The University of Minnesota Duluth men's basketball team is set to close out their three game homestand with another weekend of action at Romano Gymnasium, hosting the Bemidji State University Beavers on Friday, Jan. 17, at 5:30 PM and the University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 3:30 PM.
Last Time Out
The Bulldogs returned to action in their first home game of the new year last weekend against St. Cloud State University, taking down the Huskies 66-58 in an all around defensive clinic.
Six unanswered points in the first six minutes of the opening half would help the Bulldogs take control of an early lead over SCSU. The Huskies would battle back to tie things up as time winded down, but a turn around layup from Noah Paulson would beat the buzzer to give UMD a 33-31 advantage. The Bulldogs would continue to widen their lead in the second half, cruising to an eight point victory by the end of the night.
Last Weekend's Spotlight Players
#24 Charlie Katona - 21 PTS, 3 REB, 2 A, 1 STL
#1 Joshua Brown - 10 PTS, 5 REB, 4 A, 1 STL
#13 Nick Katona - 5 PTS, 8 REB, 2 A, 2 STL, 1 BLK
Scouting Report - Bemidji State
The Bemidji State University Beavers are 6-10 overall and 3-7 against NSIC opponents so far this season, most recently coming off a 16 point loss to the Winona State Warriors.
The Bulldogs are 15-6 against the Beavers since 2013, holding a 9-1 hom record and a 6-5 away record against BSU. UMD's largest margin of victory over the Beavers has been 34 points (87-53, Feb. 2023), defeating the Beavers 90-71 in their most recent matchup last season.
The Beavers are currently led in scoring by junior guard Tate Olson who is averaging 11.3 points per game with 181 total points over 16 games this season.
Scouting Report - Minnesota Crookston
The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles are 3-13 overall and 2-8 against NSIC opponents, most recently coming off a 27 point loss to the MSU Mankato Mavericks.
The Bulldogs are 18-3 against the Golden Eagles since 2013, holding a 12-0 home record and 6-3 away record against UMC. UMD's largest margin of victory over the Golden Eagles has been 40 points (109-69, Feb. 2023), defeating the Golden Eagles 72-62 in their most recent matchup last season.
The Golden Eagles are currently led in scoring by senior guard Grant Reid who is averaging 14.5 points per game with 232 total points over 16 games this season.
Bulldogs Against the Rest
The Bulldogs rank within the top five in the NSIC in 13 different statistical categories, including five different categories where they rank within the top three. These categories include:
Blocks Per Game - 3.7 (2nd in NSIC, 67th in NCAA)
Effective Field Goal Percentage - 0.541 (3rd in NSIC, 68th in NCAA)
Field Goal Percentage - 47.7 (4th in NSIC, 58th in NCAA)
Field Goal Percentage Defense - 41.6 (3rd in NSIC, 47th in NCAA)
Free Throw Attempts per Game - 20.7 (4th in NSIC, 111th in NCAA)
Rebounds Margin - 4.3 (5th in NSIC, 66th in NCAA)
Scoring Defense - 66.3 (3rd in NSIC, 23rd in NCAA)
Scoring Margin - 9.3 (2nd in NSIC, 41st in NCAA)
Steals per Game - 7.1 (5th in NSIC, 151st in NCAA)
Three Point Percentage Defense - 31.8 (5th in NSIC, 78th in NCAA)
Turnover Margin - 1.6 (5th in NSIC, 91st in NCAA)
Turnovers Forced Per Game - 12.4 (4th in NSIC, 178th in NCAA)
Winning Percentage - 66.6 (5th in NSIC, 68th in NCAA)
Katona Named to 2024-25 Bevo Francis Watchlist
Fifth year senior Charlie Katona was named to Small College Basketball's Top 100 watchlist for the 2024-25 Bevo Francis Award on January 15.
This will be the Bulldogs' second player nomination for the award in as many years after former guard Drew Blair was up for the award last season.
The Clarence "Bevo" Francis Award is presented annually to the player with the strongest season throughout Small College Basketball, accounting for season statistics, individual achievements, personal character, and team achievements. This reward considers some of the top players from Division II, Division III, NAIA, USCAA, and NCCAA basketball.
Small College Basketball will reduce the watchlist to the Top 50 on February 15, and the Top 25 on March 15. Finalists and the overall winner will be announced in early April.
UMD Slated Third in NSIC Preseason
The University of Minnesota Duluth men's basketball team was slated to finish third in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) in the preseason coaches poll. The Bulldogs received 172 points in the conference poll, including one first place vote, after finishing off the 2023-24 season in the second round of the NCAA Central Region tournament.
Katona Named NSIC Player to Watch
Fifth year senior Charlie Katona was named UMD's NSIC Player to Watch for the 2024-25 season. Katona was a mainstay in the Bulldog starting five last season, starting in all 33 games for the Bulldogs and averaging 28 minutes a game. Katona recorded 424 total points while averaging 12.8 points per game, 4.9 rebounds per game, and 1.9 assists per game and will enter the season as the reigning NSIC Defensive Player of the Year.
Offseason Departures
The Bulldogs will see some changes in the rotation from last season, suffering huge losses with the graduation of Drew Blair and Jack Middleton, and with the transfer of Lincoln Meister.
Drew Blair was the premiere player in the Bulldog's offensive scheme last season, breaking the program's all time scoring record at the beginning of the season against Oklahoma Baptist and going on to lead the team in four different statistical categories (total points, points per game, rebounds, and steals).
Jack Middleton was the cornerstone of the Bulldog's leadership, and proved himself as one of the most accurate shooters on the team. Middleton ended his career with the Bulldogs as a 40.8% 3-pt shooter and an 89.8% free throw shooter.
Lincoln Meister was the Bulldog's primary sixth man option, serving as a dominant presence under the rim and an elite blocker. Ending the season with 32 blocks, UMD loses one of their strongest defensive big men with his transfer to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
Last Season
The Bulldogs closed out their 2023-24 season with their third straight NCAA tournament appearance, falling in the second round against the Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats.
UMD closed out the regular season at second place in the NSIC standings, and would go on to fall in the championship game of the NSIC tournament to the eventual NCAA National Champs, Minnesota State Mankato.
The Bulldogs secured the third seed going into the NCAA Central Region tournament, and closed out the opening round with a buzzer beater layup from Mattie Thompson to defeat Fort Hays State.
UMD ended their season in the semifinal round after a defense driven, 71-62 loss to the Bearcats.
Looking Ahead
Bulldog men's basketball will set their sights on North Dakota next weekend, matching up against the University of Mary Marauders and the Minot State University Beavers on the road. Tip-off against the Marauders is currently set for Friday, Jan. 24, at 5:30 PM.
