THIS WEEK: Minot State finishes off a three-game road trip to start Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play taking on Northern State Friday (8 p.m.) and Minnesota State University Moorhead Saturday (6 p.m.).

RECORDS: The Beavers are 4-3 overall and 0-1 in NSIC North play. Northern State is also 4-3 and 0-1, while MSUM is 5-1 and 1-0 in conference play.

COACHES CORNER: Minot State's Matt Murken is in his fifth season as head coach of the Beavers. He's compiled a 51-68 record during his first five seasons with Minot State and is 97-84 throughout his six-year head coaching career. Paul Sather is in his seventh season as the head coach at Northern State, compiling a 108-73 record. He is 202-135 in his career after posting a 94-62 record in five seasons at Black Hills State. Chad Walthall has put together an impressive run at MSUM, going 146-52 in his six seasons with the Dragons. He is 262-121 overall.

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 kcjb.com. MSU provides live video – with Leif Bakken serving as the play-by-play announcer – and live stats as well as links to the live audio at msubeavers.com. Minot State Athletics also is active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and You Tube with all feeds accessible at msubeavers.com/stayconnected.

RANKINGS: MSU Moorhead received votes in latest NABC Division II Top 25 poll and was the sixth ranked team in this week's D2SIDA Central Region Media Poll. Minot State and Northern State were unranked in both polls.

RECENT HISTORY: Minot State couldn't get key stops down the stretch and fell 81-72 at the University of Mary in the Beavers NSIC opener Saturday. MSU got a big offensive night from Luis Ricci Maia who scored a game-high 20 points and a huge night from Tyler Rudolph, who earned his second double-double with 17 rebounds and 15 points. Russ Davis hit four 3-pointers and finished with 14 for MSU. In a back-and-forth affair MSUM's Tanner Kretchman hit a deep 3 to give the Dragons a 93-92 win over NSU in both team's NSIC opener. NSU's Mack Arvidson thought he had a game winner with a 3 of his own with three seconds to play, but Kretchman beat the buzzer and the Wolves. Aaron Lien had 28 points in the win for MSUM. Arvidson hit nine 3-pointers and scored 37 points in the loss for NSU.

ALL-TIME AT A GLANCE: The Beavers have struggled with both NSU and MSUM going back to all three teams' NAIA days. MSU trails Northern State 33-7 and trails MSU Moorhead 24-9 in the all-time series.

LAST TIME OUT: Tyler Rudolph had a fantastic weekend, scoring 52 points and adding 22 rebounds, but the Beavers fell twice on the road in January of last season. MSU dropped an 86-71 decision at NSU. Chris Davis finished with 15 points and Nathan Mertens 13 for MSU. DJ Pollard had 19 points to lead five Wolves in double figures. Against nationally ranked MSU Moorhead, the Beavers pushed the Dragons before late free throws sealed the game for MSUM 97-89. Michael Pelo joined Rudolph in double figures with 15 points, hitting five 3-pointers. Isaac Sevlie scored 38 points in the win for Moorhead.

NOTING THE WOLVES: Northern State has three losses on the season, two coming by just a single point – both to NSIC teams. The Wolves lost 83-82 at the hands of Southwest Minnesota in nonconference play earlier in the season before getting buzzer-beat by MSU Moorhead Saturday… Four NSU players are averaging double figures led by Mack Arvidson's 20.0 points per game… Logan Doyle is the team leader in rebounds with 9.7 and is fourth in scoring at 12.0, nearly averaging a double-double… Arvidson has hit 31 of his team's 61 3-pointers. NSU has started the same fine all seven games so far this season.

NOTING THE DRAGONS: Minnesota State University Moorhead is scoring at a torrid pace, averaging 94.2 points per game including two games breaking the century mark… The Dragons have hit 52.9 percent of their shots for a solid average, but have been outstanding from beyond the arc, going 79-162, hitting 13 per game… MSUM has a gaudy 1.9 assist-to-turnover ratio with just 46 turnovers and 89 assists… Aaron Lien and Ayob Ayob have provided the Dragons with a solid 1-2 scoring punch as both average at least 20 points per game… Tanner Kretchman has 36 assist to just six turnovers to go along with his 15.7 scoring average.

RUDY RECORDS REBOUND RECORD: Minot State junior Tyler Rudolph pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds against the University of Mary, setting a team Division II era record. He also finished with 15 points to give him his second double-double of the year and his 15th career double-double. He had 12 in a breakout sophomore season a year ago.

GOOD WORK, RICCI: MSU junior Luis Ricci Maia was announced as a nominee for the Allstate Good Works Team Thursday for his contributions to Minot State and the Minot community. On the court, he has been just as good. He is second on the team in scoring, coming into the weekend with a 14.1 per-game average. He is also second on the team to Nathan Mertens in assists with 21. Maia has as solid 21-11 assist-to-turnover average and has 24 rebounds.

CASHING IN FREE ONES: Minot State has been solid all season at the free throw line, hitting 72.6 percent of their free throws. Leading the way is Nathaniel Moore, who is missed just one on the season in eight tries. Joining him over 80 percent is Tyler Rudolph who has hit 21 of 28 so far.

BY THE NUMBERS
4: 3-pointers hit by junior Russ Davis against the University of Mary last weekend, upping his season total to 20. He leads the team in made 3s with 20 and is second to Nathaniel Moore's 53 percent with an even 50 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

24: Combined blocked shots between Minot State and its opponents through seven games. The Beavers have just 10 blocked shots on the season, a combined seven from Tyler Rudolph and Stevan Jovanovic.

80.1: Minot State's scoring average seven games into the season. The Beavers have shot the ball well, hitting 50.8 percent from the field and 40.3 percent on 3-pointers.