THE OPENING TIP: The University of Minnesota Duluth will play a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division games at Bemidji State University (Friday, Jan. 4) and the University of Minnesota Crookston (Saturday, Jan.5) this weekend. The Bulldogs tip off Friday night against the Beavers at 7:30 p.m. at the BSU Gymnasium, then face the Golden Eagles the following day at 5:30 p.m. at Lysaker Gymnasium.

SCOUTING REPORT ON BEMIDJI STATE: The Beavers are 4-6 overall and 1-5 in the NSIC. They are currently on a five-game losing skid after winning their NSIC opener. They closed their three-game road stint scoring less than 60 points in each contest. 

Bemidji State is averaging 78.0 points per game and giving up 77.4 per game. It is hitting on 49.6 percent of its looks on the season and a decent 41.1 percent from behind the three-point line. Those marks are second and fourth in the NSIC, respectively. 

Derek Thompson is the leading scorer and rebounder for the Beavers. He is averaging 15.1 points and 7.3 rebounds. Thompson is knocking down 56.6 percent of his attempts. Jacob Hoffman is the three-point marksman with 31 of his 40 makes from behind the arc. Hoffman is averaging 11.7 points per game. Logan Bader is second on the team with 13.4 points. Ja Morgan is leading the NSIC in assists per game with 6.2.

SCOUTING REPORT ON MINNESOTA CROOKSTON: The Golden Eagles are 8-6 overall and 2-4 in the NSIC. They ended a four-game losing streak last Sunday with a 72-51 victory over Bemidji State. They have found success at home as they are 5-1 at Lysaker Gymnasium this season. 

Minnesota Crookston is eighth in the NSIC in terms of scoring offense with 78.3 points per game and fifth in the conference in scoring defense with 69.1 points per game. It is 46th nationally in scoring defense. 

Harrison Cleary is leading the Golden Eagles with 21.7 points and 3.8 assists per game. He is hitting 43.5 percent from the field and 50.6 percent from three. Cleary is 54-for-57 from the free-throw line. Cleary is fourth in the NSIC in scoring. Chase Knickerbocker is second in scoring and Ben Juhl is next with 10.8 points per game. Gable Smith is second in the NSIC with 2.5 blocks per game.

THE SERIES: The Bulldogs and Beavers have played 146 times overall with UMD leading the all-time series 93-43. Last season Bemidji State won at home 73-63 on Dec. 1, 2017 and the Bulldogs won 62-57 on Jan. 6, 2018. UMD has captured five of the previous seven meetings.

The Bulldogs and Golden Eagles have played 36 times overall with UMD leading the all-time series 31-5. Minnesota Crookston and UMD split last season. The Golden Eagles won at home 98-90 on Dec. 2. The Bulldogs returned the favor at Romano 75-71 on Jan. 5, 2018. UMD has won seven of last eight games.

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 on this weekend can viewed, with live stat capabilities at: portal.stretchinternet.com/umd. 

LAST TIME OUT: UMD locked up the sweep of St. Cloud State with a 75-60 win last Sunday at home to move to 6-4 overall and 3-3 in the NSIC. The Bulldogs led nearly wire-to-wire for 37:18 minutes. UMD grabbed the season sweep over the Huskies for the first time since the 2015-16 season. Junior forward Brandon Myer had 24 points and 16 rebounds while senior forward Sean Burns collected 20 points and six boards. Freshman guard Hunter Plamann racked up six assists. The Bulldogs held the Huskies to 60 points and 36.7 percent from the floor, both season lows for SCSU.

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. 

CRASH THE BOARDS: Attacking the glass has paved the way to victories this season. UMD has not won a game this season when they fail to win the rebounding battle. The Bulldogs are 5-1 when taking control of the glass.

SHOOT FOR 42: UMD is undefeated this season when it shots 42 percent or better. The Bulldogs have won only once when shooting below that clip.

GET OUT IN FRONT: UMD is 5-1 this season when it carries a lead into the half. Michigan Tech was the lone team to come back after trailing going into the second half.

AND FINISH STRONG: UMD is 6-1 when leading with five minutes remaining. That lone loss came in the 73-70 overtime defeat at Mary.

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL: The Bulldogs, for the third consecutive season, are  getting the most out of their possessions. They are giving the ball away 9.9 times per game. That is the sixth best clip in the nation. Southwest Minnesota State forced 13 turnovers, the most UMD was allowed all season.

NO MARGIN OF ERROR: UMD is 39th in the country in turnover margin. It is No. 4 in the NSIC as well with a positive 3.7 turnover margin.  The Bulldogs have won the turnover battle eight times this season and lost that battle once.

BALL CONTROL AT ITS FINEST: The Bulldogs have a team assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.38. Good execution and decision-making have UMD ranked 30th in the country.

DE-FENSE: The Bulldog defense is allowing 66.0 points per game. That equals the 31st best defense in the nation in terms of scoring defense and fourth in the NSIC.

ALPHA DOG: Junior forward Brandon Myer is leading the team is scoring with 20.3 points per game. He has the seventh best scoring average in the NSIC and 49th in the nation.

REBOUNDING KING: It just not scoring. Junior forward Brandon Myer leads the NSIC with 10.5 rebounds per game. He has the ninth most rebounds in the nation and is fifth in the country in defensive rebounding (8.0).

DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE: Junior forward Brandon Myer has compiled four double-doubles this season. That gives him a total of 11 career double-doubles. He is two off the NSIC pace (Bryndan Matthews, Concordia- St. Paul). 

PICKPOCKET ARTIST: Junior forward Brandon Myer is first the NSIC with 2.0 steals per game. That total is also 69th in the nation. Myer amassed a collegiate high six steals in the contest against Wisconsin-Superior and repeated that feat against Southwest Minnesota State.

CLOSING IN ON 1,000: Junior forward Brandon Myer has 952 collegiate points. He is 48 points away from being the next Bulldog to join the 1,000-point club. He would be the 38th Bulldog to join the exclusive group. Guard Reece Zoelle was the last to hit the grand achievement back on Jan. 23, 2015.

RELENTLESS POST FINISHER: Senior forward Sean Burns is averaging 13.3 points and 7.4 rebounds this season. Burns is second in the conference in field-goal percentage at a robust 60.9 percent. Only 26 other qualifying players sport a better shooting percentage. His rebounding average is ninth in the NSIC but it's the work he does on the offensive glass. He notches 2.8 offensive boards, which is second in the NSIC and 79th in the nation.

SAVING HIS BEST FOR LAST: Senior forward Sean Burns is throwing up career marks this season. His 13.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game are career bests for a season. Burns established new single-game marks in points (21 at Mary 12/8) and rebounds (14 vs. Michigan Tech 11/18) this year. He has also tied his single-game collegiate high in assists

FOR THREE!: Junior Logan Rohrscheib can spot up and get a clean look from outside. The three-point specialist has a team-high 24 baskets from long-range. Rohrscheib has 14 other buckets from inside the arc.

THE MARKSMAN: Junior Logan Rohrscheib has led the team in three point baskets each of the last two seasons and is on pace to do so again. His 24 three-point baskets are twice as many than the next Bulldog. At his current pace, Rohrscheib could ascend into the top five of the Bulldog made three-point field goals all-time list.

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.

ON TAP: UMD plays the University of Mary and Minot State University next weekend at Romano Gymnasium.