The University of Minnesota Duluth men’s basketball team will host the American Family Insurance Classic for a 24th time this weekend. The event, always held the day after Thanksgiving and drenched in basketball tradition, will start up Friday. The Bulldogs will open Classic play with an 8 p.m. tip-off against Northern Michigan University on Friday. UMD will return to action the next night with an 8 p.m. match with AFIC rival Michigan Tech University.

THE FULL PLATE SLATE

AFIC play will begin at 1 p.m. on Friday. The schedule is as follows:

Friday -

1 p.m. St. Cloud St. vs Northern Michigan (women)

3 p.m. Minnesota State, Mankato vs Michigan Tech (men)

6 p.m. Bemidji State vs UMD (women)

8 p.m. Northern Michigan vs UMD (men)

Saturday -

1 p.m. St. Cloud St. vs Bemidji State (women)

3 p.m. Minnesota State, Mankato vs Northern Michigan (men)

6 p.m. Northern Michigan vs UMD (women)

8 p.m. Michigan Tech vs UMD (men)

THE MATCH-UPS

The Bulldogs, (4-0), hold a slim 32-31 lead all-time against the Wildcats. NMU closed the gap last season when the two teams tangled in Marquette, resulting in a 80-68 loss for UMD. John Emerson had 20 points in the effort, while Ryan Breidenbach had six rebounds on the night.

UMD will boast a 27-23 all-time series advantage into Saturday's close-up with the Huskies, (2-0). UMD and Michigan Tech met twice last season, both head-to-heads at home resulting in Bulldog wins. The first was in the AFIC, when UMD piled up on the Huskies 59-57 on 11/25/05. Sean Seaman led the Bulldogs with 13 points, as Breidenbach again wiped the boards for nine grabs. The second outing on 12/16/05 and again in Romano Gym, saw UMD sweep Michigan Tech on the season with a 73-60 victory. Breidenbach played the starring role this time, tossing in 16 points and leaving Bryan Foss to collect a team-high nine boards on the evening.

LAST WEEK

The Bulldogs, off to their best start (4-0) in a decade, won four games in seven days, including Tuesday night's match over NAIA crosstown rival St. Scholastica, 78-68. Jordan Nuness led all scorers with 20 points and a career-high 5 assists.

UMD captured two wins last weekend in the Pepsi Tip-Off against two Central Athletic Collegiate Conference members. The Bulldogs dismantled Dominican College Friday 67-53, behind Nuness' 15 points, one of four players to double-digit dip in scoring on the day. UMD again won Saturday in Mankato against Felician College, 74-62. Matt Rawley led a parade of five players in double figures scoring with 16 points.

The Wildcats are 0-2 after falling to Wayne State on the road Tuesday night 76-71, despite 16 points from WIll Washington.

The Northern Michigan opened its season last Friday against Division I foe UW-Green-Bay, losing 76-59 in Green Bay. The Wildcats were led by Ricky Volcy who led all scorers with 18 points and a team-high 9 boards.

The Huskies' spirits are running high after going undefeated in the GLIAC/GLVC Challenge. Michigan Tech topped Wisconsin-Parkside in OT Friday 80-69, behind 24 points from Radayl Richardson. They returned to the hardwood Saturday to uproot Lewis 61-59. Tim Strom led the Huskies with 10 points and eight rebounds.

PRESEASON PICKS/RANKINGS

• UMD was picked to finish 4th in the NCC preseason poll of the media, after finishing in a fourth place tie with a 5-7 conference record a season ago.

Northern Michigan was selected to finish fourth in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's North Division, despite finishing third last season with a 13-5 conference record.

Michigan Tech was tabbed to finish 3rd in the GLIAC's North Division, after finishing fourth last season with a 10-8 conference record.

THE COACHES

Entering his ninth season as head coach at UMD, Gary Holquist will again lead the way for the Bulldogs. Holquist has produced six winning seasons in seven years and one Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference title (2001-02), in addition to a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament titles and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances (2001-02 and 2002-03).

Holquist came to UMD in 1986 as Dale Race’s top assistant coach. During Holquist’s tenure at UMD, the Bulldogs have made 12 national tournament appearances.

Kevin Luke is in his 13th season guiding the Michigan Tech men’s basketball program. He is a four-time GLIAC Coach of the Year and is the winningest coach in MTU history with a 234-116 record at MTU.



Dean Ellis is entering his 21st season as a head coaching fixture for Northern Michigan. Ellis is the winningest coach in school history with a 322-241 record.

DID YOU KNOW....

The Bulldogs 4-0 start is the best start in coach Gary Holquist's career and is only the second 4-0 start since the 1990-91 season ... UMD had four players score in double digits in each of its first four games... The Bulldogs loss to NMU a year ago took place during UMD's longest winless streak of the season and was the only non-NCC loss during that forgettable streak.

ON THE AIR

Both AFIC games will air on WDSM with Ray Schow (710 AM). Live coverage begins at 7:45 p.m.