After a three-game winning streak at Romano Gym was snapped last Saturday night, the University of Minnesota Duluth will set out on the road this weekend for a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division collisions.
UMD (9-9, 6-6 NSIC) will look to defend its spot in the upper half of the NSIC North this weekend after working a shutout in overtime to knock off Wayne State 94-80 after the extra session on Friday night, but falling to ninth-ranked Augustana 95-69 on Saturday this past weekend. The Bulldogs take on Minot State University - just below them in the standings - and the University of Mary, currently tied for seventh in the division.
FREE THROWS• Senior center
Brett Ervin averaged 22.5 points, leading UMD on the weekend offensively, while hauling in 4.0 rebounds per game, five assists, and a pair of blocks, shooting 52.9 percent (18-of-34) including 4-of-6 (66.7 percent) from three-point range. He netted 25 points, a pair of blocks, and five assists while hauling in six rebounds in UMD's 94-80 victory over Wayne State.
• Junior guard
Pierre Newton averaged 21 points and 4.5 rebounds on the weekend, shooting 59.3 percent (16-of-27) while adding five assists and a pair of steals on the weekend. He posted a Bulldog career-high of 31 points on Friday night against Wayne State, shooting 73.3 percent from the floor (11-of-15) while hauling in six rebounds, two assists, and those two steals
SCOUTING THE BEAVERS (Friday, Jan. 23, 8:00 p.m.) -
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Minot State (9-9, 4-8 NSIC) has dropped four in a row and five of six, defeating the University of Minnesota-Crookston 80-73 on Jan. 3. The Beavers own a 3-2 record all-time against UMD, but the Bulldogs won last time out in Minot, 88-80 on Jan. 17, 2014.
• Senior guard Everett Robinson leads the Beavers in scoring, netting 14.3 points per outing while hauling in 6.8 boards in NSIC play. Senior forward Thomas Korf has scored 12.3 points per game against the conference and is currently seventh in the NSIC shooting 57.3 percent. Robinson is right behind him at 56.9 percent on the year.
• The Beavers have the fewest steals per outing, averaging 3.0 in NSIC play and a -2.92 turnover margin. Minot State is right in the middle of the conference shooting 46.3 percent as a team but rank third from the perimeter, shooting 41.3 percent from three-point range.
SCOUTING THE MARAUDERS (Saturday, Jan. 24, 6:00 p.m.) -
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U-Mary (5-11, 3-9 NSIC) have won three of five since turning the calendar to 2015 and will host St. Cloud State University on Friday evening before UMD comes to town. The Bulldogs are 7-4 against Mary but fell 83-67 last time out on Jan. 18, 2014 last season.
• Junior guard Marquealis Edwards averages 14.1 points in NSIC play while also grabbing 5.8 rebounds per game. Sophomore forward Bryan Jefferson sits just behind Edwards at 5.2 boards per game, but the junior also ranks in the top seven in assists (3.7/game) and top five in steals (1.7/game).
• The Marauders have earned themselves the fifth-most second chances, hauling in 10.3 offensive rebounds per game against the NSIC. Led by Edwards, U-Mary averages the seventh-most steals but ranks in the bottom half of most major statistical categories in conference play.
The Bulldogs and Beavers will do battle in Minot on Friday night to start the road trip. Opening tip is scheduled for 8:00 p.m., following the women's contest.
