FULL PDF RELEASE

THIS WEEK: Minot State University has a considerably short trip for Wednesday's game at Moorhead as the Beavers take on future Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference foe Minnesota State Moorhead. Game time is set for 8 p.m.

TRADITION IN TRANSITION: Minot State is in its third season of a four-year transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II. MSU advanced to Year Three Provisional status in July and is expected to complete the transition in July 2012. Minot State was selected to join the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in 2012-13.

RECORDS: Minot State is 1-9 overall and is 0-0 as an NCAA DII Independent. MSUM is off to one of its best seasons ever with a 5-0 overall record and a 2-0 NSIC mark.

COACHES CORNER: Minot State's head coach is Peter Stewart, who begins his second season with the Beavers. Stewart is 14-26 with MSU and overall.  MSUM's head coach is Chad Walthall, who is in his second season. He is 20-12 with the Dragons.

FOLLOW THE BEAVERS: The game is broadcast locally on KCJB 910-AM with Scott Kittell calling the play-by-play. Live audio can be accessed online at (www.kcjb.com). MSU provides live stats as well as links to live audio and a MSU photo gallery all at (www.msubeavers.com).

RANKINGS: Neither of the teams was ranked in the latest NABC Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll.

RECENT HISTORY: Minot State did not fare well in Alaska as the Beavers were defeated three times at the AT&T Jamboree hosted by Alaska Anchorage. MSU fell to then No. 21 ranked Anchorage 76-57 on Thursday, dropped an 83-77 game to Alaska Fairbanks Friday and stumbled to an 82-40 loss to UAA in the finale Saturday. The Dragons swept Bemidji State (77-57) and Minnesota Duluth (85-67) to open NSIC play.

OVERALL SERIES: The Dragons hold a 16-9 lead in the series.

NOTING THE DRAGONS: Minnesota State Moorhead has had a fantastic start to the 2011-12 season, but it's arguably biggest win of the year doesn't count. The Dragons knocked off NCAA Division I and cross town rival North Dakota State 90-84 in exhibition play… Team leading scorer and rebounds Jake Lindfors has been a force to be reckoned with as the 6-foot-10 junior has led the team in scoring twice and in rebounds four times… DJ Hamilton hit for a combined 65 points in the two wins over BSU and Duluth… The Dragons have not played on the road yet this season in non-exhibition play. That trend continues through the Minot State game and Saturday when MSUM plays host to travel partner Minnesota Crookston.

THE GREAT KODIAK BEAR-HEY: Minot State junior guard Yonas Behre (Toronto, Ontario) led MSU in scoring two out of three nights at the AT&T Jamboree, earning himself a spot on the All-Jamboree Team. Behre has moved past teammate Josh Johnson (Jr., F, Lufkin, Texas) for the top scorer by average for the Beavers, boasting a 15.1 points-per-game average.

AVOID NUMBER SIX: Minot State has lost five games in a row since a double overtime win over the University of Mary Nov. 22. The Beavers haven't lost six games in a row since they dropped the final four contests of the 2009-10 season and the first two in 2010-11.

OFFENSIVE ON THE BOARDS: MSU guards Adam Randall (R-Fr., Steele, N.D.) and Jonas Pollard (Sr., Mesa, Ariz.) are third and fourth on the team respectively in total rebounds. Randall has a total of 47 rebounds and Pollard has 40. The duo has been especially solid on the offensive end as they have combined for 43 offensive rebounds. Randall actually has more offensive (24) than defensive (23), while Pollard has 19 offensive boards this season.

CHANGING LINEUPS: Minot State has had eight different players earn at least one start this season and only Josh Johnson and Yonas Behre have started every game they have played in. Chris East (So., G, Toronto, Ontario) has started in nine of 10 games, while Jonas Pollard has heard his number called out over the loudspeaker eight of 10 times.

HE BEHRE-LY MISSES: Yonas Behre has missed just two free throws over the course of seven games, knocking down 35-of-37 attempts. MSU had four players hitting 70 percent or better this year and three, Behre, Josh Johnson (76.7 percent) and Chris East (74.2) have hit 74 percent or better.