MINOT, N.D. -- The Minot State men's basketball team will face a pair of stiff challenges this weekend as it returns to the road for Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference contests at Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston.

Minot State will open the weekend at Bemidji State on Friday (Jan. 19) at 8 p.m. and then face Minnesota Crookston on Saturday (Jan. 20) at 6 p.m.

The Beavers enter the weekend with a 16-2 overall record and a 10-2 mark in the NSIC. Minot State occupies the second position in the NSIC North standings and sports a 2.5 game lead over third-place St. Cloud State. With its 16 victories, Minot State established a single-season record for wins since joining NCAA Division II.

The Beavers are inching closer to a top 25 national ranking with each passing victory. Minot State recorded two significant wins last week with an overtime victory over Minnesota State and a 13-point win against Concordia-St. Paul. As a result, Minot State received a season-high 18 votes in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches Top 25 Poll and sit just outside the rankings.

Minot State is ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation in a pair of other polls. The Beavers are ranked 14th nationally in the Hero Sports Division II Power Rankings and are 16th in the Division II computer rankings compiled by David Wilson.

Senior Tyler Rudolph continues his brilliant season as he earned his fifth NSIC North Player of the Week honor after helping lead the Beavers to the home wins over Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul. Rudolph averaged 23.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in the two victories as he had 18 points and 12 rebounds against Minnesota State and then scored 29 points in the win against Concordia-St. Paul.

Senior point guard Luis Ricci Maia has turned up the offense on his game as he has reached double figures in scoring in the last six games. During that span he is 17.0 points per game while shooting 56.1 percent from the floor, 62.5 percent from the three-point line and 90.0 percent from the free throw line. Additionally, Ricci Maia is averaging 6.8 assists and 1.5 steals per contest during the six-game span.

Senior Nathaniel Moore has also been red hot on the offensive end of the floor as of late as he has reached double figures in scoring in four straight contests. During the four-game stretch, Moore is scoring 16.8 points per game and shooting 54.2 percent from the floor. He also is averaging 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game over the last four contests.

Bemidji State enters Friday's game with a 7-10 overall record and a 4-8 mark in the NSIC. The Beavers earned a road split last weekend with a victory at Sioux Falls and a narrow loss to Southwest Minnesota State. Bemidji State, which is 5-3 at home this season, has lost by an average of 5.3 points in its last three losses.

Minot State has swept the season series from Bemidji State in each of the last two years and has won five in a row overall.

Minnesota Crookston is 8-10 overall and 5-7 in the NSIC and currently in fourth place in the North Division. The Golden Eagles have dropped four straight games overall, but have won five of their last six games at home.

Minot State owns a 22-5 advantage over Minnesota Crookston and has reeled off 11 consecutive victories against the Golden Eagles.