and 32.2% from three. Bauman was an All-NSIC player who led the Warriors in scoring and rebounding. He is one of four seniors on the Warriors roster in 2016-17. Bambenek averaged 11.5 points per game and led the team with 59 made three’s last year. The Warriors will look to make further strides with second year coach Todd Eisner who has 79.5% of his scoring back from a year ago. Winona State averaged 71.7 points per game, outscoring opponents by two points. Despite just the two point scoring margin only eight of their 29 games were decided by five points or less. The Warriors were 2-6 in those games and will look to reverse that trend this season. Winona State opens the season with two home games before heading to Kentucky for a pair of games over the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. The newly renovated McCown Gymnasium will also make its basketball debut along with the Warriors on November 12.
Player to Watch
#24  Kyle Bauman (C, 6-8, 225, Sr., Wells, Minn.)
First game
Saturday, Nov. 12 vs University of Wisconsin-Stout - 7 p.m.