THE OPENING TIP: The University of Minnesota Duluth is home for pair of interdivision Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games this weekend. The Bulldogs host University of Sioux Falls on Friday, Dec. 14 and Southwest Minnesota State University on Saturday, Dec. 15 in the first games against the south division this season. The tip starts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and 5:30 p.m. the following afternoon at Ralph A. Romano Gymnasium. 

SCOUTING REPORT ON SIOUX FALLS: The Cougars are 7-2 and 2-1 in the NSIC. After taking the opening two NSIC games by double digits, Sioux Falls dropped a 87-84 overtime decision at home against Minnesota State. It is 1-0 on the road and 4-1 at neutral sites this season. The Cougars are sixth in the NSIC with 82.1 points per game and ninth defensively, holding the opposition to 70.0 points per game. Sioux Falls excels at rebounding as it is grabbing nearly 44 rebounds a contest. It is first in the NSIC and 10th in the country. Only Cal St. San Bernadino (+12.6) has a better rebounding margin than the Cougars (+11.0). Sioux Falls is shooing 43.9 percentage from the field (13th in the NSIC) but it is holding teams to a 40.3  shooting clip (second in the NSIC).

Drew Gerbert and Trevon Evans are both in the top six in scoring in the conference with Gerbert averaging 22.3 points per game and Evans averaging 21.8. Both are knocking down at least two long-range triples a game and both are in the top six at getting to the line. The Bulldogs will have their hands full in slowing down the 1-2 punch the Cougars present. Gerbert also leads the team with 7.2 rebounds with Justin Taylor close behind at 7.0 boards per game. Taylor fourth in the NSIC in offensive rebounds. Evans is their leading passer with 3.3 assists a night.

SCOUTING REPORT ON SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE: The Mustangs are 6-3 on the year and 1-2 in the conference having picked up their first NSIC win last Saturday at home versus Concordia-St. Paul. This is the first road contest for Southwest Minnesota State as it played its first nine games in Marshall. The Mustangs bring to town this weekend one of the nation's better offensives. They are averaging 86.1 points per game, which is third in the NSIC and 30th in the NCAA. They also sport the 20th-best shooting percentage, knocking down a robust 50.7 percent. Luckily for the Bulldogs, SMSU is near the bottom on defense, letting up almost 80 points a game. To its credit, it disrupts offense with forcing turnovers. SMSU is averaging 7.9 steals per game, second in the conference. The Mustangs are hitting on 45.7 percent of their long-range looks, trailing Northwest Missouri State by fractions.

UMD will have to contain Ryan Bruggeman (the younger brother of assistant head coach Casey Bruggeman). Bruggeman is the reigning NSIC South Division Player of the Week. He is averaging 23.2 points, 6.8 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game this season. Bruggeman has scored at least 17 points in every game this year. He leads the conference in points, assists, steals (2.2), free throw makes (52) and attempts (60). Taylor Schafer is second in scoring for the Mustangs with 13.1 points and a team-high 23 three-pointers. Steven McNease leads the club with 9.7 rebounds.

THE SERIES: The Bulldogs and Cougars have played seven times overall with Sioux Falls leading the all-time series 5-2. UMD's last win came in the 2014-15 season when it captured a 74-70 win on the road back on Jan. 30, 2014. The only win at Romano for the Bulldogs came the season prior to their latest victory on Jan. 10, 2014 (a 86-64 win). The Cougars won their four straight over UMD easily winning 91-66 last time.

The Bulldogs and Mustangs have played 83 times overall with UMD leading the all-time series 51-32. SMSU also has the advantage in the series as of late with the Mustangs winning the last three engagements. UMD nearly snapped that skid last season, losing 68-65 at home on Dec. 8, 2017. The Bulldogs last win over the Mustangs happened on Jan. 30, 2016 in a 103-88 victory at Romano. 

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD and its opponents stack up with its records, in the NSIC and in the NABC Coaches Poll.

THE BROADCAST: The games this weekend can viewed at: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/umd/

In addition, live stats are available at:https://portal.stretchinternet.com/umd/

LAST TIME OUT: UMD spilt last weekend and nearly escaped the North Dakota road trip to Minot State University and the University of Mary with a sweep. The Bulldogs took care of the Beavers on Friday with a 70-65 win. Junior forward led the team in scoring with 15 points off the bench to boost UMD. He was one of four players in double figures. 

The next night the Bulldogs failed to close out the weekend with a win as they fell 73-70 at the buzzer in the overtime to the Marauders. Senior forward had a career night as he posted his second double-double of the season, compiling 21 points, a new collegiate best, and 12 rebounds. Junior guard Logan Rohrscheib dropped 18 points and had four three-pointers. Dennis Austin III made a three in the corner to swipe the victory for Mary, who ended the Bulldogs' four-game winning streak.

CONFERENCE WEEKLY HONOR: Junior forward Brandon Myer was been named the NSIC North Division Player of the Week twice already this season. He has took home the award four times in his career, winning the honor twice last season as well.

NEW PROGRAM RECORDS: In addition to junior forward Brandon Myer setting the individual free throw marks in a single game, UMD also raised the bar breaking the team records as well. The 39-for-49 effort at the line vs SCSU set the program marks for most free throw made (36 vs. Minnesota Crookston on Nov. 30, 1998) and most free throw attempts (48 vs. Minnesota Crookston on Nov. 30, 1998) in a single game.

WE MEET AGAIN: Saturday will mark the fourth time brothers Casey and Ryan Bruggeman will square off against each other. This is the first meeting between the two at their respective schools. Casey went toe-to-toe with Ryan three times when he was the graduate assistant coach at the University of Mary. Ryan has had the upper hand in all three showdowns.

A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING: Since Sioux Falls joined the league in 2012, UMD has not swept the weekend series. 

CRASH THE BOARDS AND MAKE YOUR FREE ONES: The success enjoyed by the Bulldogs this season is winning the rebounding battle and get to the line. UMD is 5-1 when winning the rebound battle and 4-0 when it gets to the line more times than the opponent. That model is 4-0 so far this season when they executed both in the same game.

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL: The Bulldogs, for the third consecutive season are good, at getting the most out of their possessions. They are giving the ball away 9.6 times per game. That is the fourth best clip in the nation.

NO MARGIN OF ERROR: UMD is 35th in the country in turnover margin. It is No. 2 in the NSIC as well with a positive 3.9 turnover margin. 

BALL CONTROL AT ITS FINEST: The Bulldogs have a team assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.37. Thirty-three other teams have a better ratio.

DE-FENSE: The Bulldog defense has been key to the  5-2 record, allowing 64.6 points per game. That equals  the 22nd best defense in the nation in terms of scoring defense. Opposing clubs are shooting 41.7 percent from the floor.  

ALPHA DOG: Junior forward Brandon Myer is leading the team is scoring with 19.7 points per game. He has the eighth best scoring average in the NSIC. He currently is third in the NSIC with 48 made free throws.

REBOUNDING KING: Its just not scoring. Junior forward Brandon Myer leads the NSIC with 10.1 rebounds per game. He has the 12th most rebounds in the nation and is fourth in the country in defensive rebounding (7.9). 

DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE: Junior forward Brandon Myer has compiled three double-doubles in the last four outings. That gives him a total of 10 career double-doubles. He corralled 15 points and a career high 17 rebounds last Saturday at Mary for his team-leading third time. He is one off the NSIC pace. 

PICKPOCKET ARTIST: Junior forward Brandon Myer is third the NSIC with 1.9 steals per game. Myer amassed a collegiate high six steals in the contest against Wisconsin-Superior.

RELENTLESS POST FINISHER: Senior forward Sean Burns is averaging 12.7 points and 7.7 rebounds this season. Burns is third in the conference in field-goal percentage at a robust 59.7 percent. Only 43 other qualifying players sport a better shooting percentage. His 7.7 rebounds is ninth in the NSIC but it's the work he does on the offensive glass. He notches 3.3 offensive boards, the No. 2 player in the NSIC and 43rd in the nation.

DEBUTED IN STYLE: Justin Wieck's first game as the head coach was a successful one. Wieck grabbed his first win at the Division II level on Nov. 10, 2018 against St. Scholastica.

...WHILE HITTING TRIPLE DIGITS: The 116 points scored against the Saints is the most since a 126-124 overtime win over Bemidji State University on Feb. 25, 2009. Its the first time UMD has reached triple digits since Jan. 30, 2015.

BLOWOUT BASH: That 48-point victory over the Saints was the largest margin of victory by UMD since it won by 56 points against Northland College (95-39) on Dec. 3, 2004.

NSIC PRESEASON COACHES POLL: The Bulldogs were tabbed with a 10th place finish in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' poll released on Oct. 18. UMD exceeded expectations placed on them a season ago and received 103 points in the poll. The Bulldogs were picked to finish fifth in the North Division.

St. Cloud State University and Minnesota State University were selected by the NSIC coaches as the preseason favorites in the NSIC for the 2018-19 season. Both St. Cloud State and Minnesota State received 209 points with the Mavericks garnering eight first places votes and the Huskies with five. NCAA National runner-up Northern State University was picked to finish fifth overall with 177 points. 

In the divisional rankings, St. Cloud State was the unanimous choice in the north, picking up all seven first place votes. In the south, Minnesota State and Sioux Falls shared the top spot as both had 43 points and four first place votes.

St. Cloud State senior guard Gage Davis was the North Division Preseason Player of the Year for the second straight season. SMSU junior guard Ryan Bruggeman and Trevon Evans were named the South Division Co-Preseason Player of the Year. Bruggeman is the preseason favorite again for a second straight year.

NEW DOGS ON THE BLOCK: The Bulldogs have three freshman at their disposal for the 2018-19 season. The local Northland product, Ethan Youso (Virginia, Minn.), provides UMD with another element of a big man with a soft shooting touch from the outside. A highly successful high school tennis player, Youso finished fourth all-time in scoring and averaged 19.1 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks his senior season. Guard Mason Steffen (Waunakee, Wis.) is a second generation UMD basketball player with his father, Richard Steffen, suiting up from 1990-94. Steffen collected over 1,100 points at Waunakee Community. Another freshman turning heads in the preseason is guard Hunter Plamann (Appleton, Wis.). Hunter acclimated 1,750 points and is the all-time leading scorer in Xavier history after back-to-back All-State Associated Press accolades.

ON TAP: UMD will close out 2018 with a home contest against St. Cloud State University on Dec. 30 at 2:00 p.m. The Bulldogs defeated the then-No. 13 Huskies 91-81 in St. Cloud earlier this season.