2015-16 NCAA Division II Media Poll, Presented by D2SIDA Week #10 (Jan. 26, 2016)
After snapping out of a rare losing skid last time out, the University of Minnesota Duluth will welcome Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference South Division rivals the University of Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State University to Romano Gym with a pair of promotions on the schedule. UMD (14-6, 10-4 NSIC) remains ranked among the teams receiving votes just outside the top-25 in the NCAA II Media Poll, presented by D2SIDA. Friday night, the Bulldogs face the Cougars on Coaches vs. Cancer night while fans attending Saturday's men's and women's basketball doubleheader will have a chance at taking home a rally towel, sponsored by American Family Insurance.
SCOUTING THE COUGARS | 11-9, 6-8 NSIC
Sioux Falls has slipped in four of five entering the weekend after a 10-5 start to the NSIC campaign ... the Cougars defeated Concordia University, St. Paul 110-90 last Friday night but fell70-68 against Minnesota State University Mankato on Saturday ... junior guard Mack Johnson leads the NSIC in free throw percentage at 92.4 percent on 66 attempts and leads the team at 15.3 points per game on the season ... junior forward Daniel Hurtt and senior forward Jordan Stotts each average double figures on the season ... junior guard Kebu Johnson ranks fifth in the NSIC averaging 4.3 assists per game ... head coach Chris Johnson is in his eighth season leading the Cougars ... UMD owns a 2-1 record all-time against Sioux Falls including a 74-70 victory last season on Jan. 30, 2015.
SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS | 10-9. 6-8 NSIC
Southwest Minnesota State enters the weekend riding a two-game winning streak having knocked off Minnesota State 85-71 last Friday night and Concordia-St. Paul 78-55 on Saturday ... SMSU will meet St. Cloud State on Friday night before coming to Duluth. The Mustangs had lost five-straight before their winning weekend ... junior forwards Mitch Weg and Joey Bartlett each average double figures for Southwest, with Weg's 12.5 points per outing ranking 25th in the conference ... Weg also leads the Mustangs averaging 7.2 rebounds per game, and his team-high PPG average has been amounted entirely on two-point field goals, having yet to take a three-point shot in 19 games this season ... head coach Brad Bigler is in his seventh season leading Southwest Minnesota State ... UMD owns a 50-29 all-time record against the Mustangs but fell 78-59 last season on Jan. 31, 2015.
FREE THROWSUMD ranks among the teams receiving votes outside the top-25 in the Division II Media Poll for
the second-straight week ... the Bulldogs returned home after a four-game road trip, slipping for the first time at Romano Gym this season on Friday night against Minot State before responding by hitting the 100-point threshold in defeating U-Mary ... senior forward
Brendon Pineda netted 22 points on Friday night against the Beavers, coming back with 17 the following night ... senior guards
Taylor Lavery and
Pierre Newton each contributed 26 points on Saturday night; Newton grabbed 12 rebounds, all on the defensive end for his sixth double-double of the season ... despite offensive struggles on Friday night, the Bulldogs ended up shooting 46.9 percent from the floor while hitting 9.5 three-pointers per game.
HOW TO FOLLOWLive Stats & Video (both games)
UP NEXTUMD and Sioux Falls will hit the Romano Gym court on Friday night in interdivisional NSIC action. Opening tip is set for 8:00 p.m. following the women's contest.
